Unit 2.

Working with children

Grammar Vocabulary Reading Listening Writing & recording

The Present Simple tense Countable nouns Michael: a primary Present Simple tense Read and write
and adverbs of frequency Vocabulary practice school teacher listening quiz Correct the mistakes
Test exercise Reading comprehension Now you write
Grammar practice Describe a photo
exercise Useful language to
describe pictures

Grammar
The Present Simple tense and adverbs of frequency

The Present Simple tense is the tense that we use to speak about actions that are repeated or routines.
Lets first study how to make sentences with the Present Simple.

How to make affirmative sentences

Structure:

Subject + verb + object Pay attention: When making

affirmative sentences in the Present
Simple tense you have to put the
Examples: verb in the bare infinitive without
to, except in the case of the third
person singular (he, she and it). In
I eat an apple Yo como una this case you have to add an s to
subject verb object manzana. the main verb. For example:

He lives in Barcelona. l vive en Barcelona. Correct: He works l trabaja.

Incorrect: He work.
You like London. Te gusta Londres.

Irregular verbs
If the verb ends in ch, ss, sh, x or the letter o, you If the verb ends in a consonant + y, we remove
have to add -es in the third person. the y and add -ies in the third person.

Examples: Examples:

He teaches Spanish. She studies every day.

Teach teaches Study studies
l ensea espaol. Ella estudia todos los das.
She misses you. She always carries her bag.
Miss misses Carry carries
Ella te echa de menos. Ella siempre lleva su bolso.
He wishes you the best.
Wish wishes
l te desea lo mejor.
It mixes well.
Mix mixes 25
Se mezcla bien.
She goes to work.
Go goes
Ella va a trabajar.

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 How to ask questions

Structure:
Pay attention:

Do / Does + subject + main verb + object? To ask direct questions we always use
"do" or "does" in English.
For the third person singular (he, she,
Examples: it) we have to use does to ask a
question. Never use do in this case.
"Do/does" cannot be translated into
Do you teach English? Enseas t Spanish, dont try to make sense of
Do subject verb object ingls? them.
The main verb in questions always goes
Does he study German? Estudia l alemn? in the bare infinitive without "to".
Do we know her? La conocemos?

How to answer questions

Structure:

Positive: Yes, + subject + do/ does Negative: No, + subject + dont/ doesnt

Examples:

Do you speak English? Do you speak English?

Yes, I do Yes, she does. No, I don't No, she doesnt.
Yes subject do Yes, they do. No subject don't No, we don't.

Never repeat the main verb, like

you do in Spanish. For example: Remember: To ask and answer questions in the third
Correct: Yes, I do. person (he, she, it) we always use does never do.
Incorrect: Yes, I speak.

How to make negative sentences

Structure:
Pay attention to the contractions.
Subject + do/ does + not + main verb + object
Do not: dont.
Does not: doesnt.
Examples:
In colloquial English we usually
I do not work here Yo no trabajo speak with contractions.
subject do not main verb object aqu.

He doesnt study German. l no estudia alemn.

You dont speak Japanese. T no hablas japons.

26 Remember: To make negative sentences and ask questions we always use the
auxiliary verb do or does (for the third person).

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How to ask negative questions

Structure:

Dont/ Doesnt + subject + main verb + object? When we ask negative questions
we usually make a contraction:

Examples: Dont you?

Doesnt he?
Dont you work here? No trabajas
Do not subject verb object t aqu?

Dont they like chocolate? No les gusta el chocolate?

IMPORTANT: It is very important

that you learn to differentiate
the Present Continuous from
The Present Simple tense is used for: the Present Simple because in
Spanish they are not used in the
A permanent state or situation: same way as in English.
They live in Madrid. In Spanish we can use the Present
Ellos viven en Madrid. Simple to speak about what is
happening now, in English we
Facts or general truths: normally cannot do this. For
example:
Water boils at 100 C.
El agua hierve a los 100 C. We cannot say: We work now.
We have to say: We are working
An activity that happens regularly: now. Estamos trabajando ahora.

She often goes to the cinema. You can say: We work every day.
Ella va frecuentemente al cine. Trabajamos todos los das.
(An activity that happens
regularly).

