NewsLit Nation Insider: National News Literacy Week and you!

 
It’s almost here! Our third National News Literacy Week (NNLW), Jan. 24-28, builds awareness of the importance of news literacy and the role of a free press in American democracy. This annual event is presented by NLP in partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company and provides educators, students and the public with easy-to-adopt tools and tips for becoming news-literate. This year’s theme, supported by a video PSA campaign, focuses on stopping the “flood of misinformation” and includes a call to “care before you share.”
 
YOU are critical to the success of National News Literacy Week, and we are thrilled to offer a series of events specifically for those who teach (in addition to events for the general public). We hope you’ll take a moment to participate in our educator pledge to teach a news literacy topic, which will launch on Monday, Jan. 24. (We’ll share the link to it in the NewsLit Nation forum.) This pledge is your chance to tell us which news literacy skill you’re focusing on teaching this semester. In return for completing the pledge, you’ll receive access to an exclusive one-page PDF filled with links to resources to help you succeed. Because we know many of you are returning to a largely virtual environment, we want to acknowledge how challenging that is. We’ll also follow up later to provide more suggested resources tailored to the news literacy skill you’re focusing on.

We’ve listed a series of events below to help you, your students, friends and family members become more news-literate in simple and engaging ways, so please use this list and share it broadly!

January’s NewsLit Nation giveaway is back for the new year, and winners will be randomly selected from the pledge entries! Please head to NewsLit Nation so you don’t miss a thing. Entering is easy; you’ll find the details in the forum.

All the best for a news-literate year,
Miriam Romais

WHAT'S NEW
TODAY! Jan 19, 2 p.m. ET: Understanding news media bias webinar
We’re kicking off 2022 with the fourth and final installment of our webinar series on Understanding misinformation and how to talk to people who believe it, sponsored by Fore River Foundation. This session, designed for the general public, will help you think more clearly about what causes bias in reporting, what it looks like in coverage and what you can do when you encounter it in your news diet. Educators are also encouraged to attend. Register here!

New infographic on misinformation: Thinking and learning about misinformation can be challenging. NLP’s new infographic distills this complex topic into a concise guide to help you learn what misinformation is and how to avoid spreading it online. Think of it as your “cheat sheet” to understanding the misinformation landscape!

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Jan. 24: 4-5 p.m. ET, edWeb webinar: Enhance news and media literacy learning: tips and techniques for teaching a lifelong skill
Join us at a virtual edWebinar for a discussion about best practices in teaching news and media literacy. Hear from four NLP news literacy ambassadors about the tips and techniques they use to help their students develop this important lifelong skill. Register on edWeb.

Jan. 25: 4-5 p.m. ET, Twitter chat #NLPchat
Join @NewsLitProject team members and NewsLit Nation ambassadors from across the country for a Twitter chat to discuss effective methods for teaching news literacy and learn why understanding how journalism works is essential to being news-literate. To take part, simply follow @NewsLitProject and #NLPChat during the chat and add your voice to the discussion.

Jan. 25: NewsLitCamp® Gwinnett County, Georgia
Calling all Metro Atlanta-area educators! This event is open to all educators in Gwinnett County and is being offered in partnership with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Gwinnett County Public Schools. Register here.

Jan. 26: 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET, NLP webinar: Lesson planning for your misinformation unit
Join us for a first look at NLP’s new framework for teaching news literacy. Special guest Jay McTighe, co-author of the best-selling and award-winning Understanding by Design® series with Grant Wiggins, will help introduce the framework, which was developed using the Understanding by Design® template (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005). Register here.

Jan. 27: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET, National NewsLitCamp: Misinformation
Join us for this special NewsLitCamp, a professional learning event for educators across the country, focusing on misinformation: what it is, how it spreads and how you can empower your students to understand and avoid it. Sessions will include insights from expert journalists nationwide, along with the opportunity to connect and share directly with other educators in small, virtual breakout rooms. Register today!

BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE!
Year-in-Review: 2021 Misinformation
We’ve compiled a misinformation review with news literacy takeaways from 2021. Watch out for these viral rumor trends in 2022.

Reminder — call for nominations: News Literacy Change-Maker Awards
Do you know a classroom teacher, librarian or other educator who is passionate about ensuring students know how to sort fact from fiction in today’s complex information landscape? Do you know an outstanding BIPOC/AAPI young woman who has particularly benefited from learning and practicing news literacy? If so, NLP would like to consider them for this year’s News Literacy Change-Maker Awards. (Click here to see last year's change-makers.) To nominate an educator for this award, please complete this form. (Educators may self-nominate.) To nominate a student for this award, please send the student this form and prepare a written endorsement for them. Deadlines: Feb. 25 (educator nominations) and March 1 (student nominations).
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