Teach Students How to Identify Bias in Writing

When it comes to presenting a balanced, well-informed piece of writing, not all texts are created equal!

Understanding how to identify bias in writing is an essential skill for our students in today’s information-rich world. Children are constantly exposed to a wide range of texts, from news articles and advertisements to social media and opinion pieces. This resource helps students recognize that not all these texts are representative of the whole truth!

This comprehensive 35-slide teaching presentation has been created by our team to help your students become savvy readers by identifying bias in written texts. The resource introduces students to the three main types of bias – omission bias, selection bias and language bias – in a way that’s accessible and age-appropriate. The slide deck explores the difference between subjective and objective language, explains how to spot unreliable sources and encourages students to question what they read. 

With authentic text examples and interactive check activities built into the presentation, it’s the perfect tool to build critical literacy skills and spark rich classroom discussion about bias in writing.

Identifying Bias in a Source: Why It Matters

As mentioned above, helping our students to become critical readers in an information-rich world is one of the most valuable lessons we can teach them. Here’s why:

• Promotes critical thinking skills –  Learning to identify bias teaches students not to accept all information at face value.
• Encourages media literacy – In the age of social media, students need the tools to recognize when information is one-sided, misleading or incomplete. 
• Supports deeper reading comprehension – Understanding bias helps students to consider what’s being said and what’s being purposefully left out.
• Builds strong writing skills – Recognising bias in texts helps students develop balanced arguments by using reliable sources and considering multiple perspectives.
• Limits potential manipulation – By learning how bias works, students can detect when a text is trying to influence their thinking unfairly.

Download This Identify Bias Slideshow

This slideshow downloads as either a Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation. Use the dropdown menu on the Download button to access your preferred version. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides presentation before accessing it.)

Whether you’re introducing the topic for the first time or reviewing key concepts before an assessment, this resource makes teaching bias easy, interactive and effective.

This resource was created by Brittany Collins, a teacher in Indiana and a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Resources for Teaching How to Identify Bias

Click below to browse more teacher-created, curriculum-aligned resources for teaching your students how to identify bias in a text.

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Bias in Writing Worksheet Pack

Teach bias in writing with ease using this engaging worksheet pack designed to help upper elementary students recognize and analyze bias across different texts.

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Objective and Subjective Language Digital Quiz

Spark deeper thinking about objective and subjective language with this interactive digital quiz that helps students distinguish between fact, opinion and biased opinion in real-world texts.

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Objective and Subjective Language Worksheet

Use this objective and subjective language worksheet to help students distinguish between facts and opinions.