Adverbs of frequency

When we speak in the Present Simple we often use words called adverbs of frequency or adverbial phrases. These
words or phrases (more than one word) indicate how often an activity takes place.

Here you have a list of the most common adverbs of frequency and adverbial phrases:

Always Siempre Rarely Rara vez

Usually Usualmente Hardly ever Casi nunca

Often A menudo Never Nunca

Cotidianamente
Frequently Frecuentemente Every day
Todos los das

Occasionally Ocasionalmente Once a week Una vez por semana

Sometimes A veces Twice a month Dos veces al mes 27

Seldom Rara vez Three times a year Tres veces al ao

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 Where do we place the adverbs of frequency
in a sentence? Watch a video about the Present
Simple Tense.
We usually put one-word adverbs (and hardly ever)
before the main verb. Example:

He always listens to music l siempre

escucha Test
subject adverb of F. main verb object msica.
Choose the correct answer for each gap.

When we use am, is, are, was or were (the verb to

be), we put the adverb after the verb. 1. When you get 6. We never
up? over the weekend?
They are never happy Ellos nunca A. . A. studies.
estn B. do. B. are studying.
subject main verb adverb of F. object contentos. C. have. C. study.
2. She to music 7. My dog usually
every morning. his bone before
When we use auxiliary verbs (have/has) or modal A. is listening. eating it.
verbs (can, could, might, etc.), we put the adverb B. listen. A. bury.
after the auxiliary verb or modal verb. C. listens. B. buries.
C. burys.
3. They always
We have often worked together Hemos together. 8. Why he
trabajado A. eat. always arrive late?
aux. adverb main juntos B. eats. A. do.
subject object frecuentemente.
verb of F. verb C. are eating. B. .
C. does.
4. Did you the kitchen
You can seldom see her Rara vez before leaving the house? 9. I a car.
puedes A. cleaned. A. havent.
aux. adverb main B. clean. B. dont have.
subject object verla.
verb of F. verb C. cleans. C. doesnt have.
5. How often 10. Jill television
We can put usually, often, sometimes and football? during the day.
occasionally at the beginning or end of a sentence A. do you play. A. never watches.
but this is normally in spoken language. B. are you playing. B. doesnt never watch.
C. you play. C. watches never.
Usually they are wrong Generalmente,
adverb of F. subject verb object estn equivocados. Grammar practice exercise
Use the empty box to list the adverbs of
frequency on the left into correct order.
We cannot put always or never Start with the highest frequency.
at the beginning or end (Unless
it is an order or instruction when
it can stand at the front). Sometimes 10
Incorrect: Always they are late Never 9
always. Ellos siempre llegan tarde. Always 8
Correct: They are always late. Often 7
Usually 6
Adverbial phrases can be put at the beginning or
Now and then 5
end of the sentence. Once a year 4
28 Hardly ever 3
I go to the gym twice a week Voy al gimna-
sio dos veces Once in a lifetime 2
subject verb object adverbial phrase por semana. Every other day 1

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Vocabulary
Warning: Never learn new words without Listen to the following
listening to how they sound. You can use audio file with countable
www.wordreference.com or www.howjsay.com to nouns in context and in
listen to the pronunciation of the words. Spanish and in English.

Countable nouns
Nouns Phonetics Meaning Example

Desk /desk/ escritorio He has a very clean desk. l tiene un escritorio muy limpio.

Blackboard /'blkb:d/ encerado, pizarra Write on the blackboard. Escribe en el encerado/la pizarra.

We are going to use crayons for Vamos a usar ceras de colores para
Crayon /'kre:n / ceras de colores
this drawing. este dibujo.
Pencil /'pensl/
/':rpnr/
sacapuntas Who has a pencil sharpener? Quin tiene un sacapuntas?
sharpener
goma de borrar
Rubber /'rbr / Pass me the rubber. Psame la goma de borrar.
(britnico)
goma de borrar
Eraser /'resr / They dont have an eraser. Ellos no tienen goma de borrar.
(americano)
Craft /krft/ / You should use a craft knife to cut Deberas utilizar un cter para
naf/
cter
knife this. cortar esto.

