Persuasion and Influence

English
Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6

What is this sequence about?

This learning sequence aims to develop student understanding of persuasive language, focussing on how
persuasive techniques work and why persuasive language matters. It aims to equip students with the skills to
critically analyse a wide range of persuasive texts and to identify bias and subjectively in the texts they read and
view. 

The sequence provides opportunities for students to explore these concepts by engaging with a range of written
and visual texts.

Big understandings
Individuals and groups can influence decisions that affect them and their communities.
Language can be used skilfully and precisely to persuade and influence the way others think, feel and act.
An argument can be made stronger by considering opposing points of view.

The sequence has been written by teachers for teachers. It has been designed to provide students with rich,
engaging learning experiences that address the Victorian Curriculum. The sequence consists of eight flexible
stages, including suggested learning intentions.

Overview of stages

1. Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To develop an understanding of the purpose and range of persuasive text types

2. Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text: The Island

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To interpret an author’s point of view

● To explore how evaluative language is used to influence the reader

3. Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Suggested Learning Intentions
● To understand how authors use images and language to persuade the reader

4. Analysing Persuasive Techniques in Written Texts

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To understand how authors use language, images and evidence to present their views and influence the
reader

5. Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative Investigation

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To recognise that texts are written to reflect the viewpoint of the author

● To identify the techniques authors use to develop a persuasive text

6. Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To develop a clear point of view on a topic of interest

7. Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing

Suggested Learning Intentions
● To examine how spoken texts differ from written texts

● To use noun groups and conjunctions to write clearly

8. Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and Independent

Writing
Suggested Learning Intentions
● To present a point of view using persuasive text features

● To support an argument with logical reasons and evidence

Prior knowledge
Before you commence this sequence, it is suggested that you ensure your students are familiar with:

● the purpose and general features of persuasive texts, for example how an opinion is supported by
examples or evidence

● the distinction between fact and opinion

● paragraph structure, understanding that paragraphs are comprised of a topic sentence that identifies the
main idea and additional sentences that add detail about the main idea

● some language features that have a persuasive force, in particular modality.

Teaching strategies
This sequence is organised around the Teaching and learning cycle: reading and writing connections outlined in
the Literacy Teaching Toolkit.

● Four resource model for reading and viewing; text analyst

 ● Guided writing/writing conferences

● Modelled writing

● Shared writing

● Modelled reading

● Writing Workshop

● Shared reading

The sequence highlights opportunities to apply the High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), which are a
component of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model. 

Vocabulary
Students should be able to understand and use the following concepts and terms by the end of the learning
sequence:

Argument Modal verb

Contention Persuade

Conjunctions Persuasive texts

Emotive language Point of view

Evaluative language Proposition/contention

Exaggeration Pronoun

Metaphor Rhetorical questions

Modality Simile

You can find definitions of some of these terms in the Victorian Curriculum: English Glossary. It is
recommended that the explicit teaching of vocabulary occur throughout this learning sequence. The Literacy
Teaching Toolkit provides resources and sample activities to support this practice. 

A vocabulary table template for this sequence is also available.

Assessment
Opportunities for formative and summative assessment are identified at different stages of the learning
sequence. Look for the 'Assessment Opportunity' icon.

You may want to develop a rubric to assess students’ progress. A range of Formative Assessment resources are
available from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. This includes a Guide to Formative
Assessment Rubrics, a series of modules to support you to develop your own formative assessment rubrics, and
sample rubrics across six curriculum areas that demonstrate how you can put formative assessment rubrics into
practice in the classroom.

