Starter activity – focus upon adjective associations:
In the space below, circle the adjectives you must associate with celebrity
Wonderful
Fantastic
Corrupting
Marvellous
Terrible
Appalling
Bad
Good
Thought-provoking
Moronic
WRITE DOWN SOME OTHER ADJECTIVES YOU ASSOCIATE WITH CELEBRITY
MAIN ACTIVITIES – preparation for media exam:
1. Read the following article and write a summary of it in less than 250 words. Start by underlining the key lines and words. DO NOT QUOTE!
2. How effective is this article? Consider:
The subject matter.
Its structure – the way the article is ordered — and content.
Its audience: the Mail’s audience is largely WOMEN between 25-65 who are either working in offices or housewives. What language does it use that might entice this audience?
Its purpose: When is the article INFORMING you about people’s views? When is persuading you?
Any other important points.
3. Writing to inform, explain and describe: write an article for a parents’ magazine about teenagers today and how they are influenced by the celebrities they see on the internet, on TV and in the cinema. Talk about yourself, talk about your friends, talk about people you know, describing the ways in which the people you know are influenced by celebrities – and NOT influenced if relevant. Explain WHY they are influenced by those celebrities and inform parents about the celebrities themselves and their habits and how teenagers imitate them.
Posh and Becks set a bad example for children, say teachers
By LAURA CLARK
Last updated at 23:40 13 March 2008
David and Victoria Beckham are the leading icons in a damaging celebrity culture that encourages children to believe they can become rich and successful without working hard at school, teachers warn today.
Pupils who dream of becoming pop stars and footballers are neglecting their studies and emulating the worst excesses of their idols’ language, behaviour and raunchy clothing, they claim.
A survey of more than 300 teachers found that Posh and Becks are the celebrities most widely admired by schoolchildren, although more than 20 others were also named as role models.
Fame and fortune: But many schoolchildren believe they can emulate the success of David and Victoria Beckham without hard work
These include socialite Paris Hilton, “famous for being famous”, and Russell Brand, who confessed to a sex addiction.
Sports stars include Frank Lampard, Lewis Hamilton, Dame Kelly Holmes and Andy Murray.
The Sugababes, Leona Lewis, Nadine Coyle from Girls Aloud and Lily Allen were among those named as pupils’ favourite pop stars.
But teachers warn that celebrity adulation is hampering their efforts to convince children they must try to do well at school.
The findings were released as members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers prepare to gather in Torquay next week for their annual conference.
Delegates will debate a motion condemning a “cult of celebrity” for “perverting children’s aspirations and expectations”.
It will call on the Government to take action to promote positive role models of ordinary people across the media.
Members who responded to the survey warn that a growing celebrity culture is contributing to underage drinking and anti-social behaviour, because some teen idols are foul-mouthed and yobbish.
They also say provocative behaviour by scantily-clad celebrities is increasingly robbing young girls of their innocence.
One teacher, Julie Gilligan, from a primary school in Salford, said: “I have seen and celebrity footballer/pop star language and behaviour in the playground and in school – including disturbingly age-inappropriate ‘acts’ by young girls in school talent shows.” Scroll down for more…
Another, from a primary school in Oxfordshire, said: “Colleagues and I have discussed worries about girls in particular trying to dress in an unsuitable (i.e. provocative) way on ‘home clothes’ days.”
A teacher from a junior school in Bath reported that the sole ambition of one of his pupils was to be a footballer’s partner, or WAG.
Elizabeth Farrar, from a primary school near Scunthorpe, said: “Too many of the pupils believe that academic success is unnecessary, because they will be able to access fame and fortune quite easily through a reality TV show.”
Seventy per cent of those surveyed said celebrity culture is affecting their pupils’ aspirations, although 73 per cent felt this could have a positive as well as a negative impact.
ATL general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: “Celebrities can have a positive effect on pupils. They can raise pupils’ aspirations and ambitions for the future.
“However, we are deeply concerned that many pupils believe celebrity status is available to everyone.
“They do not understand the hard work it takes to achieve such status and do not think it is important to be actively engaged in school work, as education is not needed for a celebrity status.
“Celebrity culture can perpetuate the notion that celebrity status is the greatest achievement and reinforces the belief that other career options are not valuable.”
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