Ruler /'ru:lr / regla Do you know where the ruler is? Sabes dnde est la regla?

Exercise /'eksrsaz/ libro de Please, take out your exercise Por favor, sacad vuestro libro de
book /bk/ ejercicios book. ejercicios.
Hole /hlpn. Without a hole puncher you cant Sin una perforadora no puedes
tr/
perforadora
puncher make holes. hacer agujeros.
/dr./ We need some drawing pins to Necesitamos unas chinchetas para
Drawing pin /pn/
chinchetas
hang this picture. colgar este cuadro/foto.

Shelf/shelves /elf/ baldas Put the books back on the shelves. Pon los libros en las estanteras.

Scissors /szz/ tijeras Can you pass me the scissors? Puedes pasarme las tijeras?

Vocabulary practice exercise

Translate the following sentences:

1 Las tijeras estn en mi escritorio.

2 No s dnde estn mis ceras.
3 Tienes un sacapuntas?
4 Necesitas goma de borrar?
5 Me puedes pasar el pegamento?
6 Utiliza el libro de ejercicios.
7 El cter es peligroso para los nios.
8 Escrbelo en la pizarra. 29
9 Utiliza la perforadora para hacer agujeros.
10 El libro est en la estantera.

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 Reading
Michael: a primary school teacher
7.00 a.m. Michael gets up, has a shower, brushes
his teeth, decides what to wear for school (brown
trousers, light green shirt and a light green shirt)
and goes downstairs. He usually has breakfast in
the kitchen: a bowl of cereal with natural yoghurt.
He then checks his email and gets things ready for
school. He has a brown leather briefcase where he
keeps all his papers.
8.00 a.m. Michael takes the underground and
arrives at the school at 8.30 am. He then does some
photocopying and prepares for his first class.
8.45 a.m. He takes the register, Sandra is off ill
and Peter is on holiday. In class they talk about last
Christmas holiday. The children have to write a
short story about what they did during the holidays.
He listens to the readers and proof reads rough
drafts. They do everything in small steps otherwise
it is too difficult for them.
10.30 a.m. the children go outside for break,
although some children have to stay in the class to
finish their stories.
11.00 a.m. Michaels entire class goes to the hall.
There, the local police give a talk about road safety
rules. The children watch a video on how to cross a
street, fasten seat belts and ride a bike when there
is traffic. They ask the speakers a lot of questions.
They seem to be very interested.
11.30 a.m. time to do some Maths. Michael checks
their homework and gives them more.
12.00 p.m. the children
go to lunch. Michael
stays behind and marks
work so he has less to do
later. Then he goes to
the school cafeteria to
have lunch with other
members of staff. He
talks shop all the time.
1 p.m. back to class.
Michael does some
spelling games with
the children. For some
children spelling is the
most difficult subject.
The most popular game is Hangman.
2 p.m. Art is next. The children draw the presents they
received for Christmas and colour them with acrylic
paints. When they finish they must tidy their classroom.
3.30 p.m. end of the day. The parents come to pick up
their children from school. After school, it is time for
the weekly staff meeting. Teachers discuss the spring
festival, important dates in the agenda and other
upcoming matters. They usually decide who will be
covering for absent teachers, off ill or attending a
training course in a nearby city.
6.00 p.m. Michael gets home. He cooks a quick
dinner and sits down to eat at the dining table. After
dinner he tidies up the kitchen and decides to watch
an important football match on television.

Vocabulary
Have a shower (v.): ducharse. A break: receso, pausa.
Wear (v.): llevar puesto. Stay (v.): quedarse.
Trousers (n.): pantalones. Fasten seat belts (v.): abrocharse los cinturones.
Go downstairs (v.): bajar. Maths (n.): matemticas.
Have breakfast (v.): desayunar. Stay behind (v.): quedarse atrs.
Bowl (n.): cuenco. Mark (v.): marcar, poner nota.
Check the email (v.): mirar el email. Have lunch (v.): comer (comida de medioda).
Get things ready (v.): preparar las cosas. Talk shop (v.): hablar de trabajo.
Leather briefcase (n.): maletn de piel. Back to class (v.): de vuelta a la clase.
Keep (v.): mantener, guardar. Spell (v.): deletrear.
Underground (n.): metro. Hangman: el ahorcado.
Take the register (v.): pasar lista. Draw (v.): dibujar.
Be of ill (v.): estar ausente por enfermedad. Must (v.): deber.
Proof read (v.): corregir errores ortogrficos. Tidy (v.): ordenar.
Draft (v.): hacer un primer borrador de un texto. Pick up (v.): recoger.
30 Quick (adv.): rpido.
Step (n.): paso.
Otherwise: de otra manera.

