Educational resource for members of the Burnet News Club - a club for young journalists run by The Economist Educational Foundation. www.burnetnewsclub.com

1. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
Inspiration for blog posts!
Ways to have
your say

2. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
Here are some ideas for
ways to express your ideas.
You don’t have to stick to
these – you could do
whatever you like!

3. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
OPINION ARTICLE
Write an opinion article by
making your argument in a
clear, logical way.
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

4. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
INTERVIEW
Interview someone
about the topic.
{ Why not film your interview? }
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

5. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
DEBATE
Film or record a debate
between two or more people
on the topic.
{ Why not make an audio debate like
something you would hear on the radio? }
FORMAT OPTIONS: Video, audio, radio

6. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
LIST
Lists can help you to think
about things and help others
respond to your ideas.
Here are some examples of
lists you could write on the
blog, which might get some
interesting responses from
other children.
• 5 things I believe now
• 3 things I am confused
about
• 5 examples of …
• 4 questions I have
now
• 6 claims that need
checking
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

7. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
SCRIPT
You could write a script with two or more
people talking about a topic.
This might help you to imagine what
different people would say about the topic.
{ You could record a radio play. How about filming people
in your club interviewing each other in the hot seat? }
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

8. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
THE STORY OF
YOUR STANDPOINT
Write about how your standpoint
has changed over the course of
your club sessions on a topic.
{ You could film yourself talking to
camera or explaining to a friend }
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

9. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
THE TOPIC MINI-REPORT
Report what you have learned about the topic
(and from who and where), what surprised you
most, and what the most important influence
was on you reaching your standpoint.
Then explain your standpoint with reasons,
even if it is ‘I don’t know what to think’.
{ Make a mini audio report in the style of a radio documentary }
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, audio

10. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
A LETTER TO…
Imagine you are writing a letter to any of the
people whose standpoints you have read
about, or who are involved with this topic.
Explain to them one of the following:
• What you think and why
• What you doubt in their arguments and why
• Or what you think they should do to help and why
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing

11. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
PROPOSAL
It is interesting to think about ways to make
things better in the world you live in.
Try making a proposal and give your
reasons why you think the world would be a
better place if it were accepted.
You could talk about your school, your
community or the wider society.
FORMAT OPTIONS: Writing, video, radio

12. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
PHOTOS
Newspaper editors choose to include different
types of pictures in their newspapers depending
on what they want people to think about an issue.
If you find a photo that helps you to express your standpoint
on the current issue, please post it on the blog – but don’t
forget to explain how it expresses your point of view.
Go into as much detail as you can about that!
FORMAT OPTIONS: Photography

13. The Burnet News Club
Ways To Have Your Say
POLITICAL CARTOONS
Some people have a talent for expressing their
opinions with a drawing or a comic strip.
Can you draw a picture or a short comic strip
that will clearly tell people your standpoint and
explain some of your reasons?
This is tricky to do, but fun!
FORMAT OPTIONS: Drawing