Making Arguments with Memes!
Since we currently live in a digital world with so many outlets of information and resources, it is very easy to get caught up in the various claims that are made. After reading chapters in Argument in the Real World, I realized how much of what we read and compose on the internet suggests an argument. Even images portray a certain claim! I think this is especially important to remember when teaching young children since much of what they read and see on the internet will most likely feel accurate and convincing to them. They should understand from a young age how to not only construct their own argument on something but how to state their own claim and support it with evidence even if they are just posting an image.
I was intrigued by the idea of using "gateway activities" that were discussed in chapter 3 of Argument in the Real World as way to introduce this idea of making arguments. These activities are "helping them develop discrete strategies that make up the discourse of argument" and they strive to "help students work on skills in miniature" (Turner & Hicks, 2017, p. 26). My first thought was about how helpful this is to take such a complex idea of constructing an argument, and break it up into the specific skills the students need to do in various examples that relate to everyday life and technology.
The meme gateway activity which focused on using images to make a claim caught my attention, especially since it was done in a 3rd grade classroom! I know my students would jump at any chance to create their own memes including both a picture and text. The teacher in this activity example, Kristen, gave her students the task of creating a meme that made a claim about the topic of writing and used both images and words. I thought this was a great way to have the students first come up with what they knew and believed about the topic of writing and then decide what they were going to say about it. This activity broke up the task of making an argument in a digital way so that the students knew they needed to have their claim in words and also an image that supports it as evidence. This act of "pairing images with words to make a clear claim" helps children understand the correlation of the two and how using them in a digital way can convey their overall message (Turner & Hicks, 2017, p. 27). This activity as well as the other gateway activities listed in the chapter gave insight into how to lead students to construct their own arguments on a topic in a digital way.
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| Meme by quickmeme |
Looking more into the topic of using memes as a way to teach arguments, I found an article by Alexander Caldwell, discussing the pros and cons of using memes to share a message. One of the positives behind using memes related to how "memes are a language by suggesting that experts use the language of memes to communicate the idea of their product" (Caldwell, 2021). I found this interesting because it correlated to the gateway activity in how the meme serves to communicate the overall idea or argument behind the image or product. Even if using memes seems so simple and is often done through messaging or on social media, those images go along with and support the argument that is being made. This is the same way that it was introduced for students to first compose their idea and then depict it using words and a supporting image. This activity was simple but opened my eyes to how images can portray claims in so many ways!
Check out this article to learn 5 new ways to incorporate memes into your classroom for your students!
References:
Caldwell, A. (2021). 6.4.2 Sharing a meme means sharing a message (synthesis). Understanding Literacy in Our Lives. https://pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu/understanding-literacy-in-our-lives/chapter/6-4-2-sharing-a-meme-means-sharing-a-message-synthesis/
Serano, S. (2021). 5 ways to use memes with students. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/explore/classroom/5_ways_use_memes_students
Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts. Heinemann.
Grace, I too found the suggestions in Chapter 3 about gateway activites helpful, and I teach 12th grade (Turner and Hicks, 2017). The idea of breaking down the skills of digital argument, such as the use of images rather than just words is so essential to these kids. Images and videos speak to them; they are bombarded with them on their phones daily.
ReplyDeleteI already use a meme project in my AP Government and Politics class, but it really is just using a meme generator to illustrate different amendments. It doesn't really teach them digital skills, and I see where I need to really take things up a notch. Thank you for sharing!
References
Turner, K.H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts:Argument in the real world. Portsmouth, NH:Heinemann.
Grace,
ReplyDeleteI thought it was very interesting that the meme activity was used in a 3rd grade classroom! (Turner & Hicks, 2017) I believe that this gives our students a chance to be creative and construct a concise argument within constraints. This really helps us evaluate our students higher order thinking skills. In chapter 7 of our text, Turner and Hicks make the argument that, to help our students put their reading and writing skills to use, we must give them opportunities to use them and have us as teachers take on a coaching role. This sentiment is further backed by Deborah Diffily, who wrote Real-World Reading and Writing through Project Based Learning. In this publication, Diffily asserts that students are able to apply their reading and writing skills when given a project-based learning task. When students are given a PBL task, they are more engaged and active in the classroom and teachers are given the opportunity to support and coach. In short, students finally get the answer to the question, "when will I ever use this?" I really enjoyed reading your thoughts!
References:
Diffily, D. (2001). Real-World Reading and Writing through Project-Based Learning.
Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and
write digital texts. Heinemann.