This lesson plan is designed to teach students the power of words and how to use them when writing a piece of journalism.
It’s based on the article ‘Using the right words‘ which we recommend trainers read before adapting the outline below for your own purposes.
Introduction
The objective of this training day is to equip journalists and media professionals with the skills to use precise, objective, and culturally sensitive language. In an era of misinformation and polarised discourse, the choice of words can determine whether a story is perceived as fair or biased. This plan explores the impact of terminology on audience trust and provides practical frameworks for choosing the most accurate language for any given context.
Sessions timetable
- 09:00–10:00 – Session 1: The power of words
- Aims: To understand how specific word choices influence audience perception and to identify the consequences of using loaded or imprecise language.
- Presentation: Discuss the role of the journalist as a neutral observer. Explain how words that seem harmless to a reporter might carry deep historical or emotional weight for an audience. Highlight the importance of clarity over sensationalism.
- Activity: Provide participants with three short news leads. Ask them to identify adjectives or adverbs that suggest a bias or take a side in the story.
- Discussion points: How does an emotive word change the meaning of a factual sentence? Why is it safer to use neutral verbs like said rather than claimed or admitted?
- 10:00–11:00 – Session 2: Precision and clarity
- Aims: To eliminate jargon and vague terminology in favour of concrete, descriptive language.
- Presentation: Focus on the need for simple, direct English. Explain why technical jargon excludes audiences and how vague terms like significant or massive fail to provide actual information.
- Activity: Hand out a list of common buzzwords and jargon-heavy sentences. Participants must rewrite them for a general audience using plain, descriptive language.
- Discussion points: When is a technical term necessary, and how should it be explained? Why do journalists often default to clichés?
- 11:00–11:15 – Break
- 11:15–12:45 – Session 3: Sensitivity and inclusivity
- Aims: To explore the impact of language on marginalised groups and to learn how to describe people and communities with dignity.
- Presentation: Cover the importance of using preferred terminology for ethnicity, gender, disability, and social status. Discuss the evolution of language and why terms that were acceptable a decade ago may now be offensive.
- Activity: Group work. Provide case studies involving sensitive topics. Groups must decide on the most appropriate terminology to use and justify their choices based on ethical guidelines.
- Discussion points: Who decides what is offensive? How do we balance accuracy with the need to avoid giving offence?
- 12:45–13:45 – Lunch
- 13:45–15:00 – Session 4: Identifying and avoiding loaded terms
- Aims: To recognise words that carry hidden meanings or political baggage.
- Presentation: Analyse terms such as freedom fighter versus terrorist, or pro-life versus anti-abortion. Explain how adopting the language of one side in a conflict compromises the neutrality of the news organisation.
- Activity: Show headlines from different media outlets covering the same event. Compare the verbs and nouns used to describe the participants.
- Discussion points: Is it possible to be truly neutral in a highly charged political environment? What are the risks of using labels?
- 15:00–15:15 – Break
- 15:15–16:15 – Session 5: Fact-checking language
- Aims: To develop a checklist for reviewing copy before publication.
- Presentation: Introduce a self-editing framework. Questions to ask: Is this word factual? Does it imply a judgement? Is there a simpler alternative? Is it specific?
- Activity: Participants edit a 300-word article provided by the trainer, specifically looking to replace vague or biased language with precise, neutral alternatives.
- Discussion points: Why is the sub-editing process crucial for maintaining editorial standards? How can peer review help identify unconscious bias?
- 16:15–17:00 – Session 6: Language in a digital age
- Aims: To understand how SEO and social media headlines can sometimes lead to poor language choices.
- Presentation: Discuss the tension between clickbait headlines and accurate reporting. Explain how to write engaging headlines without sacrificing linguistic integrity.
- Activity: Write three different headlines for a complex story: one for a traditional newspaper, one for social media, and one optimised for search engines, ensuring all are linguistically responsible.
- Discussion points: Can we remain accurate while trying to attract clicks? What happens to audience trust when headlines are misleading?
Assignment
Participants are required to select a recent news story from a local outlet that they feel contains biased or imprecise language. They must rewrite the story (maximum 400 words) using the principles of precision, neutrality, and sensitivity discussed today. They must also include a 100-word rationale explaining the specific changes they made and why.
Materials needed
- Handouts of the MHM article Using the right words.
- Examples of biased or jargon-heavy news reports.
- Notebooks and pens.
- Projector for displaying headlines and examples.
- Access to computers or tablets for the final assignment.
Assessment
- Participation: Engagement in group discussions and willingness to challenge existing language norms.
- Performance: Ability to identify and replace loaded or vague terms during practical activities.
- Assignment: Success in rewriting the chosen news story to meet high standards of accuracy and neutrality.
Summary
This lesson plan provides a comprehensive guide for trainers to help journalists refine their most basic yet powerful tool: language. By focusing on precision, sensitivity, and the removal of bias, reporters can produce work that is more professional, more inclusive, and more trusted by their audience.
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