Persuasive Speech Writing

Overview

This 60-minute lesson focuses on developing Year 8 students’ persuasive writing skills, centred on the use of the DAFOREST mnemonic to create a speech about school rules for a school assembly. The lesson aligns closely with the National Curriculum for England’s English programmes of study for Key Stage 3, specifically aiming to meet objectives related to writing composition and spoken language.

National Curriculum Links

English Programme of Study: Key Stage 3

Writing - Composition:
- “Plan, draft, edit and evaluate their writing”
- “Use a range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs”
- “Use a wide range of vocabulary adapted to the purpose”
Spoken Language:
- “Prepare and deliver a range of presentations”
- “Use spoken language to develop understanding”

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

Identify and explain the DAFOREST persuasive techniques and their effects.
Plan and write a persuasive speech suited for a school assembly focused on school rules.
Use effective vocabulary and sentence structures to build cohesion and persuade an audience.
Demonstrate confidence in beginning to prepare spoken language for presentation.

Resources Needed

Whiteboard and markers
Printed DAFOREST acronym posters for each student
Lined exercise books or paper
Example persuasive speech extract (related to school rules)
Speech planning template
Mini whiteboards for quick formative assessment
Timer

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes) – Engage & Activate Prior Knowledge

Activity: Quick Think-Pair-Share
- Question posed: “What are school rules, and why might some people want them changed?”
- Pupils jot down ideas on mini whiteboards, then discuss in pairs before sharing with the class.
Teacher Input: Introduce the purpose of persuasive speeches: influencing others’ opinions. Link to school rules context.

2. Introduction to DAFOREST (15 minutes) – Explore Persuasive Techniques

Presentation: Reveal and explain the DAFOREST mnemonic:
- D – Direct Address (e.g., “You,” “Your”)
- A – Alliteration
- F – Facts/Statistics
- O – Opinion
- R – Rhetorical Questions
- E – Emotive Language
- S – Similes/Metaphors
- T – Triplets (rule of three)
Provide clear, age-appropriate examples of each (relevant to school rules).
Interactive Task: In pairs, students identify which DAFOREST techniques exist in a short speech extract on school rules.

3. Main Activity (25 minutes) – Plan and Write Persuasive Speech

Step 1: Planning (10 minutes)
- Pupils use a speech planning template structured by DAFOREST sections.
- Guide them to select which techniques to include for maximum impact.
- Encourage them to focus on a specific rule or rules to persuade their audience.
Step 2: Drafting (15 minutes)
- Pupils write the opening paragraph of their speech, incorporating at least three DAFOREST techniques.
- Teacher circulates, providing formative feedback focused on effective use of techniques and persuasive language.

4. Plenary (10 minutes) – Share & Reflect

Peer Feedback: In pairs, pupils read their speech introductions aloud and identify DAFOREST techniques used.
Class Discussion: Reflect on which techniques were most effective and why.
Self-Assessment: Pupils tick off which DAFOREST techniques they successfully included.
Highlight importance of engaging language and tone for spoken delivery.

Assessment

Formative: Observation & Feedback during paired work and speech drafting.
Peer Assessment: Identification of DAFOREST techniques during plenary.
Self-Assessment Checklist: Completed by pupils.
Follow-up: Teacher collects speech drafts to assess application of persuasive devices and writing cohesion.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters using DAFOREST techniques for less confident writers.
Challenge: Encourage more able pupils to use a wider variety of DAFOREST devices and vary sentence lengths for effect.

Extension/Home Learning

Pupils can complete their full speech at home, preparing for an oral presentation in the following lesson.
Optionally, write a newspaper report based on a point raised in their speech as a cross-genre writing exercise—combining persuasion with formal reporting skills outlined in the National Curriculum.

Teacher Reflection

Did students clearly understand and apply DAFOREST techniques?
Which techniques engaged the students most effectively?
How well did students plan and begin to draft persuasive language?
Note any improvements needed for scaffolding or differentiation in future lessons.

This lesson plan pushes students to think critically about persuasive writing within a familiar context (school rules) while developing spoken language preparation skills—both highly valued in the KS3 English framework. The use of DAFOREST provides a memorable scaffold, and incorporating peer and self-assessment fosters independent learners able to evaluate their writing and speaking.

Teaching Instructions