In developing a rubric, you may wish to co-construct assessment criteria with your students. Each stage of the
sequence provides sample success criteria for students working at Level 5.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has also published work samples that provide teachers
with examples of student learning achievement in each mode of the English curriculum: Reading and Viewing,
Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Victorian Curriculum connections

Level 4
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English.  It is primarily designed for Level 5,
but also addresses the following content descriptions from Level 4:

Content description Stage

English: Reading and Viewing

Identify features used in imaginative, informative
and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text,
and understand how texts vary in complexity and
technicality depending on the approach to the topic,
the purpose and the intended audience (VCELA277)
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing

English: Speaking and Listening

Discuss literary experiences with others, sharing
responses and expressing a point of view
(VCELT306)
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent writing

Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas
listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
use information to share and extend ideas and use Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
interaction skills (VCELY307) Independent Writing

The sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards
from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 4:

● Students understand that texts have different structures depending on the purpose and context.

● Students can describe literal and implied meaning connecting ideas in different texts.

● Students use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts.

● Students understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text.

● Students create well-structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They demonstrate
understanding of grammar and select vocabulary from a range of resources.

Level 5
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English, Science and Critical and Creative
Thinking. It is primarily designed for Level 5, and addresses the following content descriptions:
Content description
English: Reading and Viewing
Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and
topic as well as the degree of formality (VCELA309)
Show how ideas and points of view in texts are
conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including
idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective
language, and that these can change according to
context (VCELY317)
Analyse the text structures and language features
used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts
to meet the purpose of the text (VCELY320)
English: Writing
Understand how noun groups/phrases and adjective
groups/phrases can be expanded in a variety of ways
to provide a fuller description of the person, place,
thing or idea (VCELA324)
Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater
precision of meaning, and know that words can have
different meanings in different contexts
(VCELA325)
Stage
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing
 Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas
persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
structures, language features, images and sound Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
appropriate to purpose and audience (VCELY329) Independent Writing

English: Speaking and Listening

Present a point of view about particular literary texts
using appropriate metalanguage, and reflecting on
the viewpoints of others (VCELT336)
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing

Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas

formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
students’ own experiences, and present and justify a Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
point of view or recount an experience using Independent Writing
interaction skills (VCELY337)

The sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards
from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 5:

● Students explain how text structures assist in understanding the text.

● Students understand how language features, images and vocabulary influence interpretations of
characters, settings and events.

● Students analyse and explain literal and implied information from a variety of texts.

● Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences.

● Students demonstrate understanding of grammar and sentence types, and they select specific
vocabulary.

● Students use language features to show how ideas can be extended.

● Students develop and explain a point of view about a text selecting information, ideas and images from
a range of resources.

Level 6
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English, Science and Critical and Creative
Thinking.  It is primarily designed for Level 5, but also addresses the following content descriptions from Level
6:

Content description Stage

English: Reading and Viewing

Understand how authors often innovate on text
structures and play with language features to achieve
particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive
purposes and effects (VCELA339)
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
 Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing

Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers
(VCELY345)
Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing

English: Writing

Understand how ideas can be expanded and
sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated
tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases
(VCELA351)
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing

Investigate how vocabulary choices, including
evaluative language can express shades of meaning,
feeling and opinion (VCELA352)
Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text:
The Island
Analysing Persuasive Elements in Written Texts
Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative
Investigation
Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
Independent Writing

English: Speaking and Listening

Participate in and contribute to discussions, Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas

clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing
supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and
information, experiences and opinions, and use Independent Writing
interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken
interactions according to group size, formality of
interaction and needs and expertise of the audience
(VCELY366)

The sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards
from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 6:

● Students understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects.

● Students can analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different
authors to represent ideas.

● Students compare and analyse information in different texts, explaining literal and implied meaning.

● Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis.
 ● Students show how specific details can be used to support a point of view.

● Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis.

Learning Progressions
The Literacy Learning Progressions support teachers to develop a comprehensive view of how literacy develops
over time. You can use the Literacy Learning Progressions to:

● identify the literacy capability of your students

● plan targeted teaching strategies, especially for students achieving above or below the age-equivalent
expected level in the Victorian Curriculum: English

● provide targeted feedback to students about their learning within and across the progressions.

