Letter to the School Principal
PERSUASIVE WRITING
WHY DO PEOPLE WRITE LETTERS?
sharing one's opinion
 attempt to influence others' opinions
 encouraging community change

PERSON OF INFLUENCE TO INFLUENCE!

You will have the opportunity to write letters to
the most influential person in your immediate
community, the principal, about a school issue
that you believe needs to be addressed.
ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE WRITING
Position:
 Attention to Audience:
 Factual Support:
 Effective Word Choice:
 Ethos:

POSITION

Clearly state your opinion if you want to
convince that a change needs to be made.
ATTENTION TO AUDIENCE

Adjust writing style based on reader.
 Principal-
formal writing tone.
 Friend- casual tone.
EFFECTIVE WORD CHOICE

Persuasive language is strong but appropriate.
 Descriptive
 Specific
ETHOS
Ethos- credibility to write.
 Credible people based on topic:

a
doctor on health issues, a teacher on education,
a government official on local political issues

What gives YOU credibility to write about school
issues?
PERSUASIVE EXAMPLES
As you read this article or listen to the podcast,
look for the ways that the author uses the
elements of effective persuasive writing.
 Position:
 Attention to Audience:
 Effective Word Choice:
 Factual Support:
 Ethos:

HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR SCHOOL?
Brainstorming Ideas:
NARROWING DOWN IDEAS

Audience:
 Appropriate?
 Ability
to change?
 More likely to address?

Factual Support:
 Topic

with strong, convincing factual support?
Ethos:
 Your
credibility or authority?
PERSUASION MAP
Write down your topic with a short description.
 Brainstorm and record reasons for your
position.
 Draw from your own personal experiences and
observations as reasons for your position.

BEFORE YOU WRITE…
Consider which reasons recorded on your
Persuasion Map are the most specific and
convincing.
 Circle the three strongest reasons.
 Now start writing your letters to the principal
using the map as a guide!

QUESTIONS AFTER WRITING
a. How do you think that the principal will
respond to your letter? Why?
b. What makes your letter persuasive?
c. If you were the principal, what would you do
upon reading your letter?
d. In what other situations could you use
persuasive letter writing? Why would this be an
effective method for dealing with these
particular issues or problems?