Composing appropriate social-media posts for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Focal competence: Composing good social media posts
Key competencies/values: Communication; ICT and Digital Competencies; Digital Competencies; Collaboration; Information Literacy; Respect
Skills:

• Composing good social media posts

Previous Lesson: Relationship between Tone, Purpose and Meaning in a Text
Topic: Digital Communication (Communication On The Social Media ): Composing Appropriate Social-Media Posts
Subject Matter: Composing appropriate social-media posts

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define what constitutes an appropriate social media post.
• Identify characteristics of responsible social media posts.
• Explain what makes a social media post irresponsible.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of responsible digital communication.
• Value respectful and clear communication on social media.

Psychomotor Domain

• Formulate appropriate social media posts for different scenarios.

Social Domain

• Discuss respectfully with peers about social media etiquette.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for SS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Computers
• Online resources
• Course book
• Smartphones
• Laptops
• Whiteboard or chalkboard
• Markers or chalk
• Projector (optional)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is essential for students to navigate the digital world responsibly and effectively. It equips them with the skills to compose clear, respectful, and purposeful social media posts, thereby fostering positive online interactions. Understanding appropriate digital communication supports their overall literacy and prepares them for future academic and professional engagements.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic knowledge of using social media platforms and general communication skills.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Composing Appropriate Social-Media Posts

What is an Appropriate Social Media Post?

An appropriate social media post is one that is suitable, respectful, clear, and relevant to its intended audience and platform. It aligns with ethical communication standards and avoids causing harm, misunderstanding, or offence.

Characteristics of Responsible Social Media Posts

Responsible social media posts demonstrate thoughtfulness and consideration for others. Key characteristics include:

1. Clarity and Conciseness: The message is easy to understand and gets straight to the point.
2. Accuracy: Information shared is factual and verified, avoiding the spread of misinformation.
3. Respectful Tone: The language used is polite, considerate, and free from insults, hate speech, or offensive terms.
4. Privacy Awareness: Personal information (of oneself or others) is not shared without consent.
5. Purposeful: The post has a clear reason or goal, whether to inform, entertain, ask a question, or share an opinion constructively.
6. Grammar and Spelling: Proper grammar and spelling are used to ensure professionalism and clarity.
7. Audience Consideration: The content is appropriate for the intended audience and platform guidelines.
8. Originality/Attribution: Ideas or content from others are properly credited.

Characteristics of Irresponsible Social Media Posts

Irresponsible social media posts can lead to negative consequences, including misunderstandings, harm, or legal issues. Such posts often exhibit:

1. Misinformation/Fake News: Spreading unverified or false information.
2. Hate Speech/Cyberbullying: Using offensive, abusive, or threatening language directed at individuals or groups.
3. Privacy Violations: Sharing private information or images of others without their permission.
4. Plagiarism: Presenting someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own without proper attribution.
5. Offensive Content: Posting content that is vulgar, discriminatory, or culturally insensitive.
6. Lack of Clarity: Posts that are confusing, ambiguous, or poorly written, leading to misinterpretation.
7. Emotional Outbursts: Sharing highly emotional, unfiltered reactions that might be regretted later.
8. Spamming: Posting excessive or irrelevant content that clogs feeds.

Tips for Composing Appropriate Social Media Posts

To ensure your social media posts are appropriate and responsible, consider the following guidelines:

1. Think Before You Post: Always pause and consider the potential impact of your words or images before sharing.
2. Check Your Tone: Ensure your message conveys the intended emotion or attitude. Avoid sarcasm or humour that might be misinterpreted online.
3. Review Grammar and Spelling: Proofread your posts for errors to maintain credibility and clarity.
4. Be Clear and Concise: Get your message across effectively without unnecessary words.
5. Know Your Audience: Tailor your language and content to who will be reading your post.
6. Verify Information: If sharing news or facts, ensure they come from reliable sources.
7. Respect Privacy: Avoid sharing sensitive personal details about yourself or others.
8. Consider Your Purpose: What do you want to achieve with this post? Ensure it aligns with your goal.
9. Engage Respectfully: When commenting or replying, maintain a polite and constructive dialogue.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Group Work, Role-Playing

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them about their experiences with social media. The teacher then introduces the topic of composing appropriate social media posts, highlighting its relevance in daily life.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and share their social media experiences.

Learning Point: Social media relevance

Step 2: Defining Appropriate Social Media Posts

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what an appropriate social media post is, emphasising its suitability, respectfulness, clarity, and relevance. The teacher provides simple examples to illustrate the concept.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask clarifying questions, and contribute their initial thoughts on what makes a post appropriate.

Learning Point: Appropriate post definition

Step 3: Discussing Responsible Post Characteristics

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to discuss characteristics that make a social media post responsible, such as clarity, accuracy, respectful tone, and privacy awareness. The teacher uses examples to prompt discussion.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their ideas and discuss what makes a post responsible, providing examples from their own observations.

Learning Point: Responsible post features

Step 4: Identifying Irresponsible Post Characteristics

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Critical Analysis

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents examples of irresponsible social media posts (e.g., spreading fake news, cyberbullying, privacy violations) and guides students to identify what makes them irresponsible. The teacher facilitates a discussion on the negative impacts of such posts.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils analyse the examples, identify characteristics of irresponsible posts, and discuss potential consequences.

Learning Point: Irresponsible post traits

Step 5: Elements of Good Posts (Tone, Grammar, Clarity, Purpose)

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to discuss the importance of tone, grammar, clarity, and purpose when composing social media posts. The teacher provides short examples to demonstrate how these elements affect a post’s effectiveness.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss how tone, grammar, clarity, and purpose contribute to appropriate posts and suggest ways to improve them.

Learning Point: Post element importance

Step 6: Composing Practice

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher gives students a simple scenario (e.g., announcing a school event, sharing a positive thought) and asks them to compose a short, appropriate social media post individually or in pairs. The teacher monitors and provides feedback.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils compose social media posts based on the given scenario, applying the learned principles.

Learning Point: Post composition practice

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What makes a social media post responsible?
2. Give two examples of an irresponsible social media post.
3. Why is it important to consider your tone when posting online?
4. How does good grammar contribute to an appropriate post?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Responsible post evaluation

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on composing appropriate social media posts into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Note-taking on posts

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the key points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of thoughtful and responsible digital communication for personal and societal well-being. The teacher encourages students to apply these principles in their daily online interactions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Responsible communication reinforced

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Compose two social media posts for different scenarios and explain why each post is appropriate and responsible.

1. Imagine you want to wish your school principal a happy birthday on the school’s social media page. Compose an appropriate post.
2. You witnessed a minor accident and want to share a cautionary message with your friends online without causing panic. Compose a responsible post.

Lesson Keywords

• Digital Communication – The exchange of information through electronic means.
• Social Media Post – Any content (text, image, video) shared on a social media platform.
• Appropriate Post – A social media post that is suitable, respectful, and relevant to its context and audience.
• Responsible Post – A post that is thoughtful, accurate, respectful, and considers the impact on others.
• Irresponsible Post – A post that is harmful, misleading, offensive, or violates privacy.
• Tone – The attitude or feeling conveyed by the words in a post.
• Clarity – The quality of being clear and easy to understand.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters or templates for students who struggle with composing posts. Pair weaker students with stronger ones for the composition activity. Offer simpler scenarios for their practice posts.

Extension: Challenge advanced students to analyse a real-life (anonymised) social media controversy and discuss how responsible posting could have prevented it. Ask them to create a short guide on “Digital Etiquette for Teens.”

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding of composing appropriate social media posts, students can search on YouTube for: composing appropriate social media posts for students