Persuasion Planning for

Learning

Karen Yager & Penny Waters

Focus on learning

What do I want my students to learn?

Why does it matter? What do they already know? How will they demonstrate

learning? How will they get there?

2010 Narrative 2011 Persuasive Text 1 Audience

2 Text Structure 3 Ideas

4 Persuasive Devices

5 Vocabulary

6 Cohesion

7 Paragraphing

8 Sentence Structure

9 Punctuation

10 Spelling

Improving WritingTo improve the quality of pupil writing:

Explicitly and systematically teach the structure and language demands of the writing task

Focus on the sound, feel and power of words Focus on audience and purpose Explicitly teach the thinking processes involved in writing Immerse pupils in examples and exemplars of the

required style of writing Model, scaffold and jointly construct texts Use guided and independent practice Employ peer and self assessment and critical reflection Write with your pupils!

Confidence Creativity is innate yet starting

writing is not easy! ‘Just get black on white’

(Robert Gray, 2011). Fast write Beginning with observations,

chunks of writing, little moments...a sentence a day!

Jottings: Journal, notepad, iPhone or wiki/blog

12 words of conviction Twitter arguments 50 word persuasion: Take

away the letter ‘e’

Confidence Simple to super sentences! Persuasive devices Word Clouds: Wordle and

Taxedo Master Chef persuasion Story Circle (Hot Potato

Debates) Hypotheticals Writing from experience

and conviction!

Craft Focussing on the sound,

look and feel of the words…record writing and really listen!

Senses: - Sound: Euphony,

discordance…the vowels and consonants

- Sight: Figurative devices- Feeling: Nuances

Craft Spotlighting: the word

and sentence level- Lexical density- Vocabulary- Grammar Structure:- Purpose and audience- Form- Syntax and

paragraphing- Framing devices

Persuasive Devices Verbs are the powerhouse of

persuasion Effective figurative and sound

devices Colourful adverbs and

adjectives Modality Imperative voice Second person Hyperbole Analogy Visuword:

http://www.visuwords.com/

Grammar Recording written

work and listening for the discordance.

Online tools: http://www.cybergrammar.co.uk/index.php

Grammies! Replacing adjectives

with verbs

‘Questions may be the most powerful technology we have ever created. Questions and

questioning allow us to make sense of a confusing world. They are the tools that lead

to insight and understanding’ Jamie McKenzie.

Hypothetical Questions Explore possibilities and test theories. These

are the “what would happen if…” questions, allowing pupils to think critically and creatively, and test their own convictions and beliefs. E.g.

• What if the speaker had eliminated the imperative verbs and anaphora?

• What if we had no Facebook?• What are the possible pros and cons?

Synthesising Really listening to pupil

responses Identifying relationships Building on pupil

responses Connecting pupil

responses to make meaning and emphasis key points.

This contrasts/compares with…?

What conclusion can we draw from…?

Williams’ Model to develop Ideas Paradox: Paradoxes can be used to evaluate ideas and challenge pupils to

reason and find proof. Analogy: Find the similarities between things and compare one thing to

another. Discrepancy: Students should be challenged to discuss what is not known or

understood. Provocative questions: These are questions that require thoughtful

consideration to clarify meaning or develop new knowledge. Organised Random Search: Given a situation or body of knowledge, pupils

search for other information to answer questions such as, what would you do or what would you have done?

Tolerance for Ambiguity: Open-ended questions Intuitive Expression: Empathy questions Evaluative Situations: Evaluate solutions and answers in terms of their

consequences and implications — pose the question what if? Visualisation Skills: Provide opportunities for students to perceive or

visualise themselves in many contexts.

Langford’s 5 Whys

Ask a question This leads to a

second question Ask three more

questions Probes and

deepens understanding

Thwarts superficial responses

Persuasion Stage 4 Year 7 Term 1 Students will learn

about how words and images can be used persuasively to manipulate and position others.

Cross curriculum perspective of Sustainability

Naplan 2011

Persuasion Key learning ideas:- The features of a persuasive

text - The purpose of persuasive

texts - How language features and

form can be used to persuasively promote points of view and position a responder.

Overarching question: How and why do composers craft texts that promote persuasively points of view?

