Listicles are a humorous way for students to condense and share information through text and images. But how do they work in the classroom? Here's why teachers and students can learn a thing or two (or nine) from BuzzFeed.
1. What exactly is a listicle?
A listicle is a digital text that combines the words “list” and “article.”
2. And how are these listicles put together?
Listicles typically include a humorous title; numbered subtitles; a static or dynamic image; and text that elaborates on the subtitle and/or image.
3. Interesting, very interesting…but I still don’t see how I might use listicles in my classroom.
Listicles can be an effective way for students to show their understanding in a novel format. Has your class just read about the Industrial Revolution? Ask students to make a listicle titled, “The 3 Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution.” Finished a unit on the cell? Here comes the listicle, “Why the Mitochondrion Truly Is the Greatest Organelle.”
4. So my students are just making or finding funny pictures?
They're also developing the digital and media literacy skills identified by Renee Hobbs in her book “Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom” by accessing appropriate images and GIFs; analyzing the image’s or GIF’s relationship to the class material; creating a new text in the form of a listicle; reflecting on how the image or GIF relates to the class material; and acting by sharing the listicle with the class.
5. Any other reasons I should incorporate listicles into my teaching?
Sure! Listicles promote close reading, abstract thinking, and—gasp—playing.
6. What technology do you use to create listicles?
Students can collaborate on a listicle using Google Docs, Microsoft Word or Padlet.
7. How about GIFs?
Whether you’re team GIF (as in gift) or GIF (as in JIF peanut butter), you can find GIFs at giphy.com and gifer.com. In addition, a quick internet search provides different ways your students can make their own GIFs.
8. How about fair use?
Incorporating listicles into your teaching allows you to discuss the four elements of fair use. Students (and teachers too!) can share media found on the internet when you’re using a small portion of the original; bringing new meaning to the original; revising and remixing the original into something completely different; and using the original for nonprofit reasons.
9. You don’t happen to have a lesson plan about listicles, do you?
Not only do I have a lesson plan, I also made a ready-to-use framework. Want even more? Read my slide deck about teaching with listicles.
