Core Skills Analysis
English / Literacy
- Understanding the structure of persuasive writing, including introduction, reasons, and conclusion.
- Developing skills in presenting arguments clearly and convincingly tailored to a specific audience (the parent).
- Learning to use emotive and logical language to influence opinions and decisions.
- Practicing writing with a purpose and honing the ability to justify personal choices respectfully.
Emotional and Social Development
- Expressing personal feelings and desires constructively through written communication.
- Building confidence in advocating for oneself in a respectful and reasoned manner.
- Engaging in perspective-taking by considering the concerns or viewpoints of the parent.
- Enhancing decision-making skills through persuasive reasoning.
Tips
Encourage the student to consider multiple perspectives by writing a counter-argument as if they were the parent. This promotes empathy and critical thinking. You can also expand this activity by exploring persuasive speech techniques and practicing verbal presentations to build confidence in speaking. To deepen understanding, introduce examples of famous persuasive texts or advertisements and analyze the strategies used. Finally, linking this to creative projects like designing a poster or digital advertisement to convince others could make the learning more tangible and engaging.
Book Recommendations
- They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein: This book introduces essential techniques of persuasive writing and argument structure useful for young learners growing their writing skills.
- Persuasive Writing | Scholastic Teaching Resources by Jackie Gerstein: A practical guide and collection of exercises focused on teaching persuasive writing to middle school students.
- I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff: A humorous children's book demonstrating persuasive letter writing between a child and parent, motivating interest in this genre.
Learning Standards
- English Writing: 'Plan their writing by identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own' (KS3 Writing, NC 2014).
- English Writing: 'Use a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs' (KS3 Writing, NC 2014).
- PSHE: 'Develop confidence to communicate their views on issues that affect themselves and society' (PSHE Association frameworks for secondary).
- Speaking and Listening: 'Give short speeches and presentations expressing their own ideas and keeping to the point' (KS3 Speaking and Listening, NC 2014).
Try This Next
- Create a worksheet to outline persuasive essay components with prompts about pros and cons of different hairstyles.
- Host a role-play activity where the student speaks their letter aloud, and listeners respond with questions or concerns to address.