Persuasion
Planning for
Learning
Karen Yager – Knox Grammar School & ETA
“We have to know
where we want to end
up before we start out
– and plan how to get
there …”
(1999, Tomlinson).
The Research
 Coyle and Colvin (1999): The brain is
phenomenally plastic, and that we
construct ourselves through
behaviour – “It’s not who you are, it’s
what you do and where you do it.”
 Hattie (2003) & Dinham (2008): The
significance of deep knowledge, direct
instruction and scaffolding the
learning.
 Westwell (2009): Creativity flourishes
when connected to what is already
known.
 NSW Quality Teaching model based
on best practice and effective
research
 Inclusivity and
positivity
Plan for Deep
knowledge &
Deep
understanding
 Integrate
problematic
knowledge and
student direction
 Process first
then product
 Provide
opportunities for
creativity
Australian Curriculum Goals
 Goal 1:
• Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence:
promote personalised learning that aims to fulfill the
diverse capabilities of each young Australian.
 Goal 2:
• All young Australians become:
successful learners
confident and creative individuals
active and informed citizens
Australian Curriculum Expectations
 A solid foundation in skills and knowledge on which
further learning and adult life can be built.
 Deep knowledge and skills enabling advanced
learning, ability to create new ideas & translate them
into practical applications.
 General capabilities that underpin flexible thinking, a
capacity to work with others, an ability to move
across subject disciplines
NSW Syllabus & the Australian Curriculum
 NSW Education Act – outcomes based assessment
 Mapping by ETA – most outcomes connected
 Curriculum a framework; the syllabus a document for
a course
 Continuum of learning still identified as an issue for
the current draft.
 Conceptual approach to programming facilitates
integration of the syllabus and the framework.
Planning for Learning
“The first thing that teachers
will need to do is select and
organise the essential
knowledge, understandings,
skills and values from the
syllabus around central
concepts or ideas…”
Quality teaching in NSW Public Schools
Planning for Learning
“Intellectual work that is
challenging, centred on
significant concepts and ideas,
and requires substantial cognitive
and academic engagement with
deep knowledge”
Quality teaching Discussion Paper
Planning for Learning
“Without designing around
provocative questions and big ideas,
teaching easily succumbs into an
activity - or coverage - orientation
without clear priorities.”
Understanding by Design
McTigh and Wiggins ASCD 1999
Planning for Learning
 Holistic and conceptual model connecting
learning with syllabus content, knowledge
and skills and the explicit teaching strategies
 Driven by the concepts and key learning
ideas
 Integrated assessment of, for and through
learning – backward mapping
 Distillation from concept to key learning
ideas to assessment to explicit teaching and
learning strategies
 Facilitates integration of programs and/or
assessment across KLAs, higher-order
thinking & problematic knowledge
 Technology for learning
Quality Teaching
Model
Kaplan et al 2006
“Intellectual work that is
challenging, centred on
significant concepts and
ideas, and requires
substantial cognitive and
academic engagement with
deep knowledge”
Core: Curriculum
addresses the core
concepts, principles,
and skills of a
discipline
Content: concepts &
ideas that are complex
and abstract
Knowledge integration,
Problematic knowledge,
Higher-order thinking,
Background knowledge,
Substantive
communication
Connections: connect
overarching concepts,
principles, and skills within
and across disciplines,
time periods, cultures,
places, and/or events
Process: Higher-order
thinking skills, selfdirected learning
Significance –
Connectedness
Problematic
knowledge
Deep understanding
Practice: The applications of
facts, concepts, principles,
skills, and methods in an
authentic manner & context
Product: authentic tasks
connected to the real world;
evaluation; transformation;
Synthesis
Quality learning
environment,
Student direction
Identity: Developing
students’ interests and
expertise, strengths,
values, and character
Learning environment:
student centred
Maker
Focus on learning
 What do I want my students to
learn?
 Why does it matter?
 What do they already know?
 How will they demonstrate
learning?
 How will they get there?
