Persuasive Writing

http://www.slideshare.net/andyfisher/persuasive-writing-1271674

2 http://www.slideshare.net/moran23/persuasive-writing-lesson-powerpoint-23996202

http://www.slideshare.net/cindytko/5th-grade-writing-strategies-classpersuasive-writing?related=2 important 1

Writing a model essayTo model writing, the teacher writes with the students. Modeling is a process like writing is a process. Both are accomplished through different stages. Stages may be repeated several times during the process. Therefore, time allotted for each stage varies.

Begin by introducing persuasive writing with a topic that is familiar to the students. All students have experience with homework, and homework is a motivational hook to introduce persuasive writing. Jack Prelutsky’s poem "Homework! Oh, Homework!" captures the students’ interests and is relevant to them.

STAGE 1: PREWRITING

1. Read the poem "Homework" by Jack Prelutsky.2. Ask the students What are we writing about today? (They’ll guess homework.)3. Establish the two points of view (pro and con): Students should have homework. Students should not have

homework.

4. Students and the teacher brainstorm and generate ideas for both sides of the issue. The teacher records the information on a chart, board, etc. All students copy the information. The pro and con charts (graphic organizers) serve as the plan for writing.

Make students aware that the audience for this essay will be the administrator. The purpose is to persuade the administrator to adopt their point of view on homework.

STAGE 2: DRAFTING

1. Review the charts from the previous lesson.2. Class comes to agreement on the point of view for the model. You can guess what students will decide — no

homework.3. Read the poem to the class again, emphasizing how words are used to capture the reader’s attention.

Together the students and the teacher begin to write the introduction. As in persuasive speaking, techniques should be employed that introduce the topic and captures the reader’s attention immediately. Rhetorical or challenging questions, lyrics from a song, a quotation, a humorous anecdote or a fact that elicits human passion hooks the attention of the reader. Reading a poem, referencing a current event, and using analogies are also effective techniques for ensnaring the reader.

4. The plan (the con chart or graphic organizer) directs the writing of the essay. Developing ideas logically and persuasively through the use of descriptive and sensory language leads the reader coherently through body of the essay. The teacher channels students’ thoughts into well constructed sentences and paragraphs using a variety of transitions to achieve overall paragraph unity.

5. The conclusion restates the writer’s opinion in a compelling way. Again the techniques used in the introduction can be successfully employed in the conclusion. Remind students that language choice is important to influence the reader to understand and therefore, to adopt the writer’s point of view.

6. Everybody writes as the class composes the rough draft.7. All students copy the rough draft as a model of persuasive writing.

STAGE 3: REVISING/EDITING

1. Revise and edit the draft as a class. How can we combine our sentences to make our essay clearer? What better word could be used to convey that thought? Emphasize to students that improvements can be made. Revising ensures that writing is clear, well organized, accomplishes goals, and convinces the audience.

2. Remind students that statements need to be arranged for emotional appeal using strong, exact words. For example, don’t say, "Homework is not good because it takes up too much time. Instead, "Homework limits quality time spent with family and friends."

3. Share with students that ideas need to be connected. Using a variety of transitions helps to achieve paragraph coherence and unity.

4. Advise students that the revision stage includes others reading the draft and suggesting improvements.5. The teacher shares and discusses with the students the rubric used by the North Carolina Department of

Public Instruction to evaluate writing.

STAGE 4: PROOFREADING

1. As a class, check for errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics. On purpose, the teacher may want to misspell a word or make errors in grammar or mechanics. This gives the students "controlled practice" in identifying errors.

2. The teacher can reference "spell check" and "grammar check" in word processing if students are typing their papers.

3. Peer proofreading reinforces skills which promotes better writing.

STAGE 5: PUBLISHING/PRESENTING

1. For this assignment, students may submit a copy of the essay to the administrator or invite the administrator to hear their point of view on homework.

2. Sharing the final draft is motivating to students. Although the administrator is the audience, students may also present their essay to other classrooms, the media specialist, etc.

3. Publishing helps develop a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Applying the modelAll students now have a model for writing a persuasive essay. To practice the model, the assignment that follows is to write a persuasive essay adopting the

opposing viewpoint about homework. Using the prewriting activity of the homework essay and also by working with a partner, students are "eased" into the writing process becoming more confident writers. As students complete their essays, they will be able to evaluate their writing by examining how well they focus, organize, and elaborate information.

Remind students that writing style develops over time. Through reading and writing, students will establish their own special way of expressing their thoughts.