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Reading comprehension

Read the text about Michael and answer these questions.

7. How does Michael test the childrens
spelling?
A. He drills words.
1. How long does it take Michael to get 4. Why do some students not go B. He writes lists.
ready before he travels to work? outside to break? C. They play word games.
A. Ten minutes. A. They havent completed their
B. Half an hour. Christmas holiday stories. 8. What is the last subject of the day?
C. An hour. B. They were naughty in class. A. Spelling.
C. They dont want to go outside. B. Art.
2. Does Michael go straight to the C. Parents meeting.
5. Does Michael go to the dining room
classroom?
with the children?
A. Sometimes. 9. How long is the childrens school day?
A. Yes.
B. Never. A. Five hours and fifteen minutes.
B. No.
C. Always. B. Six hours.
C. Yes, with help from the other
teachers. C. Six hours and forty-five minutes.
3. What does Michael do as he listens
to the readers? 6. What does he talk about over 10. What is Michaels last activity of the
A. Watches the readers. lunch? day?
B. Corrects other students' written A. Shopping. A. Cleaning the kitchen.
work. B. Doing business. B. Playing football.
C. Corrects the students' spoken work. C. School. C. Watching television.

Listening
Present Simple tense listening quiz

Listen to the conversation between two

teachers then answer the questions. You
will hear the conversation three times.

Answer the questions below. After listening once:

Answer the questions below. After listening three
1. How old are Chris' students? times:
A. Six year old.
B. Seven year old. 1. What time does Alex finish work?
C. Ten year old. A. Two thirty.
B. Three thirty.
C. Four thirty.
Answer the questions below. After listening twice:
2. What do these two teachers normally do when they have
1. What are the benefits of the new classroom? a free afternoon?
A. It is lighter and more relaxed. A. Go out for a coffee.
B. It is more relaxed and squashed. B. Go home and rest.
C. It is lighter and has more room. C. Go home and prepare classes.

2. How often does Chris teach her group? 3. Will they see each other later?
A. Once a week. A. Maybe.
B. Twice a week. B. Yes.
C. Three times a week. C. No.
31

Watch a conversation between two people using the Present Simple and the adverbs of frequency.

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 Writing & recording
Read and write
Most Spanish speaking students make a lot of mistakes when they start writing in English because, as in spoken
language, they literally translate words and sentences directly from Spanish into English.

Here we have a list of the most common mistakes:

Wrong Right In Spanish you say:

Im working now.
Im actually working. Estoy trabajando en este momento.
At the moment Im working.

Shes making a course. She is doing/taking a course. Ella est haciendo un curso.

You can get a discount of 10%. You can get a 10% discount. Puedes obtener un 10% de descuento.

It costs three thousands euros. It costs three thousand euros. Cuesta tres mil euros.

I arrive to work at 8 a.m. I arrive at/get to work at 8 a.m. Llego al trabajo a las 8 a.m.

I want to make a question. I want to ask a question Quiero hacer una pregunta.

Are you agreed? Do you agree? Ests de acuerdo?

She has to do an effort. She has to make an effort. Ella tiene que hacer un esfuerzo.

This is related with This is related to Esto est relacionado con

The film is based in a novel. The film is based on a novel. La pelcula est basada en una novela.

She is the guilty. She is guilty. Ella es la culpable.

Im working here 2 years I have been working here for 2 years. Llevo trabajando aqu dos aos.

There is a lot of competence. There is a lot of competition. Hay mucha competencia.

He wins a lot of money wor- He earns a lot of money working as a l gana mucho dinero trabajando de
king as a waiter. waiter. camarero.

