English for Media Literacy

Welcome to English for Media Literacy, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs. To enroll in this course for free, click on “Enroll now” and then select "Full Course. No certificate." This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in learning more about U.S. media literacy. In this course, you will explore different types of mass media, such as newspapers, magazines, television, and social media. This course will also give you the opportunity to develop a broader understanding of the role media plays in our lives, while building your vocabulary and giving you the language skills needed to analyze what you read and watch. The first unit in this course will provide an introduction to media literacy and give you an opportunity to evaluate your own media literacy level. In unit 2, you will learn how to identify facts versus opinions in the media. The next unit in the course will focus on the differences between social media and traditional media, while unit 4 will look at how gender and identity are covered in the media. In the final unit of the course, you will demonstrate your increased media literacy by through a culminating final project on social media. Development of this course was funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of English Language Programs. Unless otherwise noted, all course materials are available for re-use, repurposing and free distribution under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license.

• Unit 1: Introduction to Media Literacy
• In this unit, you will learn what media literacy means and how you can improve your own media literacy skills.
• Unit 2: Types of Media: Traditional vs. Social
• In this unit you will learn about the differences between traditional and social media, and learn the language necessary to compare them.
• Unit 3: Advertising
• In this unit, you will learn how advertisers use media to market their products.
• Bias in the Media
• In this unit, we will discuss the meaning of media bias and several common types of bias.
• Diversity and the Media
• In this unit, we will learn about the importance of including people from various races, cultures, and genders in mainstream media.