Useful words:Adverbs: evidently; understandably; reasonable; undoubtedly; clearly; finally; strongly; adamantlyVerbs: to challenge; to oppose; to question; to implore; to urge; to condemn; to propose; to supportAdjectives: Vital; important; essential; biased; dishonest; inappropriate; controversial; brave; foolishTransitional words and phrases: In addition,…; Furthermore,…; Above all… It goes without saying…; Of course,…; Decidedly…; Undoubtedly…; Indeed…; In fact… Specifically,…; More importantly,… Yet,… ; However,… In summary…Useful phrases:This needs to be dealt with…; Some people feel that…; How could you possibly…; What would happen if…; This would mean that…; Is it really worth…/ Do you really think…; Just think about…; I believe that…; Although not everybody would agree, I want to argue that…; There are several points I want to make to support my point of view. Firstly…; I have several reasons for arguing for this point of view. My first reason is…; Therefore, although some people argue that…; think that I have shown that…; We can solve this by…; If these plans go ahead…

1.Reading Comprehension

Read the passage carefully and then answer all the questions given at the end of a passage. Total marks for this part: 25

School Dress Codes

1. Some people think a dress code is beneficial because it eliminates the need for students to keep

up with the latest fads. If everyone wears the same uniform, no one will be under pressure to

buy a certain brand of jeans, for example. However, unless a benefactor provides clothing for all

students, some parents will buy uniforms at discount stores, and some will buy them at boutiques.

The difference between income levels will be more subtle. Still, students will be aware of it.

2. Some people think a dress code will repress gang activity and reduce violence at school by

outlawing the wearing of gang colours. Yet gangs might sidestep this rule by changing their

outward symbols of membership. Gangs and violence in schools are a complex problem. It

cannot be solved with a dress code.

3. Will a dress code help build students’ self-confidence? This is not likely. Wearing uniforms

actually suppresses students’ self-expression, almost like asking everyone to look the same. In

fact, wearing uniforms might harm some students’ confidence by forcing them to wear clothing

that exaggerates a weight problem, for example. Instead, schools should encourage students to

respect their differences.

4. Many schools do not have a formal dress code. Still, students know they will be reprimanded if

they wear T-shirts with certain messages on them or clothing that is too short or too tight. They

know they will be disciplined or even sent home if they wear clothing that attracts too much

attention. For most students, it’s easier to follow the unwritten dress code than to aggravate

school staff. They have their ‘wild and crazy’ clothes for after school.

5. Following a dress code is not a grave problem for most students, unlike more serious situations,

such as losing after-school activities because of school budget cuts. Having a dress code certainly

facilitates getting dressed in the morning. After all, you don’t have to wonder if this shirt goes

with those trousers. You don’t have to make any decisions at all.

6. Many students who attend schools with dress codes do not feel a grievous loss of their rights.

They accept wearing uniforms to school. Like rules about not talking during class, a dress code is

not meant to oppress them but to help them concentrate on their schoolwork.

7. If your school is considering the adoption of a dress code, study both sides of the issue. Then

form your own opinion. Decide whether a dress code at your school would be a step in the right

direction-or a stumble.

Questions:

1. Why might wearing school uniform exaggerate a students’ weight problem?

2. Name three types of clothing that are likely to be unacceptable at schools without a dress code?

3. What does the writer mean by the word ‘stumble’ at the end of the passage, and why did he or

she choose this word?

4. What three things are more important to most students than having to follow the school’s dress

code?

5. What outward symbol of membership might be used by gang members who have to wear school

uniform? The answer is not in the passage, but you should be able to think of at least one

example.

6. What is meant by the phrase ‘unwritten dress code’?

7. For each of the following words or phrases give one word or a short phrase (of not more than

seven words) which has the same meaning as the word or phrase in the passage.

1. Fads

2. Be under pressure

3. Benefactor

4. Sidestep

5. Reprimanded

6. Disciplined

7. Grave

8. Grievous

2.http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/nonfiction-reading-test-seat-

belts.pdf

3.http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/nonfiction-reading-test-

reading.pdf

reading comprehensions

4.Read the following speech identify the persuasive P IN A FOREST techniques (personal pronouns, alliteration, fact, opinion, rhetorical questions, repetition, emotive language, statistics, rule of three)

Ladies, Gentleman and Children, lend me your ears!I am here today to express my utter disgust at the so called ‘sport’ of fox hunting.Some of these rich, posh, toffee-nosed public school boys in tights say that shooting foxes does not always kill the fox outright and that hunting with dogs is actually more humane. However, that could not be further from the truth. Fox hunters chose foxes purely for puerile pleasure; not because they want to help farmers. Indeed, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported a case of a twelve year old girl and her ten year old brother being traumatised at the sight of a fox being torn limb from limb by a pack of blood-thirsty hounds. Does this sound like humane pest control to you?Furthermore, being hunted by a wild pack is not a humane way to die. Statistics show that 92% of foxes killed in the hunt have a longer, more agonising death than these killed by more traditional methods of pest control.Stop the murder,stop the violence, stop fox hunting!