Thanks for all. Thanks for everything. Gracias por todo.

32
Watch a video about how to correct mistakes.

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Correct the mistakes

Instructions: Correct the mistakes in the email below. Pay special attention to the sentences that sound very
Spanish. Check your answers with the corrected version included in the booklet.

From: Beatriz Salgado <bsalgado@hotmail.com>

To: Michael Brownz<mbrown@yahoo.com>
Date: 22/11/2010 13:48
Subject: Craft class

Hi Michael,
Im preparing the craft class for next week. I have some
suggestions and I will like to know if you are agree with them.
The children can do potato stamps and printing them in
cards, gift paper, or fabric. With the fabric they can do stuff
animals and then we can sell they in the Christmas sale.
What are you thinking? If you have more suggestions, write.
Thanks for all,
Beatriz

Now you write

Instructions

Write an answer from Michael to Beatriz:

Say that you like the idea.

Suggest another idea using the vocabulary you have learned in this unit.

Compare your text to this example:

From: Michael Brown <mbrown@yahoo.com>

To: Beatriz Salgado <bsalgado@hotmail.com>
Vocabulary
Date: 22/11/2010 14:46 Craft (n.): manualidades.
Subject: Craft class To get them to make (v.): que hagan.
Potato stamps (n): sello/ tampones de patata.
Hi Beatriz, However (adv.): no obstante.
Thank you for your suggestions for the craft class. Ourselves (p.): nosotros mismos.
I think its a very good idea to get them to make Dangerous (adj.): peligrosos.
potato stamps, however we are going to have to Could (v.): podra.
cut the potatoes with the craft knives ourselves Paper cutting (v.): recortar papel.
because it can be dangerous for the children. Drawing (n.): dibujo.
A pair (n.): un par.
We could also do 3D paper cutting using their The ones (n.): las (refirindose a las tijeras
drawings, but well need a pair of good scissors y reglas).
and a new ruler. The ones we have now are too Let them (v.): dejarlos.
old. Work together (v.): trabajar juntos.
We could also let them suggest craft ideas and To make them happen (v.): darles vida.
work together to make them happen. It is a great Get the children involved (v.): que los nios
way to get children involved and excited before se involucren.
Christmas. Excited (adj.): emocionado/a. 33
Cheers,
Michael

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 Describe a photo
In the previous unit, we studied the information
we should be able to communicate when
introducing ourselves. In this unit, we are
going to learn how to describe a photograph.

Look at the following picture and describe it.

Record your description and send it to your
teacher. The recording must be, at least, one
minute.

Important: use the Useful Language

worksheet and the vocabulary and grammar
already studied in the course to help you.

Useful language to describe pictures

1. Placing objects
X is in the middle of the page
F A A is at the top
B is at the bottom
C is on the left
E D is on the right
C X D X is between C and D
C and D are on either side of X
E is above X
X is below E
B G F is in the top left-hand corner
G is in the bottom right-hand corner

A is in the north of the island A

B is in the south E
C is in the east
D C
D is in the west
E is to the north of B
B

At the back/In the background

Placing objects
In the background there is a church
In the foreground, we can see the road and some trees
The person at the back is drinking
There is a woman behind the man
The cat is next to the door
The man is in front of the woman
34
At the front/In the foreground

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2. Describing the objects/people in the photograph

Sayibg where people are Describing people

They're in the street She's (very) tall/thin/short/fat

They're indoors/outdoors She has dark/fair skin

They are at the beach He has long/short hair

They are in a park He is wearing jeans and T-shirt

They are in the city/

She's wearing a black coat
countryside

They are in a cinema/

She is pretty/beautiful
theatre/hotel/bar/caf/shop

They are on a bus/plane/car

They are at home

Describing places/buildings Making guesses

There are a lot of people in

They look/seem
the street

I think they are having fun

The building is made of stone
because

The streets are full of people Maybe she is trying to

The streets are really crowded Perhaps she is lost

There are a lot of shops Im not sure but it looks like

around the square Madrid

It looks as if she is teaching

Its a modern/old building
them with the computer

It is the city center

The city/town is very small/

big 35
The restaurant is opposite the
caf

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Key Ideas

2.1. Mass media. What is the definition of mass media?

We have already seen how important the Internet has become in our present days. It is
seen as an important tool for communication and for information. In this section we are
going to see how the Internet can be seen as a mass media system of communication but,
before that, we need to know exactly what the meaning of mass media is.

