Media assessment 1: learner response

Well done on completing your first GCSE Media Studies assessment - it's an important first step in identifying our strengths and weaknesses in the subject so far.

The first part of your learner response is to look carefully at your mark, grade and comments from your teacher. If anything doesn't make sense, ask your teacher - that's why we're here! 

Your learner response is as follows:

Create a new blog post called 'Media assessment 1: Learner response' and complete the following tasks:

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the mark you achieved for each question: 

Q1: 
Q2: 
Q3: etc.

3) Identify one of your stronger questions. Why did you do better on this question? Use the mark scheme to help you with this.

4) Identify one of your weaker questions. Why did you score lower on this particular question? Use the mark scheme to help you with this.

5) Finally, write a new, detailed paragraph for Question 3 - the unseen text 12 mark question. Use the mark scheme to identify anticipated content you can add to your response and make sure you refer to the text and write in detail. 

Extension tasks

Make sure all of your blog work is up-to-date - check your email for your latest tracker and post anything that is marked amber (unfinished) or red (missing). If you've completed all the initial tasks, look at the grade 8/9 extension tasks. These A Level-style activities will help you target the very highest grades.

Audience: Reception theory

Reception theory is an important media theory exploring how audiences respond to media texts.

Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist who looked at the relationship between the text and the audience. He suggested that meanings are fluid and open to interpretation depending on context and the consumer’s experiences as individuals as well as communities.

Hall states there are three readings to any media text:

Preferred reading

The meaning the producers intend to communicate. This builds on the idea that producers can position the audience in a certain way and influence their reading so they accept the intended message by using recognised codes and conventions (such as stereotypes).

Negotiated reading

Somewhere between the preferred and oppositional reading. The message is modified (partly accepted and partly rejected) depending on the individual experiences of the audience (e.g their age, gender or social class).

Oppositional reading

The oppositional reading goes against the meaning the producers are trying to create. The audience reject the intended message and construct an opposite reading instead. This can be due to their own social, political or moral beliefs and values. 

Reception theory: blog task

Create a new blogpost called 'Reception theory'.

1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?

2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text?

Re-watch the trailer for the film Harry Brown:

3) How does the Harry Brown trailer position the audience to respond to the teenage characters in the film?

4) Why might young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer?

Look at this McDonald's advert:

5) Write a 150+ word analysis of the McDonald's advert using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks: 

Find your own advertisement and write a 150+ word analysis using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

Watch the rest of the Plan B TEDx lecture about his plan to help disadvantaged young people through film and music. Do you agree that he presents a positive view of young people?

Finish for homework if you don't complete this during this week's lessons - due date on Google Classroom.