LiteracyMemes Wiki



Welcome to the LiteracyMemes Wiki
This wiki is for the use of memes to expedite and facilitate literacy teaching and learning. For a better idea of what this wiki is about, head over to the introduction and rationale page.

What is a meme?
A meme consists of an image that has two captions, one on the top of the image and the other on the bottom of the image. Sometimes, a meme user will include a title that adds to the meaning of a meme as well. The image is usually one that has been cycled multiple times through the internet and which has therefore acquired some familiarity among members of the online community. Each of these images is an allusion to a piece of popular culture or internet trivia that is laden with its own narratological content.

Alice Marwick describes these images as "trendy pictures or videos that get passed around verbatim... [or] encourage a type of iteration, imitation, parody, and satire that can spawn literally thousands of variants" (p. 13) Of particular interest is Marwick's characterization of memes as "raw material for creativity" (p. 13), the use of which does not require "intense intellectual labor" (p. 13). Unlike the linguistic mastery or conceptual imagination necessary for poetry, making a meme is as simple as applying captions over ready-made images. It is a far more democratic form of speech than many others, yet it is not merely a banal and silly form of expression. With sufficient wit and creativty, memes can be humorous, satirical, or even emotionally evocative. I would go so far as to say that the meme is an artistic medium that is easy to use but difficult to master.

Work cited:

Marwick, A. (2013). Memes. Contexts. 12(4), 12-13.

How do I make a meme?
There are several meme generators on the internet, the most obvious one simply being called Meme Generator. Of course, if you are proficient with image editing software such as photoshop, making a meme is as simple as locating the stock image you want and then applying the appropriate captions.

How do I use memes in my classroom?
Memes can be used in activities that can improve students' abilities to synthesize, analyze, infer, evaluate, and make connections. They can be an alternative venue through which students can exercise their creativity in writing and astuteness in reading.

Head on over to table of contents  on this wiki, where you will find explanations and descriptions of specific memes, along with suggestions on how to use them in the classroom.

And feel free to add your own!



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