Frank W. Baker was a school administrator in Orlando, Florida for 11 years and a public television education specialist for 6 years. He specializes in professional development workshops around 21st century literacy skills, specifically media literacy. His workshops are hands-on and highly interactive. His goal is to help teachers make the connection between media literacy and state teaching standards. His nationally recognized Web page, The Media Literacy Clearinghouse, and his workshops, have both received rave reviews.
View Frank Baker's Resume/Vita, Publications and Workshops.
Listen to Frank describe the work he does on media and critical literacies to help teachers in schools across the nation.
Level: 6-12
Informational Texts Understanding Point of View in Film Using the Broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow in the Classroom Thinking Critically about Media Messages in an Election Year 21st Century Literacy Skills All Teachers/Students Need to Succeed Who's the Boss? Financial & Media Literacy: An Important Combination Film in the Reading Classroom All Media Are Written: Improving Student Writing Skills with Media Literacy
Political Campaigns and Political Advertising:
A Media Literacy Guide
Coming Distractions: Questioning Movies
Read the support document he authored "Nonprint Souces of Information" and was posted on the South Carolina State Department of Education website.
Media Literacy 101
Audience: Teachers, ELA Supervisors
Most teacher/educators have never been trained in media literacy. This workshop introduces the core concepts/key questions and positions media literacy within that state’s teaching standards and frameworks. Extremely interactive and hands-on.
The Role of Media In Politics
Audience: Teachers, ELA Supervisors, students
This workshop introduces participants to the 30-second campaign commercial, so widely used in US campaigns. Emphasis is given to the language and the economics of political ads.
TV Toy Commercials: How They Influence Kids
Audience: Elementary educators, students
Toy advertising abounds on cable and commercial television. This workshop pulls back the curtain on production techniques, and aims to get the audience involved and comfortable using these spots in a classroom setting.
Frank Baker presenting "TV Toy Commercials:
How They Influence Kids"
March 1998 International Reading
Association Annual Conference,
Orlando FL
Understanding the Language of Film & Scriptwriting
Audience: All educators
Most teachers have never been taught how to watch a film actively. Using recent, popular film and those based on novels, I introduce the language of film and how each production element has meaning. I have developed a comprehensive film study guide to “To Kill A Mockingbird” which can be shared with the appropriate audiences.
Media Education in a Digital Information Age
Audience: All educators
Similar to Media Literacy 101, except new media and technology are emphasized here.
The Role of Writing in Media
Audience: All educators
Writing is the key to all media messages, whether they be advertising, commercials, TV, or film. Participants will explore all media with many hands-on activities.
Using Media Literacy Skills to Deconstruct Tobacco Ads
Audience: Upper elementary, middle, and high school
Using a hands-on approach, educators learn how to identify target audience and product placement in tobacco marketing. Counter advertising is introduced and participants create an original counter ad.
Looking Deeper at Informational Texts
Many students have trouble understanding text elements in informational texts. Frank Baker's workshop is designed to introduce a wide variety of texts and to help teachers/students feel more comfortable understanding those important
text elements.