Teaching Advertising As Part of Media Literacy

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about advertising.  So here is another one of my periodic columns about the topic for USA TODAY'S EDUCATION BLOG.

FTC Officially Unveils Ad Literacy Game & Curriculum

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has pulled back the curtain on ADMONGO.GOV, its new "advertising literacy" online game (for tweens) and curriculum (for teachers).
The New York Times and eSchool News both have stories of interest. Not everybody likes the game or the FTC approach.

Taking Advantage of Popular Culture

I have recently revised three popular resources on The Media Literacy Clearinghouse web site:
Using Super Bowl Ads In The Classroom (the game is Sunday February 7)
Diet (Weight Loss) Advertising
Marketing the Movies During Awards Season (the Oscars are Sunday March 7)

Take a look; share with a colleague; let me know what you think.

Ad Literacy 101: What Parents, Educators and Kids Need to Know

The writer, who has expertise in understanding children and advertising, says new skills are required of young people in a world where advertising continues to permeate their radar. He asks: So what are these skills? And how do you teach them? Well, they're collectively referred to as Advertising Literacy, and they're intended to make your child a more informed and empowered "reader" of, and critical thinker about, consumer messages. I'll take you through five key Ad Lit skills, make suggestions for helping your kid to understand them, and provide some resources for continuing from there.

Adtext: an interdisciplinary curriculum

A new and valuable resource for those who teach with and about advertising.