Representation of Women

Learning intentions Students are learning to…

• Material from previous lessons used to begin writing.

Success criteria (How do students know they have achieved success?) I can…

• I can identify the group and find relevant adjectives to use to describe and explain the representation of the group.
• I can identify messages and values and find examples that show these.

Activities

This lesson gives students the chance to begin writing and to get feedback about their responses.

Write the questions from the 2005 AS 90278 examination on the board.

Question One: Describe in detail a group or culture whose media representation you have studied.

Question Two: Explain in detail how this group or culture is represented in TWO media texts you have studied. Support your answer with specific examples.

Question Three: Explain in detail how TWO messages and / or values were communicated in media texts you have studied. Support your answer with specific examples from at least TWO media texts.

Question Four: “Messages, values and representations in media texts reflect the society in which they are created.”
Analyze this statement with reference to an identified group / culture AND at least TWO media texts you have studied.

Remind the class what the group is: New Zealand Women. You might like to tease this out a little making sure students are aware that this includes Maori and Pakeha women and implies citizenship. You might like to ask the question:

• Have we seen any other types of New Zealand women in the texts we have studied? If not why not?

As other races have been invisible in these texts it would be a good idea to further define the group as Maori and Pakeha New Zealand Women.

Give out Annotated Model Answer.

Read through these together pointing out what parts of the writing work well and why. It would be a good idea to number the model answers and collect them after students have read them. The temptation to repeat material verbatim might be too tempting otherwise.

Once the students have written some responses for these texts you can use the Process for using exemplar material as a guide to leading them to more analytical answers.

Before you start remind students that they should use the grids to help provide the representations, messages, values and examples of their work. If any of them did not complete the messages part, remind them that the quote sheet will help to provide the messages they might want to use.

Give students refill to write on as you will want to mark their work.

Question Two: Explain in detail how this group or culture is represented in TWO media texts you have studied. Support your answer with specific examples.

Make sure you discuss with the class which media texts would be good to use here and why. Standing in the Sunshine and the Eye Witness News extract would both be good to use. Both of these texts show a group of women – Standing in the Sunshine has both Eva Rickard and the file footage of the women welcoming the men onto the Marae and the Eye Witness News extract has the not only the advertisements but Catherine Saunders. Likewise Face the Nation provides an excellent representation of a New Zealand woman.

Students should go back and consult their notes to supply the answers. Remember that the representations are best recognized through adjectives. Once they have some adjectives, they can explain and give examples to support.

Strong, fiery, conservative, as dolly birds or housewives.

Remember that you will have a number of representations and this is perfectly acceptable, the group after all is a large one.

Give students 20 minutes to write this and then swap responses.

Highlight question three and discuss what is required.

Question Three: Explain in detail how TWO messages and / or values were communicated in media texts you have studied. Support your answer with specific examples from at least TWO media texts.

Students to complete this for homework. Emphasize to them that this should not take more than about 30 minutes to complete. Encourage them to use their books and notes.

Handouts

Annotated Model Answer
Process for using exemplar material