Advertising is a complex area of discussion. In terms of
children and advertising it is often seen that children are more vulnerable than
adults and will therefore succumb more easily to their power, however if we
seclude children all together from advertising, we may risk children not
learning about current social issues and environments as well as advertising as
a literacy-based resource to use (Banaji, 2010).
The main concerns for children and advertising power is that
children are vulnerable to advertising intentions of consumerism. That children
will become a materialistic generation that want to spend money they do not
have. It is seen that advertising creates ‘pester-power’, where children
persuade their parents to buy the latest product (Gunter, Oates and Blades,
2005). Other issues concern obesity from food advertising, stereotyping and the
desensitising of religious or annual events. (Gunter et. al., 2005).
However, advertising can be, and is used, in the primary
classroom for literacy-based learning. Persuasive texts and media is an
important part of the literacy curriculum- to unpick the advert just like any
other literacy texts (Banaji, 2010). Using advertising in school can also teach
children about the current society and world they live in today, and be used to
help children understand why and how advertising is used in the world around
them and help them learn the skills to desensitise themselves where needed from
advertising and be able to unpick what the advert is telling or selling to them
so that they can make informed decisions about their own ‘consumption’ and
consumerism in society (Banaji, 2010).
Banaji, S. (2010) Analysing
Advertising in the Classroom in Bazelgette, C. (Ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage
Gunter, B., Oates, C., and Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New
Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Association
I agree that there are many advantages of teaching children about advertisments. However it could be suggested that it is the parents responsibility to educate their children about the intent of advertisements.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with you but it may be wiser for teachers and paretns to think that their childs learning would be benefited from a partenrship between both establishments: home and school. Both can have different ways in which to teach and give children opportunities to experience advertising in positive and negative lights. Parents should assume a neutral role in which their children can make an independant and informed choice without bias or influence.
ReplyDeleteAdvertising is very clever it tells a complete story very quick and can be very persuasive. I think they are a great medium to use in the clasroom but we need to make sure that child understand the bias of advertising as well and even beening aable to drill down in to an advert to discuss the bias is a good learning experience
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