The Literacy Learning Progressions have been mapped against the Victorian Curriculum F – 10: English.
Teachers are advised to familiarise themselves with this map to understand how particular progressions relate to
the Reading and Viewing, Writing and Speaking and Listening modes and particular curriculum levels in
English.
Persuasion and Influence

1. Exploring the Purpose of Persuasive Texts

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To develop an understanding of the purpose ● I can explain why people write persuasive
and range of persuasive text types texts

● I can express an opinion or point of view

Materials and texts

● Paper and coloured markers

● Access to digital resources

● Brainstorm: Purpose and features of persuasive texts: docx PDF

Get started
This stage of the sequence focuses on building the context or field in order to support students to understand the
purpose and features of persuasive texts.

Invite students to watch a short video from Behind the News, Student Climate Protests.

Facilitate a general discussion about why the students were participating in the climate strike and what they
were hoping to achieve.

Ensure that students have an understanding of what it means to persuade another person or group, and what is
meant by the term 'point of view'.

Facilitate a discussion about the purpose and structural and language features of persuasive texts.

Suggested prompts:

● Why might we want to persuade other people to change the way they think or act?
 ● How might we try and persuade someone to think or act in a particular way?

● What are some of the techniques we could use to make our point of view more convincing?

● What techniques did you see employed by the student protesters?

Support students to develop their answers by:

● conducting a gallery walk, where prepared questions are ‘posted’ on different stations around the room
on large pieces of paper. Allow time for the students to circulate around the room recording their
responses to each question and building on to the ideas of other students.

● asking students to collaboratively create a concept map or mind map. You may choose to co- construct
a mind map with your students using the information from the gallery walk.

Make the learning visible for your students by creating a class display with the information they have gathered.
As students read and analyse a range of persuasive texts, encourage them to add explicit examples of persuasive
techniques to the display. Students could write and/or illustrate each example.

Go deeper
1. Brainstorm controversial issues

Select a visual prompt that illustrates the power of an individual to change the way others think and act. For
example, a photograph of a persuasive leader/s, such as Greta Thunberg, or Melati and Isabel Wijsen or a video
telling an inspirational story. Facilitate a discussion about the issues that are important to them and the things
they might like to change.

Possible question prompts:

● How have you tried to persuade someone to change the way they act or think?

● What are some things you would like to see change?

● Why might you want to persuade others to change the way they think or act?

● How might you persuade them?

● What do you see and hear in your day that might be trying to persuade you to act or think in a
particular way?

Ask students to work in collaborative groups to brainstorm a list of responses to these questions.

Discuss the responses and co-create a list of controversial topics of interest to the students.

2. Examine and create persuasive placards

View another video about the 2019 Climate Rally. Discuss the viewpoints, or arguments presented by the
students in more detail.

Possible prompts:
 ● What were the aims of the students who participated in the Schools' Strike for Climate Action?

● The students were ‘calling for change’. What do you think is meant by this phrase?

● How do you feel about people arguing that the students should have been in school?

Draw attention to some of the language on the placards that the students were holding: 

● Nature doesn’t negotiate

● There is no planet B

● I’ve seen smarter cabinets at Ikea

● Denial is not a policy

● Stop denying the earth is dying

Discuss the writer’s purpose and intention, and the effectiveness of the images and language used in the
placards. Ask students to suggest the key features of an effective placard as opposed to an ineffective placard.
Record their responses on the board and co-design success criteria for a persuasive placard.

Invite students to select one of the issues from the class display and design a placard to present their point of
view. Encourage students to work in collaborative pairs to design and create a placard.

Reflect and consolidate

Promote opportunities for students to provide feedback to each other, assessing how successfully the placards
promote a clear point of view. For example:

● Display the placards and invite students to suggest what the author's point of view may be.

● Use a feedback protocol, (e.g. search 'warm and cool' protocol).

