In the narrated excerpt “1960s Social worker interview with abused child and abusing parent” made by the National Medical Audiovisual Center, we watch a social worker interview a child, mother, and doctor Henry Kempe. The child was abused by his biological parents for wetting the bed, thus moved to a foster home. In this video, we learn that although the abused child suffers, the abusing parent is suffering as well, and both need medical help. 

The producers of this video are addressing the issue child abuse. They do this by presenting a situation of child abuse, interviewing those involved, and inlcuding a narrator and doctor who provide insight on the topic.

The National Medical Audiovisual Center, also known as NMAC, which drew from the book “The Battered Child” by Henry Kempe to make this film, provided public health and clinical training as well as medical films on account of the United States government. NMAC is a credible source because this organization is directly linked to the U.S. government and contributed to America’s medical world.

Because of the matter of the subject, how the information is displayed in a monotonous way, and how adults have power in our society, the intended audience are American adults. This video shows the defenselessness children feel in these situations by interviewing an affected child in order for adults, the audience, to do something about it. The producers assume those who watch this video can understand the language used and grasp the subject matter. 

This video is meant to be educational and persuasive. Although this subject can be emotionally triggering, it is presented in an informative and factual way. The narrator contributes to this as she describes exactly what is happening and gives information on child abuse cases. Because an abused child is interviewed, it compels the audience to feel for those hurting in these situations. The point of this video is to raise awareness and challenge the established morality of the American people.

This is an informational video, complete with a narrator, experts on the subject matter, and participants in the issue. The author includes all of these aspects to present their point completely.

The producers want their audience to become aware of the issue of child abuse so they can want to fix this issue. It is highlighted in the video that many Americans see no problem with parents treating their children how they please. The producers want otherwise, and include a real child affected by abuse to persuade the audience. At the end of the video, the narrator mentions how the abusive parent is in need of tools and resources as well in these cases.

English 110: Freshman Composition 5BC2 [24980]

Instructor: Shamecca Harris 

Ayesha Abdul-Fattaah

Preferred pronouns: She/her

Intended Major: Childhood Education

After reviewing the syllabus, I am looking forward to strengthening my essay writing. One thing I am nervous about is balancing the work from this course, along with my other courses.

When evaluating the quality of one’s writing, I notice if the writer got their point across using the least amount of words and repetition of words possible. I also pay attention to the flow of the writing and if the placement of ideas makes sense. If a piece of writing presents a new perspective that makes me think, I also consider that to be a good quality. In order to be a good writer, one has to be able to present ideas clearly and concisely. The ability to write well is necessary, as it allows one to portray abstract ideas to others concretely and in a way that makes sense. Being able to write well manifests understanding, critical thinking, and communication, which are fundamental to our roles here on Earth as human beings. 

I believe I am good at brainstorming and researching a topic. Further, I am good at editing my writing. I need to work on giving myself enough time to properly write, as I often cram. While cramming, I find myself wanting to add more or coming up with new ideas, only to realize that I do not have the time to execute those ideas. I also have trouble asking for help when I need it. If I work on my time management and start to advocate for myself, that will be a step in the right direction.

As a teacher, I will need to know how to present written instructions so that my students comprehend them. I will also need to be able to manually communicate with parents or guardians of my students, as well as with colleagues and bosses. Writing is crucial in our education system and I want to educate my students optimally. If I did not write well, I would not be able to teach my students to write well.