The Model
Focus
Outcomes
Concept + Key Question or Essential Learning Statement
Overarching idea of the unit grounded in the syllabus
Key Ideas + Question
What students will learn by
the end of the unit
(Deep knowledge)
(Deep knowledge)
Key Ideas
+ Question
Reflect intent of the
outcomes and concept
(Deep knowledge)
Key Ideas + Question
Grounded in the syllabus
(Deep knowledge)
Assessment for, of, as and through learning
(Deep understanding, Problematic knowledge, Higher-order thinking, Explicit quality criteria)
Demonstration of key learning ideas
Pre-testing/Pre-assessment (Background knowledge - connections to prior learning)
Brainstorming, Graphic organisers – KWL, mind mapping, Y chart, Lotus diagram. Quiz
Teaching Strategies
Learning Activities
Explicit / Systematic
Building the Field
Teaching Strategies
Learning Activities
Explicit Literacy & Numeracy
Strategies
Teaching Strategies
Learning Activities
Connected & Scaffolded
Teaching Strategies
Learning Activities
Integrated ICT
Teaching Strategies
Learning Activities
Scaffolds / Models –
annotated
Resources
A Concept
 Blend of abstraction and
concreteness
 Multidimensional
 “A concept is not an isolated,
ossified, and changeless
formation, but an active part of
the intellectual process”
Vygotsky.
 A concept is idea that has been
turned, examined, polished and
carries resiliency.
 A synthesis of the key ideas
 Represents depth rather than
breadth
Deep knowledge
 Knowledge is deep
when it concerns the
central ideas or
concepts of the
KLA/s and when the
knowledge is judged
to be crucial to the
topic or subject
being taught.
The overarching question
or learning statement
 Pose an overarching
key question or
essential learning
statement that
encapsulates what
students need to
learn by the end of
the unit
 Differentiates the
learning
What do they already
know?
 Unless new knowledge
becomes integrated
with the learner's prior
knowledge and
understanding, this new
knowledge remains
isolated, cannot be used
effectively in new tasks,
and does not transfer
readily to new
situations.
Assessment for Deep
understanding
 Accurate outcomes
 Key learning ideas
 Nature of the task in
a clear and precise
rubric
 The verbs!
 Explicit quality
criteria
 Marking guidelines
reflecting the
outcomes being
assessed
Biggs [1999], p78 UCLAN
http://www.uclan.ac.uk/ldu/resources/toolkit/lrg_groups/index
.htm
Persuasion
 Stage 4 Year 7 Term 1
 Students will learn
about how words and
images can be used
persuasively to
manipulate and
position others.
 Cross curriculum
perspective of
Sustainability
 Naplan 2011
Persuasion
 Key learning ideas:
- The features of a persuasive
text
- The purpose of persuasive
texts
- How language features and
form can be used to
persuasively promote points
of view and position a
responder.
 Overarching question: How
and why do composers craft
texts that promote
persuasively points of view?
Outcomes & Content Descriptors
NSW Syllabus
4. A student uses and describes language forms and features, and structures of texts
appropriate to different purposes, audiences and contexts.
5. A student makes informed language choices to shape meaning with accuracy, clarity and
coherence.
7. A student thinks critically and interpretively about information, ideas and arguments to
respond to and compose texts.
Australian Curriculum
Literacy: Interpreting, analysing, evaluating:
•Purpose and audience: use growing knowledge of text features to explain how texts make an
impact on different audiences
•Comprehension processes: Interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing
ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources
Literacy: Creating texts
•Plan, draft and publish persuasive texts selecting aspects of subject matter and particular
language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas with authority
Language: Expressing and developing ideas
•Understand that persuasive texts communicate through combinations of sound, image
movement, verbal elements and layout.
Assessment for and of Learning
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Nature of Task: The Australian Federal government has decided to be proactive in
targeting these vulnerable locations. They have devised an Australia wide
competition that invites proactive citizens to identify an environmentally significant
and vulnerable location, and present a persuasive argument as to why the Federal
Government should provide funding to ensure that this location is protected for
the future. You have been selected to represent your school to identify the special
location, predict a possible disaster and argue persuasively why the special place
you have chosen should be protected. Your presentation must include:
A description of the unique place
A prediction of one or more possible man-made or natural disasters.