References
ABC News, 2018. Students strike for climate change protests, defying calls to stay in school. [Online] Available
at: www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-30/australian-students-climate-change-protest-scott-morrison/
10571168 [Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2019. Behind the News, Student Climate Protests. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/climate-protest/10910858[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2019. Behind the News, Thousands of young Aussies across the country attend the climate change strikes.
[Online] Available at: www.abc.net.au/btn/newsbreak/student-climate-change-protests/10906838 [Accessed 15
March 2022].

Great Big Story, 2014. The man clearing 9,000 tons of trash from Mumbai’s beaches. [Online] Available at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtGsdiYdObQ[Accessed 15 March 2022].

NBC News, 2019. Greta Thunberg is Time’s 2019 Person of the Year. [Online] Available at:
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/greta-thunberg-time-s-2019-person-year-n1099396[Accessed 15 March
2022].

Schrock, K., 2019. Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything - Concept mapping in the classroom.
[Online] Available at: www.schrockguide.net/concept-mapping.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].
TED, 2016. Our Campaign to ban plastic bags in Bali. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=P8GCjrDWWUM&t=131s[Accessed 15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

2. Analysing Persuasive Elements in a Literary Text: The Island

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To interpret an author’s point of view ● I can suggest an author’s point of view

● To explore how evaluative language is used ● I can identify an example of evaluative

to influence the reader language

● I can use evaluative language to influence

the reader

Materials and texts

● Greder, Armin, 2002, The Island, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest

● A list of alternative texts suitable to examine the author’s point of view are listed in the resource
section.

● Brainstorm: Purpose and features of persuasive texts: docx PDF

Get started
This stage of the sequence focuses on deconstructing a text to focus explicitly on language, and examines how
evaluative language choices shape meaning and influence the reader.

Introduce The Island to the students with a book orientation. The orientation could include:

● Information about the author. For example, Armin Greder was born in Switzerland and developed a
love of reading early in life. He loved reading about far-away places.

● The author’s purpose. When Greder wrote The Island in the 1990s, it was considered ‘unpublishable’ –
it was not a children’s story. His work challenges what we expect from picture story books.

● A summary of the literal meaning of the story and the inferred themes relevant to society, for example,
fear and distrust of outsiders, how refugees are treated today. Misty Adoniou provides an instructional
model to present a text orientation and to explicitly teach grammar in context.
 ● A discussion of the illustration style used by Greder.

Go deeper
1. Shared reading/book response

Ensure that all students can see the illustrations as you read the text. You may wish to pause at salient points in
the story to encourage discussion. For example, after reading the page with the text, “So they took him in,” you
could:

● Invite students to use a See, Think, Wonder routine closely analysing the page.

● Ask students to compare and contrast how Greder has represented the islanders and ‘the man’.

● Discuss and elaborate on the deeper meaning created by the text and imagery.

After reading, ask the students to complete a book response making text to text, text to self, text to world
connections.

Enable students to make connections to the text by providing sentence stems to prompt their thinking.
Encourage students to illustrate their text responses to add visual detail.

Invite students to share their book responses and generate a discussion exploring the main ideas and themes
from the text and the particular viewpoint that Armin Greder has taken.

2. Interpret the author’s point of view

Possible question prompts:

● How did you feel towards the islanders and ‘the man’ as you read the text? Could you describe the
emotions you were feeling and link them to events in the text?

● How might Greder have influenced your thinking and feeling as you read the text?

● What might be his purpose for writing this book?

● What might be the point of view that Armin Greder is trying to present in this book?

● Is it possible that Greder was trying to persuade you to think and feel in a particular way?

● What ‘aspect of society' might Greder be wanting you to think about?

Model writing a possible interpretation of Greder’s point of view. For example:

“Armin Greder may have been wanting the reader to think about how humans react to people who are
different to themselves or from another place. Some groups, communities, and governments are fearful of
outsiders who might be looking for a better life. This fear can lead people to act with hostility and
suspicion, rather than care and compassion.”

