Tabloid/Broadsheet

Learning Objectives
To determine the differences between tabloids and broadsheet newspapers.
To explore the language of newspaper articles
STARTER
Look at the newspaper you have in front of you. Answer the five Ws for the
main article: who, what, where, when, why? Where are the answers to these
five questions found? Should all be in the first paragraph.
Are there any articles that did not cover these 5 Ws?
INTRODUCTION
Explain that every story needs to cover the 5Ws.
Ask the learners to look at their article again and discuss with partners the
following questions:
What information is included in the other paragraphs? Why do you think the writer has
included quotations? How long are the paragraphs? Why is this?

Feedback findings to whole class.

Learners are to set out a table in their books, as modelled on the board. They
must then look at the tabloid and broadsheet papers they have and determine
the differences between the two. Suggest that they look at the kind of
language used and the facts about the people involved in the stories. Below
are some of the differences, but the learners may come up with others.

Tabloid Broadsheet

Informal More formal

Use of puns
Use of alliteration
Exaggeration for effect
Slang
Colloquial language (chatty)
Informal names used
Short, snappy sentences
Heightened language (over the top)
Brand names
Adjectives often carry sexual overtones
A focus upon appearance
Frequent use of elision e.g. won’t, don’t.
Metaphors rather than puns
Rhetorical questions
More complex sentences (look for sentences
separated by lots of commas, semi-colons
etc.)
Puns sometimes used, although more subtle
Statistics
Descriptions of people tend to relate to
personality or position in society
Politician’s comments often included, with a
commentary by the journalist

Discuss these as a class.

DEVELOPMENT
Now ask the learners to complete the questions on ‘reporting back’. They may
work together but answers must be in individual exercise books.
Class discussion: What newspapers do the learners see at home? Does
anybody recognise the political leanings that a paper can have? Give an
example of the Daily Mail being conservative (right wing) and the Guardian being fairly left
wing/liberal. The Sun was once conservative but switched allegiance at one spell.

TPS: Is it acceptable for a newspaper to show bias?

One story given (something along the lines of ‘famous film star getting into a
scuffle with photographers). Learners must come up with two ways in which
that story can be told. They must create a headline which implies they support
the film star’s actions, and one in which they show disapproval.
Discuss learners’ work.
Now learners must look at one story covered by both the tabloid and the
broadsheet. They must fill in the summary sheet as part of the planning
process, and then comment on the differences, including answering the six
following questions:
1. What differences can you see in the ways that different papers handle the story?
2. Do any of the newspapers have information that the others do not have? If so, what kind of
information is it and from where might the paper have got it?
3. Which headlines are statements of fact?
4. Which headlines use the most dramatic words? (Write down some examples.)
5. Can you explain why different papers have tackled this story in different ways?
6. Choose one newspaper’s story. Can you find any of these elements in it:
an eyewitness account; an expert opinion; a brief summary of events; a political comment; historical background;
reaction from public figures; an official statement?
Remind the learners to use the language of comparison (ask for examples
you can put on the board). Anybody struggling to start could use the sentence
starter ‘The story about…. was reported in the tabloid newspaper under the
headline… In contrast, the broadsheet referred to it as…’

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
Using the story that the learners wrote last lesson, ask them to rewrite it to
appeal to Guardian readers, then again to appeal to Mirror readers.
Show success criteria on the board and ask the class to peer assess.
 Does the headline omit the determiner and modal verbs?
 Are the five Ws included?
 Does the text comply with the conventions of the newspaper type?
(Eg. Does the Mirror-based article have a headline containing a pun or alliteration?)

Extension Task: Ask the students to write a set of instructions on structuring

a newspaper article. Display sentence starters on the board.
PLENARY
Learners to create their own quiz question about the elements in today’s
lesson which they think nobody else will know. Pick a learner to ask a
question. Merit for those who have a question that nobody can answer.