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E8 E - Influencer culture and media construction

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E8 E - Influencer culture and media construction

Mini-description: Explore how influencer-style media can shape self-presentation, advertising and a selected reality. Work with fictional profiles and suitable public media. Then give a short, balanced evaluation in English.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Year 8, Baden-Württemberg, E-level. The course is mainly in English. Use German help only when you really need it.

Safety and privacy: Do not use private social-media data. All classroom profiles in this course are fictional. Recordings are voluntary and should stay private unless you and your teacher clearly decide otherwise. Do not upload classwork, faces, voices or personal data to external AI tools without permission.

Media mission: Look for three choices the creator controls: what is shown, how it is shown and what is left out.

Einleitung

Online posts can feel spontaneous, but they are still constructed media. A creator chooses a camera angle, light, music, words, cuts and timing. This does not automatically make a post false. It means that every post shows only a part of a situation.

In this course, selected reality means: a post presents selected moments and leaves other moments outside the frame. A selected reality can be honest, misleading, funny, commercial or simply practical. Your task is to look for evidence before you judge it.

A sponsored post can also be useful or sincere. The key questions are: Is the commercial purpose clear? What choices shape the message? What evidence supports the claims?

English first → context → try → ask → hint → German help if needed. Do not translate everything. Work for meaning first.

I can...

I can...	Evidence
explain how a post creates an image of a person	I name at least two media choices.
identify signs of advertising	I point to wording, product focus or a sponsorship label.
explain selected reality	I compare what is shown with what may be outside the frame.
react spontaneously in a discussion	I agree, disagree or qualify an idea and add a reason.
write a short balanced evaluation	I use evidence, a counterpoint and a clear judgement.

Before you start: activate your knowledge

Think for 30 seconds: Why might two posts about the same day look completely different?

Then finish one sentence orally:

A creator might show...
A creator might leave out...
An advert may feel personal because...

Hint: Think about camera, caption, product, music, timing and audience.

Deutsch-Hilfe bei Bedarf: Überlege nicht zuerst, ob ein Post „echt“ oder „fake“ ist. Frage zuerst: Was wurde ausgewählt, gestaltet und weggelassen?

Media starter: one image, different stories

Look at the image for ten seconds. Then answer in English:

What has been added by the filter?
What impression could the filter create?
What can you not know from the image alone?

Quick feedback: A strong answer separates visible evidence from your interpretation.

Viewing and listening

Video 1: Influence and persuasion

First viewing: gist only. What is the main topic: entertainment, persuasion or camera technology?

Second viewing: evidence. Note three words or examples connected to persuasion or advertising.

E-level challenge: Choose one technique from the video and explain how an influencer-style post could use it.

Hint: You do not need every word. Listen for repeated ideas and examples.

Video 2: Online advertising

Viewing mission: Watch a teacher-selected short section first. Then answer:

What does an advertiser want the audience to do?
Which information can make advertising more targeted?
Why can an advert feel like ordinary content?

Direct feedback:

If your answer only retells the video, add why it matters.
If you make a claim without evidence, add one example from what you saw or heard.
If you miss details, rewatch a short section instead of replaying everything.

Media note: These videos are embedded from the official CrashCourse YouTube channel. Embedding does not make the videos OER; do not copy or re-upload them.

Reading: two fictional profiles

Profile A: MayaMoves

FICTIONAL POST

Image idea: Maya at a clean desk, soft light, reusable bottle, open school book.

Caption: “Calm mornings = better days. I never start school stressed. My new LoopBottle keeps me focused. #ad”

Behind the post: The photo was taken after school. The desk was cleared for the picture. Twelve photos were taken. The bottle company paid for the post. Maya really likes the bottle, but she often feels rushed in the morning.

Task: Find one example of self-presentation, one commercial element and one example of selected reality.

Profile B: JayFrame

FICTIONAL POST

Short video: Jay enters a basketball court, scores once, smiles at the camera and says: “Training is all about confidence.”

Behind the clip: Jay had missed several shots before the clip was recorded. The final video shows one successful moment. No product is advertised.

Task: Is the clip dishonest? Give a differentiated answer.