Assessment for and of Learning Nature of Task: The Australian Federal government has decided to be proactive in

targeting these vulnerable locations. They have devised an Australia wide competition that invites proactive citizens to identify an environmentally significant and vulnerable location, and present a persuasive argument as to why the Federal Government should provide funding to ensure that this location is protected for the future. You have been selected to represent your school to identify the special location, predict a possible disaster and argue persuasively why the special place you have chosen should be protected. Your presentation must include:

A description of the unique place A prediction of one or more possible man-made or natural disasters. A persuasive case for why the place is special, and should be protected and

preserved for future generations. You can present your case using any medium of production such as: A power point, slide show or prezi with images and footage A podcast A print document such as: a poster, pamphlet or letter. Use your imagination and decide what medium would be the most effective and

persuasive vehicle for your argument!

Weeks 1-2 Focus: What are the key features of

persuasive texts? Introduction to Persuasion Students view and analyse: Severn Suzuki’s speech delivered at UN

Earth Summit 1992 focusing on the ideas and the purpose of the speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZsDliXzyAY

The Green’s television advertisement election campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQVnIKDoOA

EDF Energy Advertisements: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3Y5RV9YR4&feature=related ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7JMBa6h7Eo&feature=related

Weeks 1-2 Features of Persuasive Texts Students visit for Persuasion 101:

http://prezi.com/62290/ Power of Verbs and the Imperative

Voice Persuasion in 30 seconds Students deliver a 30 second speech

presenting their point of view on the merits of one vs. the other from the following list:

Solar power vs. electricity Cars vs. walking Book vs. Kindle Plastic bags vs. green bags Clothes dryer vs. Clothesline Polarised debates Class blog created as a platform or

Voicethread - http://voicethread.com/

Weeks 3 -4 Focus: What is the purpose of

persuasive texts? Al Gore’s speech to Smith School

World Forum on Climate Change: http://oxforddigital.tv/streaming/algore0709.php

‘There will come Soft Rains’: Short Story – Ray Bradbury & poem by http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBtE4jS8J24&feature=related

Bruce Dawe’s Poem ‘In the New Landscape’

Blog or Voicethread to discuss the issue: ‘Global warming is a myth.’

Persuasion map: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf

Weeks 3 -4 To enhance vocabulary,

students use the online thesaurus: Visuword: http://www.visuwords.com/

The Naplan marking criteria is to be used to assess the exposition – self and peer marking - http://www.naplan.edu.au/writing_2011_-_domains.html

Impact of Emotive language and Modality

Cyber Grammar: http://www.cybergrammar.co.uk/index.php

Weeks 4-5 Focus: How can language features

and form be used to persuasively promote points of view and position a responder?

The Power of Rhetoric Point of view: The line of argument

and the supporting evidence Use of persuasive techniques Notes and discussion on the

features of effective rhetorical speeches. Students could visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric

Assessment Task – ongoing http://prezi.com/bnvpgr4u8pnh/

cape-byron-symposium/

Exposition Timed introductions

where time allowed decreases with each response.

What? Where? When? Why? How?

Comparison/Contrast columns

Hamburger Imperative voice,

anaphora, declarative statements….

Exposition Editorial Letter to the Editor Advertisement

campaign Poster Symposia Nominalisation (actions

become things). E.g. ‘to pollute’ becomes ‘pollution’, ‘destroy’ becomes ‘destruction’

Conviction Stage 5 Year 9 Term 1 Students will learn about how

the convictions of composers reflect their times and context , and shape meaning in texts.

Question:• How significant is our context in

the formation of our convictions and the meaning we convey in our texts?

Key Ideas• How context shapes convictions,

perspectives and ideas.• How conviction shapes the use of

language, form and features.

Conviction Suggested texts: To Kill a Mocking Bird, 1984,

Ender’s Game, Night… Websites such as: - Surfaid:

http://schools.surfaidinternational.org/

- Amnesty International: http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/

Protest poetry and songs: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/poetry/poetry_against.html

Weeks 1 - 2 Significance of context

and convictions:- 12 word exposition on a

burning issue- 50-word narrative- Extracts from a range of

texts Modality, imperative

voice and emotive language

Persuasive text - Naplan

Assessment Assessment for Learning- 60 second presentation on

a burning issue- Blog post or editorial Assessment of and as

learning:- Imaginative text- Critical analysis focused on

how context and convictions shaped meaning and language choices

Weeks 3-6 Close study of a text or

CTD a range of texts- Focus on how meaning is

shaped by context and convictions

Imagery through figurative devices

Gaps and silences Assessment task: Text

with conviction and personal evaluation

http://connectivity2011.wikispaces.com/Persuasion+-+ETA+Conference