Crafting Discursive Arguments

Overview

Students examine how discursive writing explores multiple perspectives before developing a balanced, reasoned response. They analyse a model paragraph, identify language and structural choices, then plan and draft their own discursive opening and body paragraph.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand the purpose, audience and structure of a discursive text
• analyse how language features create a balanced and engaging argument
• develop a clear position while acknowledging alternative perspectives
• plan, draft and refine discursive writing for a contemporary audience

Success criteria

• I can explain the purpose and features of discursive writing.
• I can present more than one perspective on an issue.
• I can use evidence, modality and linking words to develop a reasoned discussion.
• I can write a coherent paragraph with a clear topic sentence, explanation and concluding link.

Curriculum links

• Students analyse how language forms, features and structures create meaning.
• Students craft critical texts for a defined audience by controlling language and text features.
• Students plan, monitor and revise their composition.
• Students evaluate how texts represent ideas, experiences, values and attitudes.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Teacher displays the question, “Should mobile phones be banned during the school day?” using the provocative opening question slide and asks students to position themselves on a continuum from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Students briefly justify their position to a partner, then identify whether the task requires a one-sided argument or a balanced discussion.

2. 5–13 min · Direct teaching: what makes a discursive text? Teacher uses the discursive writing teaching slides to explain that discursive writing considers different viewpoints before reaching a considered position. Model the structure: engaging introduction, paragraphs exploring perspectives, evidence or examples, linking language, and a conclusion that may offer a qualified judgement. Highlight audience, purpose, formal register, modality, rhetorical questions and cohesive devices. Students annotate the key features on the discursive writing analysis and drafting worksheet.

3. 13–23 min · Model paragraph analysis. Teacher displays a short model paragraph about mobile phone use and reads it aloud. Students use the model paragraph analysis section to label the topic sentence, perspective, example, explanation, modality and linking words. In pairs, students answer: “Where does the writer acknowledge another viewpoint?” and “Which words make the position sound cautious rather than absolute?” Review responses, correcting the misconception that discursive writing must remain completely neutral.

4. 23–32 min · Collaborative planning. Teacher distributes the Essay Structure Planning Grid and introduces the prompt: “Should schools teach students how to use artificial intelligence responsibly?” Students plan purpose, audience, a nuanced thesis, two perspectives and relevant examples. Partners test each other’s plans using three questions on the slides: “Is both sides’ thinking represented fairly?”, “Is the thesis precise?”, and “Would the examples convince this audience?” Students revise their plan after peer feedback.

5. 32–44 min · Independent writing and conferencing. Teacher asks students to draft an introduction and one body paragraph using the paragraph writing instructions and the guided drafting section. The introduction should establish the issue and thesis; the body paragraph should explore one perspective, include an example, explain its significance and acknowledge a limitation or alternative view. Teacher conferences with targeted students, checking cohesion, sentence control and the use of evidence.

6. 44–50 min · Revision and exit check. Teacher displays the revision checklist and plenary slide. Students use the checklist to improve one sentence for precision, add one cohesive device and circle one example of modality. They complete the worksheet exit response: “One feature that makes discursive writing effective is… because…” Invite two students to share revisions and collect the worksheets to identify next-step teaching needs.

Resources

• Discursive writing instruction and activity deck
• Discursive writing analysis and drafting worksheet
• Essay Structure Planning Grid
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector or interactive display
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Continuum signs: strongly agree, unsure, strongly disagree

Assessment

• Listen to partner explanations during the hook and check whether students distinguish discursive writing from a one-sided persuasive response.
• Use the model paragraph annotations and planning grid to assess understanding of structure, perspective, evidence and language features.
• Collect the drafted introduction, body paragraph and exit response. Check for a clear thesis, balanced treatment of viewpoints, cohesive links and controlled formal language.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank of modality, cohesive devices and evaluative verbs, plus sentence starters such as “One perspective is that…” and “However, this view may be challenged because…”.
• For students with low literacy, read the model aloud, chunk instructions, provide a partially completed paragraph and allow oral rehearsal before writing.
• For the student with dysgraphia, provide digital drafting, speech-to-text or scribing options; assess ideas and structure separately from handwriting fluency.
• For students with ADHD, use visible time limits, short checkpoints and purposeful partner roles. Provide the student with vision impairment enlarged, high-contrast digital materials and verbally describe all displayed content.
• Advanced students should develop a qualified thesis, integrate a counterargument smoothly and vary sentence structures while maintaining a formal register.