Strong E-level answer frame: “The clip is selective because... However, selective does not automatically mean false because... My judgement is...”

Model feedback

Open after you have tried.

Profile A: The clean desk and calm wording support a controlled self-image. The bottle and #ad show a commercial purpose. The post creates selected reality because the stressful mornings and the staged timing are not visible.

Profile B: The clip is selective because it shows one successful shot and leaves out misses. It is not necessarily dishonest because the successful shot really happened. It could become misleading if it suggests that success was effortless or typical without evidence.

Context vocabulary

Word	Useful meaning	Example
audience	the people a message is made for	The audience may be younger viewers.
sponsored	paid for or supported by a company	The post is sponsored.
caption	text below or next to a post	The caption sounds personal.
framing	the way a situation is presented	The framing makes the morning look perfect.
selective	showing only some parts	The video is selective, not automatically false.
claim	something presented as true	Check whether the claim has evidence.
disclose	make something important clear	Creators should clearly disclose advertising.
authentic	seeming or being genuine	A sponsored post can still be authentic.

Pronunciation focus

Say the words in short chunks, then in a sentence:

Word	Stress help	Sentence
advertisement	ad-VER-tise-ment	This advertisement feels personal.
influencer	IN-flu-en-cer	The influencer selects what to show.
authentic	au-THEN-tic	The post seems authentic.
sponsored	SPON-sored	The video is sponsored.

Goal: Be easy to understand. You do not need to copy one particular accent.

Media construction: what changes the message?

A ring light, camera angle or crop can change how something looks. Editing is not automatically manipulation. Ask what the choice does to the message.

Media choice	Possible effect	Critical question
bright light	clean, positive mood	What would different light suggest?
close-up	product or face feels important	What is outside the frame?
fast cuts	energy and excitement	Does speed hide missing detail?
music	adds emotion	Would the message feel different without it?
caption	tells you how to read the image	Does the caption match the evidence?

Speaking

Quick reactions

React without writing a full script first.

“A sponsored post is never authentic.”
“Editing always makes a post fake.”
“Showing only your best moments is dishonest.”
“Viewers are responsible for checking claims.”

Use one of these starters: I partly agree because... / I see it differently because... / That depends on... / The evidence suggests... / A counterpoint is...

E-level target: Add a qualification such as usually, sometimes, in this case, to some extent.

Mini discussion: who has responsibility?

Roles: creator – audience – company – platform.

Question: Who should make advertising easy to recognise?

First defend your role. Then switch perspective and defend a different role.

Feedback rule: Do not score the person. Respond to the argument: claim → evidence → counterpoint.

Writing

A short differentiated evaluation

Write 100–140 words on this statement:

“Influencer content gives us a distorted picture of real life.”

Use this structure:

Point: Give your main view.
Evidence: Use one fictional profile or media example.
Balance: Add a counterpoint.
Judgement: End with a nuanced conclusion.

Useful language: This suggests... / However... / At the same time... / The post is selective because... / It would be misleading if... / Overall, I would say...

Revision: make your text more precise

Check your draft with these codes:

Code	Check	Fix
EV	evidence missing	add a concrete detail
BAL	one-sided argument	add a counterpoint
P	passive form	check be + past participle
RS	reported speech	check tense and word order
WO	word order	rebuild the sentence
V	vague vocabulary	replace good, bad, fake with a more precise word

Direct feedback example: “This post is fake because it is edited.” → Too absolute. Better: “The post is highly selective because several editing choices shape the impression, but editing alone does not prove that the event is false.”

Mediation

A German-speaking family member asks: “Was bedeutet #ad und warum ist das wichtig?”

Explain the answer in simple German in 2–3 sentences using the English information from this course. Do not translate the whole text.

Then return to English and explain: Why does clear labelling help an audience?

Functional grammar

Passive: focus on what is done

At E-level, use the passive productively when the action is more important than the person doing it.

Active: A company pays the creator.

Passive: The creator is paid by a company.

More examples:

The image is edited before it is posted.
The product is placed in the centre.
Several shots were recorded before the final clip was chosen.

