The Basics of Teaching Media Literacy

According to the Media Literacy Online Project (1998), American children and adolescents spend 22-28 hours a week viewing television. By the time today\u27s children reach age 70, they will have spent 7-10 years watching television. Now, more than ever, schools are being called on to deal with the effects of the growing influence of the media in students\u27 lives. Media literacy and media education are even getting attention in the English Language Arts Standards by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). So, what is media literacy? What materials are available to teach it, and how can teachers justify teaching media literacy to parents and administrators