SEX, LIES AND SOAPS
SERIES AIMS
- To encourage young people to reflect on the realism of the world of soap opera and its relationship to their own everyday lives
- To explore the messages and values represented in soap opera and the extent to which they reflect or shape teenagers' own behaviour and life-style
- To use interviews with soap producers, crew and cast to explore the ways soap opera is produced, and how these affect its representations
- To use memorable archive clips from a range of soaps in a light-hearted but sensitive exploration of a range of themes important to young people.
CURRICULUM RELEVANCE
England
National Curriculum for Citizenship KS4
- Knowledge and understanding about being informed citizens
g) the importance of a free press, and the media's role in society, including the internet, in providing information and affecting opinion. - Developing skills of enquiry and information
b) express, justify and defend orally and in writing a personal opinion about such issues, problems or events
c) contribute to group and exploratory class discussions, and take part in formal debates.
National Curriculum for English KS3 and 4
Short extracts from the programme would be useful in generating Speaking and Listening skills, and in covering some of the following statutory areas at Key Stages 3 and 4:
En 2 Reading: Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Reading for meaning
e) to consider how meanings are changed when texts are adapted to different media
k) to compare texts, looking at style, theme and language, and identifying connections and contrasts. - Media and moving image texts
a) how meaning is conveyed in texts that include print, images and sometimes sounds
b) how choice of form, layout and presentation contribute to effect (for example, font, caption, illustration in printed text, sequencing, framing, soundtrack in moving image text)
c) how the nature and purpose of media products influence content and meaning (for example, selection of stories for a front page or news broadcast)
d) how audiences and readers choose and respond to media.
English GCSE
The AQA and Edexcel English Language GCSE specifications both allow for Media topics to be submitted as part of the coursework portfolio. Choice of topics is open, and if a television genre were covered the series would be extremely useful.
The Edexcel GCSE in English Studies (single and double awards) requires students to analyse and produce an extract from a moving image genre, for which soap would be an obvious example.
General Studies A level
At AS level, Module 1 covers the popular and performing arts; Module 3 includes global media.
Media Studies AS/A2 Level
OCR AS: Module 2372: Media Ownership; New Technologies
OCR A2: Module 2732: Critical research topic: TV Drama. Module 2735: Contemporary British Broadcasting
AQA AS: Med 2: Film and Broadcast fiction
AQA A2: Med 4: Representation; Genre; Media audiences
WJEC AS: ME1: Modern Media Forms
WJEC A2: ME4: Investigating Media Texts; ME5: Changing Media Industries.
Vocational Media courses
The programme will be useful for a wide range of optional modules including:
OCR Nationals: National First Award, National Award and National Certificate in Applied Art, Design and Media.
e.g. Level 1:
- Unit 15: Introducing New Media
- Unit 17: Introducing television and video
Edexcel GCE Advanced Award: Level 3: Industries, texts and audiences; research and development for media production; professional practices in the media industries.
BTEC Higher Nationals Level 4: a wide range of optional modules.
Sociology
The programme may be useful for study of the media offered as an option at GCSE level, and at AS level.
Scotland
National Qualifications: Media Studies: Standard Grade, Intermediate 1 & 2, Higher, Advanced Higher.
The programme may also be useful as a stimulus for discursive writing National Qualifications: English: Standard Grade Intermediate 1 & 2, Higher and Advanced Higher.
Northern Ireland
Learning for Life and Work area (14-18)
Personal development strand (including PSHE)