Try: Change into the passive: “The creator cropped the photo.” → ______________________

Feedback: “The photo was cropped by the creator.” If the creator is not important, “The photo was cropped” is enough.

Reported speech: claims, questions and commands

Direct statement: Maya said, “I chose the photo carefully.”

Reported statement: Maya said that she had chosen the photo carefully.

Direct question: Leo asked, “Why did you edit the clip?”

Reported question: Leo asked why she had edited the clip.

Direct command: The teacher said, “Do not use private data.”

Reported command: The teacher told them not to use private data.

E-level focus: Use backshift when reporting a past statement, and remember that reported questions use statement word order.

Past perfect progressive: receptive only

You may meet a sentence such as:

She had been posting short videos for months before a company contacted her.

You do not need to produce this form here. Recognise the meaning: an activity continued for some time before another past event.

Deutsch-Hilfe bei Bedarf: Die Form zeigt eine länger andauernde Handlung vor einem anderen Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit.

Try – ask – hint – German help

When a task feels difficult, use this order:

Try: Mark the words or details you understand.
Ask: Compare your idea with a partner.
Hint: Use the sentence starters or vocabulary table.
German help: Open only the short German support.
Return to English: Finish the task in English unless it is a mediation task.

Error analysis

Correct the weak sentences and explain the problem.

Weak sentence	What to check
The product placed in the centre.	Is a passive auxiliary missing?
Maya said that she chooses the photo the day before.	Does reported speech need backshift?
He asked why did she crop the image.	What happens to word order in a reported question?
The post is fake because it is edited.	Is the judgement too absolute?
The influencer is bad.	Can you evaluate the message instead of attacking the person?

Possible corrections:

The product is placed in the centre.

Maya said that she had chosen the photo the day before.

He asked why she had cropped the image.

The post is selective and may be misleading if the editing hides important context.

The final sentence needs evidence about the content, not a personal attack.

Transfer

Create two fictional versions of the same ordinary moment: one “perfect” post and one “behind-the-frame” version.

Do not use a real classmate's account, private messages or screenshots. You can use drawings, objects, staged photos without identifiable people, or text-only mock posts.

Then compare your two versions: What changed? What stayed true? What might an audience wrongly assume?

Responsible AI use

AI can help you brainstorm vocabulary, check a grammar explanation or suggest questions only if your school or teacher allows it.

Your rules:

Do not upload private social-media data, faces, voices or classmates' work without permission.
Check facts, level and feedback. AI can be wrong or too difficult.
Keep your own ideas and wording. AI should not replace your text.
If AI suggests a judgement, ask for evidence and check it yourself.

Can-do check

Can-do	Yes	Not yet
I can explain selected reality without calling every edited post fake.	□	□
I can identify self-presentation and commercial signals.	□	□
I can use the passive in my own sentences.	□	□
I can report statements, questions and commands.	□	□
I can give a short balanced media judgement with evidence.	□	□

Next step: E8 E - Algorithms, feeds and recommendation systems

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What does selected reality mean in this course? (A post shows selected parts of a situation) (!A post is always completely false) (!A post has no audience) (!A post must contain advertising)

Which detail is strongest evidence of commercial content? (A clear sponsored label) (!A bright background) (!A smiling face) (!A short caption)

Which statement is the most differentiated? (Editing can shape an impression without automatically making a post false) (!Editing always proves dishonesty) (!Editing never changes meaning) (!Only unedited posts can be authentic)

Which question best checks framing? (What is outside the frame?) (!How many followers are there?) (!Is the phone new?) (!Is the caption short?)

Which passive sentence is correct? (The photo was cropped before posting) (!The photo cropped before posting) (!The photo was crop before posting) (!The photo is cropping before posting)

Which sentence correctly reports a past statement? (Maya said that she had chosen the picture) (!Maya said that she choose the picture) (!Maya said did she choose the picture) (!Maya said that chosen the picture)

Which sentence correctly reports a question? (Leo asked why she had edited the clip) (!Leo asked why did she edit the clip) (!Leo asked why had she edited the clip) (!Leo asked why she edit the clip)

Which sentence correctly reports a command? (The teacher told them not to use private data) (!The teacher told not use private data) (!The teacher asked why private data) (!The teacher said them do not private data)