How can we defined the mass media concept?

The concept of mass media is divided into two parts. On the one hand, media, a mean
to receive and send information: written media, digital media, etc. thus, we can include
newspapers, magazines, television, radio, mobile phones, Internet, etc. into this system.
On the other hand, mass, that refers to an important number of people, many people.
These two words gathered together are mass media and, as you can imagine, this
concept is related to the different ways of media that are used to broadcast or
transmit information to a large audience.

According to Gordon Marshall (1998) in the Dictionary of Sociology, the term mass
media can be defined as "large-scale organizations which use one or more of these
technologies (print, radio, or television) to communicate with large numbers of people
(mass communications)". Thus, mass media are those strategies or procedures
(radio, TV, print, the Internet) that are used to spread worldwide information to
a vast, heterogeneous and geographical dispersed audience.

Dennis McQuail in his work The influence and effects of mass media talks about how
mass media can be seen as a group of activities made by writers, producers, audience,
etc. following certain rules and laws imposed in society.

McQuail considers the following as the main characteristics of mass media:

They are used to spread information.

Mass media are the speaker and the public / audience the receptor of the
message.

Module II Public opinion and mass media

 Mass media promote different kinds of interaction: interpersonal, intrapersonal
and group.
Audience can participate or not.
Media are connected to government and laws.

As we have seen, the term mass media implies an amount of information sent to a big
audience but, what are its characteristics?

The term mass is always used to talk about a great audience.

They are geographically dispersed.
The individuals are anonymous.
There are no group organization or idea of group.
The group is heterogeneous because its members belong to different social classes,
social groups, etc.
The group is also homogeneous because they have the same interests and likes.

As we have seen, when we talk about mass media we are referring to an exchange of
information and communication from one person (or group) to a large audience. Apart
from the speaker and the receptor there are some elements that also need to function in
this process: the speaker sends the message through a channel to a great audience that
receive the information and makes a response to it.

Speaker Message Receptor Channel Response

For example, an advertisement. The company puts an advertisement on TV about the

release of a DVD, the receiver gets the information through the channel (TV) and makes
a response going to the shop and buying the product.

Thus, mass media communication today works following three steps:

A message is sent from some media (Internet, TV, radio, press, etc.).
The message is quickly spread to a large audience.
These large audience (geographically dispersed and heterogeneous) receives
simultaneously the message in a short period of time.

Module II Public opinion and mass media

2.2. The traditional mass media

When we talk about old mass media we are making reference to the traditional media
such as television, radio, books, magazines, etc. that implied one-way
communication, that is, the information is sent to a large audience but there
is not direct contact with this audience. We are going to look at these traditional
means of communication and their implications in mass media.

The press

Magazines and newspapers are seen as traditional ways of communication and

information. Press function is mainly to inform, entertain and form, and more recently
to improve the economic situation. Some of the advantages of the press are the
followings:

Press media is considered more prestigious that other media.

There is no time problem as it happens in radio or TV.
The audience can choose when and why to read the source.
The specialized press sources can attract interest to the audience in particular topics
and subjects.
The reception of the information is individual and natural.

The radio

The radio is considered the most important oral source. The radio is the most widely
spread media worldwide. The speed used by the radio to broadcast the latest news has
made of it one of the most important media.

Several elements make the radio such an important source of communication and
information:

There is a collective audience.

The radiocasts are periodical.
There is a programme of contents.
Audience can receive the information in a comfortable atmosphere (at home).
Audience can receive music, words... any aural message.

Module II Public opinion and mass media

The radio, as well as other media, fulfils four basic functions:

To inform: an instrument to spread information and news.

To form: build awareness, and changing or transforming habits.
To entertain: musical programs, shows, etc.
To persuade: a tool to persuade individuals according to political matters or
ideologies.