A persuasive case for why the place is special, and should be protected and
preserved for future generations.
You can present your case using any medium of production such as:
A power point, slide show or prezi with images and footage
A podcast
A print document such as: a poster, pamphlet or letter.
Use your imagination and decide what medium would be the most effective and
persuasive vehicle for your argument!
Weeks 1-2
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Focus: What are the key features of
persuasive texts?
Introduction to Persuasion
Students view and analyse:
Severn Suzuki’s speech delivered at UN
Earth Summit 1992 focusing on the
ideas and the purpose of the speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZs
DliXzyAY
The Green’s television advertisement
election campaign:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQ
VnIKDoOA
EDF Energy Advertisements:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3
Y5RV9YR4&feature=related ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7J
MBa6h7Eo&feature=related
Weeks 1-2
 Features of Persuasive Texts
 Students visit for Persuasion 101:
http://prezi.com/62290/
 Power of Verbs and the Imperative
Voice
 Persuasion in 30 seconds
 Students deliver a 30 second speech
presenting their point of view on the
merits of one vs. the other from the
following list:
 Solar power vs. electricity
 Cars vs. walking
 Book vs. Kindle
 Plastic bags vs. green bags
 Clothes dryer vs. Clothesline
 Polarised debates
 Class blog created as a platform or
Voicethread - http://voicethread.com/
Weeks 3 -4
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Focus: What is the purpose of
persuasive texts?
Al Gore’s speech to Smith School
World Forum on Climate Change:
http://oxforddigital.tv/streaming/alg
ore0709.php
‘There will come Soft Rains’: Short
Story – Ray Bradbury & poem by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K
BtE4jS8J24&feature=related
Bruce Dawe’s Poem ‘In the New
Landscape’
Blog or Voicethread to discuss the
issue: ‘Global warming is a myth.’
Persuasion map:
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicor
ganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf
Weeks 3 -4
 To enhance vocabulary, students
use the online thesaurus:
Visuword:
http://www.visuwords.com/
 The Naplan marking criteria is to
be used to assess the exposition
– self and peer marking http://www.naplan.edu.au/writi
ng_2011_-_domains.html
 Impact of Emotive language and
Modality
 Cyber Grammar:
http://www.cybergrammar.co.u
k/index.php
Weeks 4-5
 Focus: How can language features
and form be used to persuasively
promote points of view and
position a responder?
 The Power of Rhetoric
 Point of view: The line of argument
and the supporting evidence
 Use of persuasive techniques
 Notes and discussion on the
features of effective rhetorical
speeches. Students could visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheto
ric
 Assessment Task – ongoing
 http://prezi.com/bnvpgr4u8pnh/ca
pe-byron-symposium/
Conviction
 Stage 5 Year 9 Term 1
 Students will learn about how
the convictions of composers
reflect their times and context ,
and shape meaning in texts.
 Question:
• How significant is our context in
the formation of our convictions
and the meaning we convey in
our texts?
 Key Ideas
• How context shapes convictions,
perspectives and ideas.
• How conviction shapes the use of
language, form and features.
Conviction
 Suggested texts:
 To Kill a Mocking Bird, 1984,
Ender’s Game, Night…
 Websites such as:
- Surfaid:
http://schools.surfaidinternation
al.org/
- Amnesty International:
http://www.amnesty.org.au/refu
gees/
 Protest poetry and songs:
http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/po
etry/poetry_against.html
Outcomes & Content Descriptors
NSW Syllabus
1. responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding,
interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure.
4: A student selects and uses language forms and features, and structures of texts according
to different purposes, audiences and contexts, and describes and explains their effects on
meaning.
7: A student thinks critically and interpretively using information, ideas and increasingly
complex arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts.
9. demonstrates understanding of the ways texts reflect personal and public worlds.