What should you do before using private social-media data for a task? (Do not use it unless there is clear permission and a valid school purpose) (!Upload it first and ask later) (!Share it with the whole class) (!Send it to an external AI tool)

What makes a short evaluation strong? (Evidence, a counterpoint and a clear judgement) (!Only a strong opinion) (!Only a summary) (!Only difficult vocabulary)

Memory

audience	people a message is made for
caption	text that accompanies a post
sponsored	paid for or supported by a company
framing	the way a situation is presented
evidence	information that supports a claim
selective	showing only some parts
disclosure	making commercial purpose clear

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
self-presentation	creating an impression of yourself
advertising	trying to promote a product or service
selected reality	showing only chosen parts of a situation
passive	focusing on an action or result
reported speech	reporting what another person said
evidence	supporting a claim with a concrete detail

...

Kreuzworträtsel

framing	What word describes the way a situation is presented?
sponsor	What do you call a person or company that supports content commercially?
caption	What is the text attached to a social-media post called?
filter	What can digitally change the look of a photo?
audience	What word means the people a message is made for?
passive	Which voice focuses on an action or result rather than the doer?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Frame hunt: Find three framing choices in one of the Commons images in this course and explain their possible effect in one sentence each.
Ad signals: Create a text-only fictional post and add three signals that clearly show it is advertising.
Two captions: Write two different captions for the same fictional photo: one confident and one neutral. Compare the impression.
Clear speech: Practise four key words from the pronunciation table. Recording yourself is optional and private.

Standard

Selected reality storyboard: Draw a four-frame fictional post and a four-frame behind-the-scenes version. Explain what the first version leaves out.
Mini discussion: In pairs, discuss whether creators or audiences carry more responsibility for recognising advertising. Switch sides after two minutes.
Mediation card: Make a small German information card that explains #ad using information from the English course without translating whole passages.
Revision challenge: Write a 120-word evaluation, mark EV, BAL, P and RS problems, then revise the text once.

Schwer

Compare constructions: Compare two suitable public posts or two teacher-provided examples. Analyse framing, commercial purpose and what remains uncertain. Do not collect private account data.
Role hearing: Stage a short hearing with creator, company, audience and platform roles. Each role must answer one criticism and one counterargument.
AI feedback audit: If school rules allow AI, compare one AI grammar comment with your course notes. Check whether the feedback is correct, level-appropriate and useful. Do not upload personal data or let AI replace your text.
Campaign redesign: Redesign a fictional sponsored post so that it stays attractive but becomes more transparent. Explain every change and its effect on the audience.

Lernkontrolle

Same event, different message: Two fictional creators show the same school event in different ways. Explain how three media choices could lead to different impressions and what an audience should check before judging.
Transparent or misleading: A fictional creator clearly labels a paid post but exaggerates what a product can do. Explain why the label solves one problem but not every credibility problem.
Selection and truth: Evaluate the statement “If a post leaves something out, it is a lie.” Use one counterexample and one case where omission could become misleading.
Grammar for meaning: Rewrite a short fictional creator statement using the passive and reported speech. Then explain how the new forms change the focus.
Responsibility: Develop a short set of three rules for creators and three rules for audiences. Justify each rule with a media-literacy reason.
New context: Apply the course questions to a school poster, sports highlight video or product review. Show which ideas transfer beyond influencer culture.

Lernnachweis

For a successful Lernnachweis, you should be able to:

distinguish visible evidence from interpretation
explain self-presentation, advertising and selected reality
analyse at least two media choices and their effects
use precise vocabulary instead of only fake, good or bad
use the passive productively
report statements, questions and commands accurately
recognise the meaning of the past perfect progressive
give a balanced short evaluation with evidence and a counterpoint
work safely with fictional or suitable public material
explain how you checked facts, feedback and possible AI support

OERs zum Thema

Further open-media starting points: Influencer, Soziale Medien, Medienkompetenz, Werbung, Digitale Medien.

Commons media note: The Wikimedia Commons files used in this course are linked through their file pages, where author and licence information can be checked. If you remix a file, follow the licence terms shown there.

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