Persuasive Introductions

Overview

Students learn how to open a persuasive text with a clear position, engaging hook, and preview of reasons. The teacher models an introduction, the class constructs one together, and students independently draft an introduction for an age-appropriate school issue.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the key parts of a persuasive introduction.
• WALT state a clear position for a specific audience.
• WALT use a hook and preview reasons to interest and influence readers.
• WALT draft and improve an introduction independently.

Success criteria

• I can clearly state what I believe and what I want my audience to think or do.
• I can begin with an engaging hook.
• I can preview two or three logical reasons.
• I can reread my introduction and improve its clarity and persuasive impact.

Curriculum links

• Writing to persuade: introducing a preferred position and organising reasons clearly.
• Writing to persuade: supporting a stated position with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• Writing to persuade: recognising that different forms, including opinion pieces and letters, have specific features.
• English practices: acknowledging alternative viewpoints and organising ideas logically.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and purpose. Teacher displays the question “Should our school have one homework-free night each week?” using the opening question slide and asks students to stand on an imaginary agree/disagree line. Students choose a position, briefly explain it to a partner, and identify the intended audience: the school principal.

2. 5–13 min · Notice the features. Teacher displays a short model introduction using the model introduction slide and reads it aloud twice: first for meaning, then to identify the writer’s choices. Students underline or annotate the hook, position, audience, and preview of reasons on the persuasive introduction worksheet.

Model introduction: “Imagine arriving at school feeling rested, focused, and ready to learn because you had one evening without homework. Our school should introduce one homework-free night each week. This would give students time to recharge, take part in whānau activities, and return to class prepared to learn.”

Ask: Which sentence makes the position clear? How does the opening capture attention? Which reasons are previewed?

3. 13–22 min · Explicit teaching and modelling. Teacher explains that an effective introduction usually moves from hook, to clear position, to reason preview. Model thinking aloud while turning notes into sentences: issue, audience, position, and three reasons. Highlight precise, respectful language such as “should”, “because”, and “this would”. Students help improve a weak opening, changing “Homework is bad” into a specific and convincing position.

4. 22–32 min · Guided construction. Teacher displays the guided-writing slide and selects a new prompt: “Should students be allowed to use phones during lunchtime?” With the class, complete the first section of the persuasive introduction worksheet: audience, position, hook, and two or three reasons. Invite suggestions, question whether each reason is relevant, and jointly write an introduction. Students contribute ideas, discuss which reasons are strongest, and write the shared version on their worksheet.

5. 32–44 min · Independent writing. Teacher displays the independent-writing instructions and students choose one prompt: homework-free nights, lunchtime phone use, a class pet, or longer library time. Students independently draft a four-sentence introduction on the persuasive introduction worksheet. Circulate and conference briefly, asking: “Who are you persuading?”, “What exactly is your position?”, and “What reasons will you develop?” Early finishers revise one sentence to make the hook more engaging or acknowledge an alternative view.

6. 44–50 min · Review and exit check. Teacher displays the review and exit slide and students use the checklist on the persuasive introduction worksheet to check their writing, then exchange with a partner for one warm and one useful suggestion. Students complete the exit task: circle the strongest part of their introduction and write one change they will make before publishing.

Resources

• the persuasive introductions slide deck
• the persuasive introduction worksheet
• Whiteboard and markers
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Exercise books or writing devices
• Optional visual display of the persuasive techniques posters

Assessment

• During modelling and guided writing, question students to check that they can distinguish a hook, position, and reason preview.
• Confer with students during independent writing, recording who needs support to identify an audience or state a specific position.
• Collect or photograph the worksheet and use the exit response to identify the next teaching focus: hooks, clarity of position, or logical reasons.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters: “Have you ever…?”, “Our school should… because…”, and “This would…”.
• Support students to orally rehearse their introduction with a partner before writing; allow speech-to-text or scribing where needed.
• Offer a choice of familiar topics and display a small bank of linking words: “because”, “also”, “as a result”, and “therefore”.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to acknowledge an opposing view in one sentence, then reinforce their preferred position. For multilingual learners, pre-teach “audience”, “position”, “reason”, “hook”, and “persuade” with examples.