Paper 1 Sample Response 3 (Infographic)

This is an infographic published by “UK Chief Medical Officers” in the United Kingdom in 2019. It is directed at British citizens with young children and new parents who are seeking advice on parenting methods. The context is in the year 2019 in the UK where society has become progressively competitive in term of finding the best schools and education systems for their children. It is also a society where the majority of people have rapid, fast-paced lives and introduce their children to this lifestyle since the time they are born. The infographic contains multiple purposes which are to educate readers about the benefits of physical activity for their children, to guide readers on the numerous ways their children can participate in being physically active and to persuade readers to take action in order to ensure the best possible and healthy life for their children.

The author appeals to the ethos of the reader by creating an authoritative tone, emphasizing the importance of physical activity for toddlers and young children. The infographic mentions that these instructions are directly from “UK Chief Medical Officers.” This establishes a sense of credibility and reliability in the content which suggests to the readers that this information has been produced by professionals and is crucial to follow. The author uses a method of listing information as seen at the top of the infographic. The advantages of physical activity are mentioned which include “Builds relationships and social skills”, “maintains health and weight”, “contributes to brain development and learning” and “develops muscles and bones.” These advantages contribute to persuading readers to immediately begin to introduce their children to physical activity. The method listing implies that as soon as parents begin physical activity for their children, they will receive all the advantages which every parent would want their child to have. Thus, the authoritative tone and listing method creates a sense of urgency in the readers, fulfilling the purpose of educating them and persuading them to begin these activities.

A key authorial choice is the use of emboldened text in the infographic. The heading “Physical activity for early years” draw the attention of the reader, creating a sense of curiosity and intrigue. The emboldened phrase “Every movement counts” and “Aim for at least 180 minutes per day” are printed in a large, black font in the forefront. This suggests that it is extremely important for young children to move and exercise. The words “Get strong. Move More. Break up inactivity” are examples of the rule of 3 which allows the information to burn on the reader’s memory.  These orders force readers to reconsider some of their regular habits and lifestyle for their children. Thus, the use of large emboldened text enhances the importance of the message the UK government are trying to convey.

The author uses colours and images to draw the attention of readers to the information provided. There are small green boxes where there are numerous activities and options of physical activity. For example, ‘Jump”, “climb”, “messy play”, “skip” etc. Each of these boxes include images of stick figures doing the activity. This creates an interactive and engaging feel for the readers, which aids in persuading them to make their children participate in what are fun, enjoyable activities. The colour orange is used behind parts of information that the author wants to stand out for the readers. For example, the stress on the words “180 minutes” and “under -15”. This suggests that it is essential for parents to spend a specific amount of time allowing their children to be active. There are small images next to each advantage listed at the top such as an image of a bone, heart and building blocks. These contribute to making the Infographic attractive and eye-catching. Hus, the use of bright, vibrant colours and images inspire parents to take part in these activities with their children and seriously consider all the benefits mentioned.

The author also uses subject-specific lexis and slogans which add to the overall impact on the reader. The phrase “Active children are healthy, happy, school ready and sleep better” suggests that young children can acquire these characteristics only if they are physically active. The reference to “tummy time” which states “helps them learn to crawl and walk” may be especially persuasive for young, anxious mothers who are seeking information regarding the best possible upbringing for their children. This creates a bandwagon effect in the readers since it suggests that it is normal for very young children to begin strenuous activity and many parents consider this normal. This fulfills the purpose of guiding and persuading new parents as they feel they should be doing the same.

In conclusion, the most salient part of this infographic is that the majority of people consider this information as extremely crucial in the upbringing of their children and push their children into this stressful and competitive environment before they are even able to walk. The author successfully leaves the reader alarmed and shocked at the intense, ambitious culture that these people have created and makes the reader wonder how these children will deal with other competitive situations when older.

Word count: 857