Choose Your Side: Justify Why
A Communication Skills Activity Year 10 English Making Choices and Defending Your Position
WALT (We Are Learning To)
Express our opinions clearly and confidently Use persuasive language techniques effectively Listen respectfully to opposing viewpoints Support our arguments with logical reasoning Develop critical thinking through choice justification
Success Criteria - How We'll Know We're Successful
I can state my choice clearly and confidently I can give at least 2-3 reasons for my decision I can use persuasive language (because, therefore, clearly) I can listen to others without interrupting I can ask respectful questions about other viewpoints I can change my mind if presented with strong evidence
Warm-up Round: Quick Fire Choices
Pizza or Burgers? Cats or Dogs? Summer or Winter? Morning Person or Night Owl? Choose your side and find your group! 30 seconds to share ONE reason with your group
The Art of Justification - Language Tools
{"left":"Starter Phrases: 'I believe that...', 'In my opinion...', 'From my perspective...'\nReasoning Words: 'because', 'since', 'therefore', 'as a result', 'consequently'","right":"Evidence Phrases: 'For example...', 'Research shows...', 'In my experience...'\nComparison Language: 'Unlike...', 'In contrast to...', 'While others might say...', 'On the other hand...'"}
Main Challenge: Defend Your Choice
Round 1: Chocolate vs Ice Cream Round 2: Beach Holiday vs Mountain Adventure Round 3: Learning Inside vs Outside Round 4: Flying vs Sailing Each round: 2 minutes preparation, 1 minute per speaker Use your language tools to convince others!
Reflection Challenge
Think about the arguments you heard today. Which argument was most convincing and why? What made some speakers more persuasive than others? How did your own views change during the discussions? What persuasive techniques will you use next time?
Next Steps - Taking It Further
Practice these skills in everyday conversations Notice persuasive language in advertisements and media Extension: Create a persuasive speech on a topic you care about Challenge: Interview family members about their choices and reasoning Preparation for formal debate unit next term