Planning A Persuasive Speech

Overview

This is lesson 4 of 5 in the Persuasive Speech Toolkit unit. Students move from analysing persuasive techniques to planning and drafting their own speech about a familiar issue, preparing for the writing test in the final lesson.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the structure and purpose of the main sections in a persuasive speech.
• WALT develop a clear position and organise two or three sequenced reasons.
• WALT support reasons with relevant facts, details or examples.
• WALT draft connected paragraphs using persuasive and linking language.

Success criteria

• I can identify the introduction, arguments, counterargument, conclusion and call to action.
• I can clearly state my position and organise my strongest reasons first.
• I can explain each reason with facts, details or examples.
• I can connect my ideas using linking words and persuasive language.

Curriculum links

• Writing to persuade: introducing a topic, stating a position, grouping and sequencing reasons, supporting ideas, and concluding effectively.
• Writing to persuade: using emotive language, linking words and phrases, and a call to action for a clear audience and purpose.
• Audience, purpose and language choice: making deliberate choices about content and language to influence readers.
• Communicating and presenting: planning and constructing a detailed argument.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and retrieval. Display the question, “What makes a speech powerful enough to change someone’s mind?” using the opening question slide. Students briefly recall persuasive techniques from previous lessons, then share one technique and its likely effect on an audience.

2. 5–13 min · Analyse an exemplar. Give students the annotated speech and planning worksheet and display the complete persuasive speech. Read the speech aloud once, then ask pairs to label or highlight the introduction, position, arguments, counterargument, conclusion and call to action. Discuss how the speech moves from introducing the issue to asking the audience to act. Use the persuasive techniques posters as a visible reference when students identify emotive language, facts, powerful language or rhetorical questions.

3. 13–20 min · Model planning and sequencing. Present the familiar issue, “Should our school have one screen-free lunchtime each week?” Model completing the planning section on the speech planning template. Think aloud while stating a precise position, generating three reasons, adding a supporting detail to each, and ranking the strongest reason first. Model a fair counterargument, such as “Some students may need devices for learning or contacting whānau,” followed by a response. Emphasise that writers choose details that will affect their intended audience.

4. 20–28 min · Guided planning. Students choose a familiar, age-appropriate issue, such as school uniform choices, longer library time, protecting local wildlife, reducing food waste or a device-free lunchtime. They complete the planning template on the individual speech planning template, including audience, position, two or three reasons, supporting facts or examples, a counterargument and a call to action. Pause halfway for a “plan check”: students tell a partner their position and strongest reason; partners check that the reason supports the position.

5. 28–40 min · Draft connected paragraphs. Display the drafting steps and paragraph model. Model turning one reason into a paragraph: a clear topic sentence, explanation, supporting detail, linking phrase and concluding link to the position. Students draft an introduction and two or three body paragraphs, then add a counterargument, conclusion and call to action on the drafting pages. Encourage linking words such as firstly, in addition, for instance, however, consequently and therefore, alongside carefully chosen emotive words. Students may refer to the persuasive techniques posters while drafting.

6. 40–45 min · Peer check and exit reflection. Display the peer-review prompts and exit question. Students read their draft to a partner, who identifies the position, strongest reason and call to action, then offers one specific suggestion. Students complete the final reflection on the self-check section, recording one strength and one next step for the writing test.

Resources

• the persuasive speech teaching deck
• the annotated speech, planning template and drafting pages
• the persuasive techniques posters
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Exercise books or lined paper
• Pens and pencils

Assessment

• Listen during exemplar analysis and check whether students can correctly identify each structural section and explain its purpose.
• Confer during planning and drafting: check for a clear position, logically sequenced reasons, supporting details, a counterargument and a suitable audience.
• Collect or scan the self-check section. Use students’ identified next steps to group support for the final writing test.

Differentiation

• Support students with a choice of familiar topics, a word bank on the worksheet, sentence starters such as “I strongly believe…” and “Some people may argue…, however…”, and oral rehearsal before writing.
• Provide a partially completed plan or scribe ideas for students who need reduced writing demand. Read the exemplar aloud, chunk instructions, and allow speech-to-text or keyboarding where appropriate.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach the meanings of position, reason, counterargument, evidence and call to action. Pair students strategically and accept labelled diagrams or notes before full sentences.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to include a rebuttal supported by evidence, vary sentence openings, and make deliberate choices about which details to leave out for maximum impact.