Persuasive Writing
Debbie Showers and Kate Story
NMR Literacy Coaches
Outline of Day
• Defining persuasive text – in the context and NAPLAN
and beyond
• Prompts
• Using the marking guide
• Success criteria
• Teaching persuasive text – mini lessons
• Writing persuasive text – what writers do
• Resources
• Assessment
• Ultranet space
What is persuasive writing?
• Persuasive writing is where the writer attempts
to persuade the reader to her or his point of
view.
• Writer presents their opinion and the offers
reasons for this view.
• Persuasive text covers arguments, letters,
debates, advertisements, posters, poems, songs
BUT that is not what NAPLAN requires.
What NAPLAN wants
• MUST convince reader of their opinions
• Text MUST include an introduction, body and
conclusion
• May be presented as an essay, letter to the
editor of a local paper or as text of a speech
• It can be one sided (agree or disagree) or it
can be a discussion
• Easier to write for or against, not both
What NAPLAN wants cont’d.
• Must address 10 criteria (audience, text
structure, ideas, persuasive devices,
vocabulary, cohesion, paragraphing,
sentence structure, punctuation, spelling)
• Selection, organisation and relevance of
ideas key
• Persuasive devices a must
• Writing stamina – you may build up
The marking guide
Criteria
Skills Focus
Audience
Writer’s capacity to orient, engage and persuade reader
Text
structure
Organisation of the structural components of a persuasive text
(intro, body & conclusion) into appropriate & effective text structure
Ideas
Selection, relevance & elaboration of ideas for persuasive argument
Persuasive
devices
Use and range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer’s
position and persuade the reader
Vocabulary
Range & precision of contextually appropriate language choices
Cohesion
Control of multiple threads and relationships across the text,
achieved through the use of referring words, ellipsis, text
connectives, substitutions and word associations
Paragraphing Segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists reader to follow line
of argument
Sentence
structure
Production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and
meaningful sentences
Punctuation
Use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid reading of text
Spelling
Accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of words used
The language of
persuasive texts
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Emotive words and phrases
Present tense
Specialised vocabulary
Use of conjunctions
First person
Action verbs
Facts and opinions
Persuasive devices
Persuasive devices
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Repetition of words or phrases
Exaggeration or hyperbole
Questions that appeal to reader
Stereotypes
Quotes from authorities
A call for action
Posing of problem and suggestion of solution
An appeal to the reader
Rhetorical questions
It’s a known fact…
Groups of three
NAPLAN asks for specialised vocabulary
which requires research which you can’t do in
timed test, so…
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Read alouds
Shared reading
Non fiction texts – print and multi media
Encourage discussion and accountable
talk
• Don’t accept yes/no responses – children
should justify their responses
Teaching strategies
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Modelled writing
Shared writing
Guided writing
Interactive writing
Independent writing
Shared reading and discussion of a variety
of texts – use exemplars and other texts
• Explicitly teach planning
Teaching Persuasive Texts:
Mini lessons
• Choose your entry point following baseline
assessment
• Reading and language conventions mini
lessons summary – over 10 session
• 2010 Marking guide – spelling list p83
2010NarrativeMarkingGuide_web.pdf
• Writing mini lessons – 5 ½ weeks of
sessions 2011\NAPLAN writing mini
lessons.docx
Factors for writing
a timed text
• Writing stamina
• Writing process is compacted, but still
need to work through cycle
• No time for research
Assessing
• Use the marking guide to assess writing
• Modified marking guide rubric developed
by Penny Krilis NMR Literacy Coach and
Jan Smith from Glenroy College
2011\Marking Guide in Table.doc
• VELS and NAPLAN
2011\Writing_Conversion2.xls
• 2011\Years3-9VELSMappingFinal.doc
Use a variety of resources
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Go for something that polarises opinions
Newspaper articles
News clips
Picture books
Big books
Video clips – You Tube, Fuse
Persuasive Texts DVD
Teacher resources
• VCAA website – units of work for grades
3, 5, 7, 9
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/naplan/
schools/persuasivewriting.html
• Teachit.co.uk website
http://www.teachit.co.uk/index.asp?currme
nu=238
Literature and digital texts
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My Brother Dan’s Delicious
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Should There Be Zoos?
Charlotte’s Web
Miniscules animated series
Earrings
Romeo and Juliet
Holes
Baseline assessment
• Give students a topic to write on
• Time limit as per NAPLAN
• Encourage them to plan, write, proofread,
revise and edit
• Assess against criteria
• Make teaching decisions for whole group
mini lessons and small group guided
writing
Writing a persuasive text
• Do teachers deserve a 50% pay increase?
• You have 15 minutes to persuade your
reader to your point of view.
• Assess with partner against criteria.
• What do you need to work on…