Analysing Media Language

Overview

In this sixth lesson of Representations of Australian Youth, students analyse how media articles use language to influence readers’ views of young Australians. They build on earlier work identifying audience, purpose and representation by examining persuasive techniques in two short, contrasting articles.

Learning intentions

• WALT analyse language features in media articles about youth.
• WALT identify persuasive language and techniques.
• WALT explain how language choices shape meaning for a particular audience and purpose.
• WALT support an evaluation with evidence from a text.

Success criteria

• I can identify persuasive language and techniques in a media article.
• I can explain the effect of a language feature on the reader.
• I can identify the audience and purpose of an article.
• I can support my ideas with a quotation or precise reference to the text.

Curriculum links

• Analyse how language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose.
• Recognise evaluative language in visual and multimodal texts and substantiate evaluations with textual evidence.
• Identify how texts are structured differently according to their purpose and how language features vary.
• Use comprehension strategies to predict, question, connect, infer and summarise information and ideas.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook and prediction. Display the question, “Are Australian teenagers a problem or a powerful resource?” and a striking youth-focused news image using the hook and prediction slide. Students write a quick response, then share the words they would expect in an article presenting each viewpoint. Teacher connects responses to audience, purpose and representation.

2. 7–17 min · Vocabulary and direct teaching. Use the vocabulary and technique teaching slides to introduce audience, purpose, viewpoint, evaluate, emotive language, inclusive language, rhetorical question, repetition, facts and statistics, expert opinion and modality. Briefly model how a writer’s choice, such as “young people are unfairly judged”, positions the reader. Students match each term with a definition on the media language analysis worksheet and underline the strongest persuasive word in each example.

3. 17–27 min · Guided reading. Distribute the media language analysis worksheet containing two short, dyslexia-friendly media passages: one arguing that youth social media use creates risks, and one presenting young people as active community contributors. Read the first passage aloud while students follow; pause to model predicting, questioning and summarising. Students annotate the headline, opening paragraph, key viewpoint and one persuasive technique.

4. 27–42 min · Paired analysis. Revisit the paired-analysis instructions and technique reminder. In pairs, students analyse both passages on the worksheet, identifying at least three techniques and recording a quotation or precise reference, the intended effect, and the likely audience. They also highlight evaluative words, such as responsible, damaging, inspiring or unfair. Teacher circulates, checks that students distinguish a technique from its effect, and conferences with students who need support.

5. 42–53 min · Compare and discuss. Display the comparison discussion prompts. Pairs compare how each article represents Australian youth and discuss: “Which article is more convincing for its intended audience, and why?” Students use the frame, “The article is more/less convincing because ___; the writer uses ___, which makes the reader ___.” Invite several pairs to share evidence. Clarify that a personal reaction becomes an evaluation when it is supported by the text.

6. 53–60 min · Plenary and exit response. Use the plenary and exit-ticket slide. Students complete the final section of the media language analysis worksheet: “Identify one persuasive technique from either article, quote or describe it, and explain how it shapes the reader’s view of youth.” Collect responses to assess individual understanding and preview that the next lesson will examine how media texts use structure and visual choices alongside language.

Resources

• the complete Analysing Media Language slide deck
• the media language analysis worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Optional headphones or text-to-speech access
• Printed or digital copies of the two short media passages

Assessment

• Listen to predictions and vocabulary responses to check understanding of audience, purpose and representation.
• During paired analysis, check whether students can accurately identify a technique, locate evidence and explain its effect.
• Use the exit response to assess independent identification of persuasive language and explanation of how it shapes meaning.

Differentiation

• Provide the worksheet in a dyslexia-friendly format: clear sans-serif font, generous spacing, short line lengths, left alignment, cream or pale-coloured background, and bold headings rather than dense blocks of text.
• Offer a focused vocabulary list with student-friendly definitions, pronunciation support and examples. Pre-teach the most important terms before reading.
• Read both passages aloud and allow students to use text-to-speech, coloured overlays, enlarged text or a printed copy with extra spacing. Pair students strategically and provide a quiet reading option.
• Give support students the frames “The writer uses ___” and “This makes the reader think/feel ___ because ___.” Challenge confident students to compare which technique is most influential and explain how the article’s opening and conclusion reinforce its viewpoint.