2. •Language and literacy
•Foregrounding:
•Domination - _________
•Access - ____________
•Diversity - _____________
•Design - _________________
•These orientations are crucially
interdependent
•(Janks 2011)
Janks said these four orientations influence one’s ability to interpret critical literacy,
can we instill these skills in children at a young age?
4. How do you interpret this films trailer?
What assumptions can you make about the plot
resolution?
What do you think the film makers intentions
were?
Could these intentions be different compared to
one viewing it through a different cultural,
gender, and age lense?
6. “Without me you're just another
black man in Africa, all right?”
Racial themes evidently emerge through
out the progression of the film ….
As the main characters of the film are of
opposing races, indifferences unanimously
surface with the plot’s progression.
7. Access – Janks (2009) emulates how one’s access and
availability to knowledge and resources determines an
individuals place in society. The access Danny has to resources
and other power sources is far more substantial to Soloman’s
access
Domination – Domination is an abundantly clear reproduction
of power throughout various parts in the film. However, it is
apparent there are several diverse hierarchies influencing this
domination, where the American race dominates the African
race.
8. Design – Janks (2009) states this orientation
centers around the concept of “productive
power” through the use of multi modal forms
to reflect these structures.
Diversity – There is great diversity between
the main as well as supporting characters in
the film, specifically the African and American
races. This diversity brings both positive and
negative influences dependant upon the
diverse race of the individual.
10. With the use of tone, word
selection, and body language, the
commanders manipulate the boys
into aggressive, inhuman RUF
soldiers.
11. Domination- Through manipulation
the RUF leaders will reproduce the
dominant forms (RUF), as they
transform the minds of these
captured boys.
Access-Accents, choice of words, and
expressions are used creatively by
characters to gain access through
language.
14. Deconstruct our interpretations
--Understanding of not participating in blood
diamond industry
Tough because going against dominating forms
--This situation showing third world country with
blood diamonds- this is happening in other countries
with oil and other raw materials
--Even of the blood diamond pr0trayed through film
maker – how did he get his information? Would the
story be told be someone else change the movie?
Different definitions of truth
15. We presented our deconstruction of the film,
Blood Diamond to represent the atmosphere of
the film
We strategically incorporated images of each
group member as we spoke. Or did we…?
As a group we believed the medium is the
message, and the message is the medium. As
there is a multimodality of communication
forms presented in movie, we wanted to equally
depicted this through our presentation as well.
16. Reconstruct to convey a meaning, how it
creates out reality
Could be reconstructed within a classroom
where students have to find within their own
community similar power struggles. It could
be as simple as buying local produce rather
than imported foods. These contribute to
dominant forms.
17. Through our reconstruction it is apparent
that Janks’ (2009) four orientations work
interdependently.
As Janks (2009) stated, educators can
foster the critical analysis of these
orientations in the classroom
How can you as a future educator instill
these meaning making skills in your
students?
18. Through our deconstruction and
reconstruction of the text, Blood Diamond, it
is apparent Janks’ (2009) four orientations for
critical literacy work interpedently as each
continue to influence one another.
Our role as educators is to show our students
how to understand that popularized
discourses are not the “only truth”.
