Learning card

Do you speak “Youtuber”?

Description

This activity introduces students to some strategies used by YouTubers in their videos in order to improve the students’ critical viewing capacities. In groups, students analyse one or two videos of their favourite YouTubers from different points of view, based on a script given by the teacher.  

Tag
  • Media
  • Social Media
  • Video
  • Youtube
Skills

PRODUCTION

  • Create and modify written productions
  • Create and modify drawings and design
  • Create and modify audiovisual productions

MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

  • Recognise and describe
  • Evaluate and reflect
  • Apply
Learning areas
  • Arts
  • Foreign Languages
  • Language
  • Technologies
Card language
  • Spanish
  • English

Structure

Sessions
1
Duration
90'
Number of participants
10-30
Age
  • 10-13
  • 14-16
  • 17-18
Materials
  • Computer, tablet or smartphone
  • Paper
  • Pencils

Process

Key questions
  • Do you like YouTubers?
  • What’s the difference between YouTube and traditional media (like radio or television)?
  • What strategies do YouTubers use to get your attention?
  • Why do you like to watch a particular YouTuber channel?
  • What type of YouTuber video do you watch (vlog, unboxing, gameplay…)?
  • What types of language does he/she use (formal, colloquial, scholarly, slang…)? Why?
  • What kind of language functions (referential, poetic, emotive, conative, phatic…) do you find in your favourite youtuber videos? Why?
  • Who is the audience of the YouTuber? How do you know that?
  • How would you describe the setting where the YouTuber records their videos? Characterize it and reflect on their options. Why do you think he/she chooses that scenario?
  • Are there any commercial products in his/her videos? If so, what do you think, are they there by chance or is it a marketing strategy?
  • Now look at the technical features of the video: is it edited? How would you describe the scenes (close, distant…)? Can you identify any intentions behind the technical options?
  • How is the video dynamism and rhythm achieved?
  • Can you identify common contents in his/her videos?
Development

Introduction – 10’

The teacher asks students if they follow any YouTubers, who are their favourite ones and why. Students should make groups according to their YouTuber preferences if possible.

Exposition – 10’

The teacher reminds students about the different kinds of communication: verbal (formal, colloquial, scholarly, slang…) and nonverbal and give some examples of both (clothing, facial expressions, voice tone, gestures, postures…). He/she also remembers participants that, like with texts, images (still or in motion) also have a grammar and a syntax. 

Reflection/Production – 50’

Each group of 4-5 students choose a YouTuber and analyse one of their videos according to the script delivered by the teacher (See “Specific Questions”). After the analysis the group decides in which format they want to share their reflections with their classmates (writing and reading a text, doing a poster, a podcast, recording a video as if they were YouTubers…).

Productions exhibit – 20’

The activity finishes with an exhibition of the productions and final discussion about the YouTubers’ ways of producing based on the findings of the different groups. Groups should also share their opinion about the lesson itself, explaining what they learnt in the exercise.

Evaluation

The teacher comments on the productions, highlighting aspects that may have gone unnoticed by the groups. This happens when the productions are exhibited.

References for professors
Author

Sara Pereira. Universidade do Minho (Portugal), sara.pereira@ics.uminho.pt

Joana Fillol. Universidade do Minho (Portugal), joanafillol@gmail.com

Pedro Moura. Universidade do Minho (Portugal), pedromourarsp@gmail.com

  • Media
  • Social Media
  • Video
  • Youtube