Frequently Asked Questions

U.S. Media Literacy Week is designed to bring attention and visibility to media literacy education in the United States. The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) leads the efforts to coordinate Media Literacy Week in the United States to showcase the work of hundreds of amazing media literacy educators and organizations around the country. The mission of Media Literacy Week is to highlight the power of media literacy education and its essential role in education today.

How long has U.S. Media Literacy Week been happening?

U.S. Media Literacy Week has been happening annually since 2014.

Is there a theme for U.S. Media Literacy Week this year?

Yes! This year, U.S. Media Literacy Week will celebrate one of the five components of media literacy’s definition each day. NAMLE defines media literacy as, “the ability to ACCESS, ANALYZE, EVALUATE, CREATE, and ACT using all forms of communication.” So each day will focus on one of those words and we encourage participants to organize events, teach a lesson, or create media related to the day’s theme. But don’t worry if you can’t! Media Literacy Week is all-encompassing and it’s totally fine to combine multiple theme words into an event or lesson. Do whatever makes sense for your schedule! You can learn more about this year’s theme here.

How do I get involved with U.S. Media Literacy Week?

Whether you are an individual teacher, an employee at an organization, or a researcher, you can get involved with U.S. Media Literacy Week! You might plan your own media literacy event, teach a classroom lesson, do an activity in your community, or support media literacy efforts via social media. It’s entirely up to you to decide how you want to participate! You can learn more about the different ways to participate here and remember to sign up once you decide!

Are there any costs in participating in U.S. Media Literacy Week?

No! There is no cost involved. Participants simply commit to support media literacy education during Media Literacy Week by sharing on social media, incorporating a lesson in a classroom, organizing an event, or creating a resource.

Do I have to be a member of NAMLE to participate in U.S. Media Literacy Week?

While membership with NAMLE is not required to participate in U.S. Media Literacy Week, it is certainly encouraged! Membership is FREE and gives you access to our monthly newsletters which provide a wealth of information about media literacy including resources, events, opportunities, and more! Join today!

Do I have to be associated with an organization to join in on the efforts?

No! Individual educators from PK-16 and beyond can decide to be a part of U.S. Media Literacy Week. Each year, teachers, librarians, specialists, and other practitioners are planning events and activities for students to engage in during Media Literacy Week. You can learn more about the different ways to participate here.

How are the U.S. Media Literacy Week plans related to the Canada’s Media Literacy Week?

NAMLE collaborates closely with MediaSmarts — one of the lead partners for the Canadian Media Literacy Week, which will be in its 17th year for 2022 — during Media Literacy Week to support the efforts across North America. We are grateful for the guidance and support we have received from MediaSmarts, who is also an Organizational Partner of NAMLE.

How are the U.S. Media Literacy Week plans related to UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week?

U.S. Media Literacy Week and UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Week work in tandem to support the awareness of and participation in media literacy education. U.S. Media Literacy Week focuses on supporting UNESCO’s mission by encouraging individuals, organizations, educators, and others to participate in media literacy activities domestically. U.S. partners can participate in the global efforts by registering their events with UNESCO.

What happens when Media Literacy Week is over?

The goal of U.S. Media Literacy Week is to highlight the work that is being done around media literacy education. Our hope is that this will empower more educators, community members, organizations, and individuals to incorporate media literacy into their classrooms, events, and homes. Each year, new long-term partnerships and projects are developed as a result of the connections made during Media Literacy Week. As the media literacy community continues to grow, the possibilities after each subsequent Media Literacy Week are limitless!

How do I explain what media literacy is to my neighbor?

NAMLE defines media literacy as, “the ability to ACCESS, ANALYZE, EVALUATE, CREATE, and ACT using all forms of communication.” In its simplest terms, media literacy builds upon the foundation of traditional literacy and offers new forms of reading and writing. Media literacy empowers people to be critical thinkers and makers, effective communicators and active citizens.

But don’t feel like you have to be an expert on media literacy! Direct your friends, family, and neighbors to NAMLE’s website where they can browse more about the definition, resources, and more!

What’s the difference between media literacy and news literacy? Digital literacy? Information literacy?

There are many different aspects of media literacy and all types of media literacy fall under the umbrella of information literacy. Just like you would evaluate information for a research report for a class assignment, all forms of media literacy encourage students to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act on all types of media responsibly. This includes, but is not limited to, news media, social media, movies, television, music, movies, advertisements, and more. To learn more about media literacy, visit the NAMLE website!

What isn’t this taught in all of our schools?

Legislative efforts are currently underway which advocate for the inclusion of media literacy education in K-12 education standards at the state level. Organizations like Media Literacy Now are empowering grassroots groups of parents and concerned individuals in their push to bring classroom curriculum to local schools and provide policy and advocacy information, expertise, and resources to develop state laws, policies, and educational standards. Check out Media Literacy Now‘s website to see if legislative efforts are underway in your state!

Additionally, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, introduced federal media literacy legislation in 2020. To read more about this and other legislative efforts, visit the Legislation page on this site.

Is media literacy education only for kids?

Media literacy is for EVERYONE! To become a successful student, responsible citizen, productive worker, or competent and conscientious consumer, individuals need to develop expertise with the increasingly sophisticated information and entertainment media that address us on a multi-sensory level, affecting the way we think, feel, and behave.

Today’s information and entertainment technologies communicate to us through a powerful combination of words, images, and sounds. As such, we need to develop a wider set of literacy skills helping us to both comprehend the messages we receive and effectively utilize these tools to design and distribute our own messages. Being literate in a media age requires critical thinking skills that empower us as we make decisions, whether in the classroom, the living room, the workplace, the boardroom, or the voting booth.