Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · Junior Infants · Myself and the Wider World: Citizenship and Environment · 4.º Período

Media Awareness

Children begin to explore different types of media, such as books, television, and tablets. They discuss how to use screens safely and understand the difference between real and pretend.

TL;DR:Media awareness is an increasingly important part of the 'Media education' strand. For Junior Infants, the focus is on identifying different types of media and beginning to distinguish between 'real' and 'pretend.' This helps children navigate the stories they see in books, on TV, and on tablets.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• Strand: Myself and the wider world - Strand Unit: Media education
• Strand: Myself - Strand Unit: Safety and protection

About This Topic

Media awareness is an increasingly important part of the 'Media education' strand. For Junior Infants, the focus is on identifying different types of media and beginning to distinguish between 'real' and 'pretend.' This helps children navigate the stories they see in books, on TV, and on tablets.

Teachers also introduce the concept of 'screen balance,' helping children understand that while media is fun, it needs to be balanced with other activities. This topic is about building a healthy, questioning relationship with the digital and print world. This topic comes alive when students can compare 'real' objects with their 'media' versions and discuss their favorite stories in groups.

Key Questions

1. What are our favourite stories or television shows?
2. How long should we look at screens each day?
3. How do we know if a story is real or pretend?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Children often believe that everything they see on a screen is 'real.'

What to Teach Instead

The 'Real vs. Pretend' sorting activity is crucial. Comparing a video of a real animal to a cartoon version helps them identify the visual cues of 'pretend' media through peer discussion.

Common Misconception

Students may think that 'media' only means television or tablets.

What to Teach Instead

Use a Gallery Walk to show that books, posters, and even the radio are media. This broadens their understanding of how we get information and stories.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle

Real vs. Pretend

Children look at a series of images (e.g., a real dog vs. a cartoon dog, a real car vs. a flying car). In small groups, they sort them into 'Could happen' and 'Only in stories' piles.

20 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

My Screen Timer

Children think of one thing they love to do that doesn't use a screen. They share it with a partner and draw a picture of themselves doing that activity to create a 'Screen-Free Ideas' wall.

15 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk

Media in My Life

The teacher displays different media items (a book, a tablet, a newspaper, a radio). Children walk around and place a 'happy face' sticker on the ones they use at home.

15 min·Whole Class

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I talk about screen time without sounding like I'm lecturing?

Focus on 'balance' rather than 'bad.' Use the 'Think-Pair-Share' strategy to highlight all the fun things they do off-screen. This makes the conversation about 'adding more variety' to their day rather than 'taking away' their favorite shows.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching media literacy?

Sorting activities that require children to categorize 'real' vs 'pretend' are excellent. Also, 'creating' their own media (like drawing a story) helps them understand that media is something made by people, which is a key step in critical thinking.

How can active learning help students understand 'pretend' in media?

By actively comparing real-life objects to their media counterparts, children learn to look for evidence. When they discuss in pairs why a cartoon character can't actually fly, they are practicing the foundational skills of media analysis and critical thinking.

Is it too early to talk about online safety?

The NCCA guidelines suggest starting with simple rules: 'Ask an adult before using a tablet' and 'Only watch what a grown-up says is okay.' These can be practiced through simple role-play scenarios in the classroom.