Tipperary Education and Training Board (
ETB) is planning a series of literacy and media literacy information activities between September and November.
These events are running during a new and important ‘Let’s talk about media literacy’ national awareness campaign from the Adult Literacy for Life All Programme Office at SOLAS, which was launched on International Literacy Day, September 8 with support from Tipperary ETB and regional partners.
Tipperary ETB is encouraging people to come to local activities, where they can learn about media literacy and what it means, helping adults to make informed decisions about the information they see or hear in the media and online.
Media Literacy will be highlighted through a range of activities, including events in collaboration with Tipperary Library Service:
- National Libraries Open Day (Exhibit)
- ‘Fake or fact? A media literacy workshop to help you become media savvy’ (Workshop)
- This workshop will explore how media can be used to manipulate and influence users. It will give attendees the skills to stop, think, and check media messages. There will be a questions and answers session, and a chance to discover the local library.
- Where:
- Thurles Library, The Source, Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, E41 K802, Wednesday 5 November.
- Nenagh Library, O’Rahilly Street, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Eircode: E45 AK50, Monday 10 November.
- Cashel Library, Friar Street, Cashel, Co. Tipperary. Eircode: E25 K798, Wednesday 19 November.
- When: All three events are 10.30am – 12 noon.
The national ‘Let’s talk about media literacy’ campaign raises important awareness about media literacy and what it means. It shows how literacy is more than just reading and writing, and encourages people across Ireland to attend a local event.
At this website, people can check their media literacy with a fun WhatsApp quiz, and find information on local events and literacy supports available in their local area.
Around 700,000 adults in Ireland struggle with unmet literacy needs, making daily tasks difficult, such as filling out forms, reading instructions on medicine, managing bills online, using a smartphone, or helping with children's homework.
As technology changes quickly and impacts the world around us, many adults find it difficult to use a smartphone to perform daily tasks like online banking or using social media. It can be hard to know what information is true or not, whether that’s on the radio, TV, on a smartphone or online.
Media literacy helps us to ask the right questions so that we can understand the information we see or hear in the media or online, making it easier to safely use media, and our smartphones, for the things that matter most to everyone.
Media literacy has become an important topic.
The ALL office in SOLAS, in collaboration with literacy sector partners, have launched this campaign to encourage people to ‘Stop, think and check’ the information that they see or hear on the radio, TV, social media, on their phone or online.
Ester Mackey, Regional Literacy Coordinator at Tipperary ETB said:
“I am delighted that this year’s campaign by Adult Literacy for Life is focusing on media literacy, because it’s a really important topic.
“Media literacy is about taking the time to stop, think and check when you see or hear information in the media or online. Understanding media literacy helps us to better access services, figure out what’s true, and engage confidently with media, information and the world around us.
Yvonne McKenna, Director of Adult Literacy for Life in SOLAS, said:
“We are excited to launch a national media literacy campaign with key partners including Media Literacy Ireland, NALA, Education and Training Boards, including Tipperary ETB, and libraries.
“We want to support everyone in Ireland, especially adults with unmet literacy needs, their friends, and families to start a conversation about the importance of media literacy. This campaign encourages people everywhere to take the time to ‘stop, think and check’ information that you see or hear in the media or online, so they can better access services, figure out what’s true, and engage confidently with media and information, and the world around us.
“I would like to thank Tipperary ETB and community partners for their support in driving awareness about media literacy in the local community. I encourage people in Tipperary to talk about media literacy with your friends, families and community, visit a local media literacy event, and learn more about media literacy at www.adultliteracyforlife.ie .”
