Persuade With Purpose

Overview

Students examine how persuasive writers influence an audience through emotive language, rhetorical questions, repetition, evidence, powerful vocabulary and connective words. They then plan and write a short persuasive paragraph about an age-appropriate school issue, building on prior learning about identifying a viewpoint and supporting reasons.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify persuasive techniques and explain their effect on an audience.
• WALT select powerful, respectful vocabulary for a particular purpose and audience.
• WALT organise ideas using reasons, evidence and connective words.
• WALT draft a persuasive paragraph that presents a clear position.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least four persuasive techniques.
• I can explain how a technique may influence a reader.
• I can use precise vocabulary and connectives to link my ideas.
• I can write a clear position, supported by a reason and relevant evidence.

Curriculum links

• Writing to persuade: introducing a preferred position and organising reasons and evidence clearly.
• Writing to persuade: supporting a position with clear reasons, relevant evidence and trustworthy sources.
• Writing to persuade: using emotive language that is compelling but respectful.
• Different forms of persuasive writing have specific features; this lesson focuses on a persuasive paragraph suitable for an opinion piece.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and response. Open with the provocative opening question and ask, “Wouldn’t you rather spend time with your family?” Students vote silently, then identify the words that make the question persuasive and briefly share their response with a partner.

2. 5–13 min · Teach the techniques. Use the persuasive techniques teaching slides and display the Persuasive Techniques Posters as a reference. Explain that persuasive writing should be compelling but respectful. Model:

• emotive language: heartbreaking, unfair, exciting, dangerous
• rhetorical questions: “Wouldn’t you rather spend time with your family?”
• repetition: “We deserve better. We deserve fairness. We deserve change.”
• facts and statistics, expert opinions, and personal stories Students record the technique, its meaning and likely audience effect on the technique and vocabulary worksheet. Clarify that facts and statistics should be accurate, expert opinions should come from trustworthy sources, and personal stories should be relevant rather than exaggerated.

3. 13–20 min · Improve the language. Show the weak-to-strong examples on the powerful vocabulary slides. As a class, improve good, bad, important, big, helps, and shows to beneficial, harmful, essential, significant, improves, and demonstrates. Introduce the connective groups: Firstly; Furthermore, In addition, Moreover; For example, For instance; Therefore, As a result, Consequently; and In conclusion, Ultimately. Students complete the vocabulary and connective practice on the technique and vocabulary worksheet, choosing words that fit a school-based topic.

4. 20–29 min · Guided model. Present the topic, “Our school should provide a quiet lunchtime space.” Think aloud while constructing a paragraph on the shared writing model: “Firstly, a quiet lunchtime space is essential for students who need time to reset. For example, it could provide a calm place for reading or completing homework. As a result, students may return to class feeling more focused. Wouldn’t this be a beneficial choice for everyone?” Students help label the position, reason, evidence/example, connective, emotive or powerful word, and rhetorical question. Ask: “Which part is evidence? Is it trustworthy, or is it an example that still needs checking?”

5. 29–40 min · Independent writing and peer check. Students choose one topic: a quiet lunchtime space, reducing single-use packaging at school, or extending library access. They plan and draft one persuasive paragraph on the technique and vocabulary worksheet. Require a clear position, two reasons, one relevant example or evidence statement, at least one persuasive technique, two powerful vocabulary choices and three suitable connectives. Students exchange drafts with a partner and use the peer-check prompts to identify one strength and one improvement. Remind students to challenge ideas respectfully, never attack a person or group.

6. 40–45 min · Share and exit check. Invite two or three students to read a sentence containing a technique. Display the plenary and exit question. Students complete the final box on the technique and vocabulary worksheet: name one technique they used, explain its intended effect, and underline one connective. Collect worksheets to assess progress.

Resources

• the persuasive writing slide deck
• the technique and vocabulary worksheet
• the Persuasive Techniques Posters
• Whiteboard and markers
• Exercise books or writing paper
• Pens or highlighters
• Classroom voting method, such as hands or mini-whiteboards

Assessment

• During the hook and direct teaching, listen for accurate identification of techniques and clarify confusion between a rhetorical question and a question seeking an answer.
• Check guided paragraphs and circulate during writing, focusing on clear position, organised reasons, relevant evidence, respectful emotive language and appropriate connectives.
• Use the completed exit response to identify students who can explain audience effect, not merely name a technique.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters: “Our school should…”, “Firstly…”, “For example…”, “As a result…”, and “Wouldn’t it be…?” Allow students to rehearse ideas orally before writing.
• Give students who need support a reduced requirement of one reason, one example and two techniques; provide the displayed word bank and read instructions aloud.
• Support EAL learners with paired discussion, visual examples and explicit modelling of each connective’s purpose. Accept an oral rehearsal before the written paragraph.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to include a counterargument and rebuttal, distinguish between a personal story and trustworthy evidence, and vary sentence openings.