Analyzing Persuasive Techniques

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, students in Years 2-3 will develop their ability to identify and analyse persuasive techniques used in visual advertising. Working in pairs, they will watch two curated Australian advertisements, focusing on imagery, sound, and text that aim to persuade audiences. This analysis prepares them for writing a comparative response in Part A of their assessment, building critical media literacy skills aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9).

---

Key Vocabulary

• Persuasion: Trying to convince someone to believe or do something.
• Audience: The people who see or hear a message.
• Opinion: What someone thinks or feels about something.
• Claim: A statement that says something is true.
• Reason: An explanation for why something is true or should be done.
• Evidence: Facts or examples that support a claim.
• Argument: A set of reasons to show that something is right.
• Ethos (trust): Showing you are trustworthy or honest.
• Pathos (feelings): Using feelings to persuade.
• Logos (logic): Using facts or logic to persuade.
• Slogan: A short, catchy phrase used in ads.
• Bias: When someone only shows one side of a story.
• Exaggeration: Making something seem bigger or better than it is.
• Repetition: Saying something many times to make it stick.
• Contrast: Showing differences to make something stand out.
• Call to Action: Words that tell you to do something.
• Rhetorical Question: A question asked to make you think, not to get an answer.
• Stereotype: A simple idea about a group that may not be true for everyone.

Australian Curriculum Links (v9)

Arts – Visual Arts

• ACAVAM113: Use materials, techniques, technologies and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks
• ACAVAR116: Discuss how artists and designers share stories, experiences and viewpoints to influence people and culture

English

• ACELY1676: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and information in texts
• ACELA1484: Understand how images, print and digital texts work together to convey meaning
• ACELY1679: Identify and analyse persuasive language and visual features used in texts that influence audiences

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify key persuasive techniques in advertisements including imagery, sound, and textual elements
• Explain how these techniques are used to influence audiences’ feelings and responses
• Work collaboratively to compare two advertisements using a structured template
• Prepare ideas for writing a comparative response in their upcoming assessment task

---

Resources Needed

• Interactive whiteboard or projector, iPad or equivalent for video playback
• Selected advertisement clips (approximately 30–60 seconds each) from the provided list
• Persuasive Techniques Analysis Template (printed sheets – one per pair)
• Whiteboard and markers for teacher notes
• Pens or pencils for students

---

Lesson Sequence

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly remind them about the unit "Protecting Imaginary Places" and the focus on how advertisements persuade audiences.
• Activate prior knowledge by asking, “What do you notice in advertisements that makes you want to watch or listen?” List responses (e.g., music, pictures, words that catch attention).
• Introduce the learning goal: Today we will learn to spot and explain the tricks ads use to persuade us to like or do something.

2. Model Persuasive Techniques Analysis (10 minutes)

• Play the first advertisement sample (e.g., Tourism Australia – 'Come and Say G'day') on the big screen.
• Discuss as a class the persuasive features they notice: upbeat music, colourful pictures of places, friendly voiceover, slogan.
• Record the features on the whiteboard using headings “Imagery,” “Sound,” “Text.”
• Model how to fill the analysis template with teacher guidance.

3. Paired Activity: Analyse Two Advertisements (25 minutes)

• Divide students into pairs; distribute the Persuasive Techniques Analysis Template.
• Assign each pair two different advertisements from the curated list (ensure a mix is distributed for variety).
• Students watch each advertisement twice: first for enjoyment, second to take notes on imagery, sound, and text that persuade.
• Students complete the template by recording their observations and how they think each technique works to influence viewers.
• Teacher circulates to support pairs with vocabulary, clarification and probing questions such as “Why do you think they used that music?” or “How does the slogan make you feel?”

4. Reflect and Share (10 minutes)

• Bring the class back together. Invite a few pairs to share their findings, comparing the two ads they analysed.
• Discuss similarities and differences in persuasive strategies used across ads. For example, some ads might focus more on emotional images while others use catchy slogans.
• Highlight how all these techniques work to persuade the audience but can do so in different ways.

5. Wrap-Up and Next Steps (5 minutes)

• Recap key persuasive techniques: imagery, sound, text.
• Explain that the notes they took today will help them write a comparison for their next assessment.
• Encourage students to think about other ads they see and what tricks they use to persuade.
• Remind them the next lesson will focus on writing their comparison.

---

Assessment and Differentiation

Formative Assessment

• Observations during paired work and class discussion of advertisements, checking understanding.
• Review of completed templates to ensure identification and explanation of persuasive techniques.

Differentiation Strategies

• Provide sentence starters on the analysis template for students requiring extra support (e.g., “The music is…,” “The pictures show…,” “The slogan says…”).
• Pair EAL/D or emerging literacy students with stronger peers.
• Use visual icons on templates to represent sound, image, and text for younger or less confident readers.
• For advanced learners, challenge them to explain why the ad’s creators chose these techniques.

---

Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Were the students able to articulate how and why the ads were persuasive?
• Did the pair work encourage collaboration and discussion?
• Which advertisements generated the most engagement and why?
• What support might be needed for the writing task in the next lesson?

---

This lesson balances media literacy with critical thinking underpinned by the Australian Curriculum standards. It uses age-appropriate, culturally relevant advertisements to help students understand persuasive strategies and prepares them effectively for the follow-up written assessment.