Welcome back to a new term! It’s time to explore this week’s focus in classroom discussions and primary school assemblies: understanding media literacy and thinking carefully about the news and images we see every day. What is Happening in the News? The news reaches us from many sources—newspapers, television, the internet, and conversations with others. Sometimes, distinguishing between factual news, opinions, or misleading stories can be challenging. Not all the news we encounter is reliable, so it's essential to ask questions about what we see and hear. Media Literacy: Understanding the Basics Media literacy involves having the skills to interpret, question, and evaluate the information we access. It empowers us to: Tell the difference between facts and opinions. Understand different perspectives. Identify when something might be untrue or unfair. Stay safe and confident online. Share our own ideas in a responsible and respectful way. Being media literate means thinking about who creates information, considering their purpose, and recognizing multiple points of view. Why is Media Literacy Important? Media literacy helps us evaluate whether a story is trustworthy and allows us to make informed decisions about the information we encounter. It is especially important at the start of a new school year, as students encounter a wide range of news and online content. The REAL Approach to Assessing News You can use the acronym REAL to help remember four essential steps when evaluating news and information: Research: Can you find this information elsewhere? Who wrote or shared it? Is it from a reliable source? Evaluate: Can you trust the article or video? Does it present more than one side? Analyse: Is this fact or opinion? What feelings does it try to create? Who is the intended audience? Learn: What have you learned? Has this information changed or added to your understanding? Spotting Fake or Edited Images Images in the media can sometimes be edited or even created from scratch using technology. While many images are changed for harmless reasons—like for fun, art, or educational explanations—there are times when edited images are shared to mislead or trick others, potentially leading to misconceptions. Top Tips for Spotting Fake Images Check the details: Look for odd features—blurry backgrounds, unnatural-looking hands or faces. Think about the source: Is the image from a trusted news site or just shared on social media? Search the image: Use reverse image searches to see if the picture appears elsewhere or has been used before. Could it be edited? Consider whether computers might have created or altered the image. Ask an adult: If you’re unsure, speak to a teacher or parent. Before sharing images, take the time to check and verify them to avoid spreading misinformation. Get Involved: Activities for Students To put media literacy skills into practice, try out these engaging activities: Create a REAL Reminder Poster: Design a colourful poster showing the four REAL steps. Include drawings or examples to help everyone remember how to think carefully about news. Keep a REAL Diary: Over a week, note every time you encounter news. Record your first impressions, questions you ask, and new things you learn. News Sorting Challenge: Collect short news headlines or snippets and work together to decide if they are facts or opinions, local/national/international, or if they need checking. AI Image Quiz: Try a quiz to see if you can spot which images are real and which are fake. Apply REAL Thinking to Images: Find an image or video online and use the REAL steps to research, evaluate, analyse, and learn before sharing. Classroom Discussions: Key Questions Encourage open discussions with these questions: What do you already know about media literacy? Where do you usually see or hear the news? Have you experienced someone sharing something that turned out to not be true? What would you do if you weren’t sure something was real? Why is it good to consider more than one point of view? Why is kindness and respect important, even if you disagree? Are fake images always bad? Can they sometimes be used in fun or harmless ways? What questions should you ask before believing or sharing images found online? Useful Resources and Further Learning Explore these additional resources to learn more and join the conversation: Watch a video about spotting fake news on BBC Bitesize: How to Spot Fake News Try the BBC AI image quiz: Can you spot which images are fake? Share your thoughts or read the opinions of others on the Picture News Discussion Board: Join the discussion Encourage students and educators alike to keep asking questions, think critically, and share ideas responsibly online and offline. Explore the latest Picture News resources here: https://picture-news.co.uk/free-sample Join our latest discussion here: https://picture-news.co.uk/discuss Explore our recent events and training here: https://picture-news.co.uk/training
