News Literacy - Educator Resource
News Literacy is the ability to be critical when reading the news.
Trustworthy news is...
informational to the public
first-hand info from experts
provided by reputable journalists + publishers
accurate + verified
from traceable sources
unbiased with no misleading propaganda
unexaggerated in its emotions + statements
News article warning signs:
The following are types of news or elements of an article that warrant a closer look at the facts:
Bias | Sources that come from a particular point of view and may rely on propaganda, decontextualized information, and opinions distorted as facts.
Clickbait | Sources that generally provide credible content, but use exaggerated, misleading, or questionable headlines, social media descriptions, and/or images.
Conspiracy Theory | Sources that are well-known promoters of conspiracy theories.
Fake News | Sources that fabricate information.
Hate News | Sources that actively promote racism, misogyny, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination.
Junk Science | Sources that promote pseudoscience, metaphysics, naturalistic fallacies, and other scientifically dubious claims.
Political | Sources that provide verifiable information in support of specific political orientations.
Rumour Mill | Sources that traffic rumours, gossip, innuendos, and unverified claims.
Satire | Sources that use humour, irony, exaggeration, ridicule, and false information to comment on current events.
State News | Sources in repressive states operating under government sanction.
Unreliable | Sources that may be reliable but whose contents require further verification.
Tools to use when reading the news.
Investigate the Facts:
Look into the publisher and the topic.
“It's always good news when you're closer to the truth.”
- Fabiola Gianotti
Resources for Educators
Resources for Educators
Free lessons, activities and resources that build curiosity
Above the Noise series investigates controversial subject matter to help young viewers draw informed conclusions, while inspiring media literacy and civic engagement.
Source: PBS Above the Noise
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