Learning card

Tumblenglish (Social Media)

Description

This activity will introduce the participants to the different uses of English in formal and informal media contexts such as renowned media outlets and social media. Through the activity, the students will also work on vocabulary, grammar and speaking by analysing and producing texts and presenting their ideas in a debate.

Tag
  • Blog
  • Social Media
  • TV series
  • Writing
Skills

PRODUCTION

  • To create and modify written productions

CONTENT MANAGEMENT

  • To search, select and download
  • To manage content dissemination and sharing

SOCIAL MANAGEMENT

  • To participate in social media
  • To collaborate

NARRATIVE AND AESTHETICS

  • To interpret
  • To recognize and describe
  • To evaluate and reflect

IDEOLOGY AND ETHICS

  • To recognize and describe
  • To evaluate and reflect
  • To take action and to apply
Learning areas
  • Foreign Languages
Card language
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Italian

Structure

Sessions
2 (variable)
Duration
55’ (Variable)
Number of participants
10-30 participants
Age
  • 14-16
  • 17-18
Materials
  • Post-it notes
  • Computer or smartphone
  • Internet connection

Process

Key questions
  • Why do I watch these series? What do I like about them? What are the topics presented in the series? How are they presented? Do I notice stereotypes or ideological values in these series? etc.
  • What social media platforms do I use to be informed about these series?
  • What are the general differences between social media and professional media outlets?
  • What are the differences in terms of the language (vocabulary, figures of speech, expressions, etc.) between social media and professional media outlets? What kind of English is used in each example? etc.
  • What rules should I follow to write a text on social media? And for a professional media?
Development

The teacher asks the students about their favourite TV series, and they write them down on a post-it notes to create a map of preferences to select the most popular choices. (10’-20’)

Students team up in groups of three-four people based on their choices. The teacher opens a debate about the characteristics of the chosen series and their production, narrative, aesthetic and ideological values. (20’)

Students share their go-to sources about the series they’ve chosen and check them. The whole class discusses how they present information about them, how deep their analysis is, and what kind of language they use. (20’)

The teacher shows students a social platform and a pro-media outlet where they can find information and opinions about TV series. The teacher asks them to look at this media at home, check differences in their use of English, and think up a topic they would like to write about in relation to the series (e.g., representation of young families, social differences, cast choices) (10’).

Students team up again and in groups compare what they found about their chosen series, select a topic and create a collective Tumblr blog. (20’-30’).

Students write a 300-word piece on the selected topic using a specific register of English (formal/informal) and share on Tumblr (40’-50’).

Students present their pieces to the rest of the class and explain the kind of English they have used (15’).

Evaluation

Students share the link to their piece with the teacher for assessment and the teacher evaluates the following points:

  • The use of English;
  • Capability to adapt the message to different language registers;
  • Capability to reflect on social values and stereotypes presented in media;
  • Capability to contrast different information sources.
References for professors
Author

Maria Jose Masanet. Universitat Pompeu Fabra-Barcelona (Spain), mjose.masanet@upf.edu
Mar Guerrero-Pico. Universitat Pompeu Fabra-Barcelona (Spain), mariadelmar.guerrero@upf.edu

  • Blog
  • Social Media
  • TV series
  • Writing