However, there are differences with other media, for example, with the written media
(press) that we have already seen:

The information is not permanent.

The hearer is not specialized.
More influence on the audience.
Shortness, concision, and selection of news.

The television

The television is another excellent communication and information tool and, as well as
the other media, has the functions of inform, form, entertain and persuade the audience.

Marshall McLuhan, in his book The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic
Man (1962) indicates the necessary characteristics to understand the TV:

Sculptural idea: images on TV are made possible thanks to small spots of light that
gathered together create a complete and whole picture.
Tactile perception: McLuhan states that TV is not only visual or aural but also
tactile because all the senses are involved in the TV perception.
Cold medium: the images and sounds projected are not as good as the ones of the
cinema or radio, and to have a complete understanding of the message, the audience
need to be actively involved.
Global village: television has suppressed time and space distance. It has made
possible the communication with global and simultaneous messages.

Module II Public opinion and mass media

2.3. The new mass media and their effects on the audience

When we refer to the new mass media we have to take into account those media whose
direction is not one-way but many-to-many, that is, information addressed to
mass media that can be both consumers and producers. The new mass media
are the digital media in general and in particular the Internet.

One of the main differences between the traditional mass media and the new one, is the
possibility the new media have to keep a communication with the audience involved.
Thus, there is a relationship established between the speaker and the
receiver of the message in which the receptor can directly answer it (a relation
between those who produce information and those who receive it).

Vin Crosbie, What is New Media? (2002) exposes the main characteristics of these new
media in contrast to the old ones.

The digital media cannot exist without the presence of technology. They cannot work
without a computer.
There is a kind of personalization because the individualized messages can be
simultaneously sent to a vast number of people, great audience.
Collective control. The users of the web can shape, change, share, and exchange the
information that appears in the web, social networks, etc. They can spread the
information or elaborate new one from it.

According to Crosbie, the new mass media give the audience the chance to choose, for
example, the same newspaper online and decide how to read it depending on the likes
and dislikes of the users. The readers do not have to read the same edition but an
individualized edition makes possible according to their interests.

The new mass media facilitate the contact with the audience who receive the
information and communication. Here we have two different ways to be in touch with
the public and to interact with them:

Texts communication: nowadays is more and more common that TV or radio

programs ask their audience to send text messages when the broadcasting is on air.
By doing this, the producer can change the program or modify the discourse in order
to get more audience and increase the public interest.

Module II Public opinion and mass media

 Social networks: as well as the text messages, social networks have also become an
excellent tool to interact with the audience. Mass media in present times normally
have a web page/ profile in the more used social networks (Facebook, Twitter...) to
give the audience the chance/ opportunity to express opinions or ideas about the
program that is being broadcasting.

These two ways of interaction with the media can provide programs with important
information about the audience likes and interests. Thus, audience has a great influence
on the contents and information of the programs. Depending on their likes, attitudes,
topics of interest, etc. programs can elaborate contents that satisfy a larger audience.
Audience surveys can also provide excellent and useful information about the most
attractive topics, kind of programs most people enjoy, the times where most people use
the media, etc. But, these audience studies are also very useful for advertising because
publicity agencies need to know where and when it is the best moment to include their
spots or adverts.

2.4 Mass media effects

Mass media are described as those tools used by individuals or groups to spread
information and communication to a large audience. The contents of the information
spread can be different, as well as the effects that mass media can have upon the
audience. Mass media can broadcast information, news, advertisements,
entertainment, art, etc. They can also create new opinions or change the
ones the audience already have.

Mass media try to reinforce our opinions and attitudes according to a particular subject
or topic. That is because the audience decides and chooses the programs or
media that share the same opinions, ideas, values, attitudes and even beliefs
than we have and we reject those that we consider a menace. Mass media have
also a persuasive effect upon the audiences to change their opinions in favour of the ones
in power, for example.

In conclusion, mass media have become a constant in our lives in present times, it is a
tool that audience use to be informed or to communicate and depending on the media
used, they can be just receptive agents or also producers. Mass media have effect on
the audience: it can form, re-form, reinforce, change or persuade others
opinions and make audience follow a particular pattern.

Module II Public opinion and mass media