Australian Curriculum
Literature and context
• Interpret and compare representations of people and culture in literature drawn from different
historical, social and cultural contexts
Discussing literature
•Discuss and determine criteria for the value of literary texts and arrive at judgements about the
merits of particular texts
Exploring Literature
•Analyse the use and effect of extended metaphor, metonymy, allegory and symbolism in epic,
love poetry and protest poetry
Weeks 1 - 2
 Significance of context
and convictions:
- 12 word exposition on a
burning issue
- 50-word narrative
- Extracts from a range of
texts
 Modality, imperative
voice and emotive
language
 Persuasive text - Naplan
Assessment
 Assessment for Learning
- 60 second presentation on
a burning issue
- Blog post or editorial
 Assessment of and as
learning:
- Imaginative text
- Critical analysis focused on
how context and
convictions shaped
meaning and language
choices
Weeks 3-6
 Close study of a text or
CTD a range of texts
- Focus on how meaning
is shaped by context
and convictions
 Imagery through
figurative devices
 Gaps and silences
 Assessment task:
student choice
It was funny, he mused, how hard it was to see what he was fighting for. He
could not even define it himself, really, more that he seemed to know, instinctively,
that his life should have some innate value, that some days, the sky should show blue
through the smog, and that marriage was for more than producing three more
workers for the economy. Claus had once spoken of liberty and freedom, but Löew
merely wanted more than what he had - a life that meant something.
And so they had finally come to their present arrangement; Claus dealt with
bigger issues, liaising with other members of the resistance, while Löew dealt with the
little obstacles that occasionally arose. It was a system that had worked well for a time,
but lately Löew was becoming increasingly frustrated and Claus increasingly distant.
And that was why Löew was out in the pouring rain, stalking through the
narrow alleys that twisted their way through the dingy concrete forest that was every
city in or, presumably, off the world. He had been slightly surprised when he heard his
targets name that night; it was, in fact, the man who had introduced them to the
resistance. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to turn back, but Löew had seen the
devotion in the man’s eyes when they first met and had been sure that he would
never abandon the cause.
It was done. The small portion of his mind that rose in protest was ruthlessly
quashed, and as Löew walked he was, as always, busy encasing his cumulative guilt in
layers of false assurances. It was easy, to kill. But to take a life, that was something,
and the fact that there wasn’t a human on the planet who had anything more than a
facsimile of one wasn’t quite enough for his troubled conscience.
When I began the process of crafting my narrative I found it hard to think of a
societal issue that I was sufficiently worried by to justify writing about; luckily the recent
federal election brought to my mind the issue of social stagnation, which is essentially the
reason for the government of my dystopia.
Particularly in the last 50-100 or so years, society has come to heavily rely on
technology such as radio, film, television, and the internet. These media sources, while
excellent at disseminating information, are very poor at promoting free-thinking individuals
who have the ability to challenge the societal norms; instead, they encourage people to rely on
those with the loudest voice (generally the press and associated media) to form their social
opinions for them. This has led to what is an almost permeable social stagnation and lack of
prominent intellectuals, philosophers, and statesmen among the population. We see examples
of this in Australian politics today; the ALP and L/NP are incredibly similar on matters of policy,
the main difference being due to their non-swinging voters (for the most part because of
stereotypical views of the two parties)…
I wrote my narrative in the 3rd person for several reasons: It allowed me to deal with
multiple characters more easily, it allowed me to show the setting in an objective light, and it
meant I didn’t have to deal with the psychological ramifications of my created world on my
protagonist. I found that 3rd person enabled me to look objectively at my characters, as if I had
been in 1st person I would have had to deal with the limitations of perspective, and would lose
the general mood and tone generated by my objective view of the setting. For example, at the
very end of the narrative, there is markedly little mention of Löew’s thoughts on the matter like the rest of the narrative - just a general feeling of betrayal, but I am able to expand on the
theme of darkness and the continual use of rain as a metaphor, something that would be
marred by subjectivity if I did it in first person.
“It is about learning to learn, about
becoming independent thinkers and
learners. It is about problem solving,
team-work, knowledge of the world,
adaptability, and comfort in a global
system of technologies, conflict and
complexity. It is about the joy of learning
and the pleasure of productivity of using
one’s learning in all facets of work and life
pursuits” (2006, Fullan, Hill and Crevola,
Breakthrough).