Ask students to write and illustrate their own interpretation of Greder’s point of view. Provide illustrations from
the text for students to refer to in their response.
 

Enable students who require further support to present their responses in short written text supported by
drawings, or to make an audio or video recording.

3. Examine the author’s use of vocabulary to create meaning

Model analysing a sentence from the text to interpret how Greder intentionally uses language to create meaning
and position the reader. For example:

● Ask “How does Greder influence the reader’s thinking and present his point of view in this passage?

“In the end, the innkeeper agreed to let the man have the scraps he would otherwise toss to the pigs, and
they took him back to the goat pen.”

● Invite students to identify the verbs and nouns in the passage.

● Break the text apart, phrase by phrase, invite student responses and discuss the explicit use of words
and phrases to suit the purpose and intention of the author. 
Invite students to select a sentence from the text and repeat the complete a similar analysis, or you may wish to
preselect appropriate sentences.

Ask students to work collaboratively in pairs or small groups to discuss the possible purpose and intentions of
selected phrases from the sentence. Students could demonstrate their understanding by writing a short
explanation and/or drawing an image to match the excerpt.

Enable students to identify persuasive language by repeating the analysis with a different sentence, with the
teacher facilitating a discussion and responding to student contributions.

Generate a discussion around the suggested success criteria for this stage, “I can explain how the author uses
language to present a particular point of view.” Invite students to elaborate on their interpretations of passages
from the text.

Invite groups to share their interpretations of the selected sentences. Encourage group discussion and feedback
and provide opportunities for students to further develop their responses.

4. Using vocabulary with intention

Model changing the meaning of a sentence by using vocabulary intentionally to suggest that the villagers were
kind and generous. For example:

In the end, the innkeeper agreed to let the man have the scraps he would otherwise toss to the pigs, and they
took him back to the goat pen.

Happily, the inn keeper offered to provide the visitor with the left overs he would sometimes feed to his
animals, and they accompanied him back to his lodgings.

Allow time for students to practice using vocabulary intentionally to change the meaning of a sentence from the
text and to experiment with the sentence structure. View an example of Misty Adoniou examining the deliberate
use of language at 1.22.00 of the video.

Enable students by writing a shared text. Students can rewrite the example using their own word substitutions.
Write each word on to word cards so they can be physically removed and substituted to reduce the cognitive
load.

Extend students by suggesting they alter the language from a longer passage to develop a different point of
view. The students could further explore the use of literary texts as persuasive devices by writing a short story or
picture story book with a persuasive theme.

Reflect and consolidate

Invite students to share samples of their work. This could include the text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world
response, their summary of the Greder’s intention or the sentence work exploring evaluative language.

Revisit earlier questions for discussion:

● What ‘aspect of society’ might Greder be wanting the reader to think about?
 ● Do you think picture story books can be persuasive texts?

Collect student work samples to assess their ability to identify the author’s point of view and to use evaluative
language effectively.

References
Baker, J., 2000. The Hidden Forest. s.l.:Walker Books.

Crew, G., 2008. Cat on an Island. Sydney: Angus Roberston.

Crew, G. & Wilson, M., 2004. I Did Nothing: The Extinction of the Gastric-Brooding Frog. South Melbourne:
Lothian Books.

Facing History and Ourselves, n.d. Resource Library, Teaching Strategies, Text to Text, Text to Self, Text to
World. [Online] Available at: www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/text-text-text-self-
text-world[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Facing History and Ourselves, n.d. Resource Library, Teaching Strategies, Text to Text, Text to Self, Text to
World. [Online] Available at:
www.facinghistory.org/sites/default/files/TexttoText_handout_v.final_.pdf[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Lofthouse, L., 2012. Ziba Came by Boat. Australia: Penguin.Monaghan, F., 2015. NALDIC SCL RIG3: Misty
Adoniou – Literacy through Literature 3. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nu8dw8lkBLQ[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Monaghan, F., 2015. NALDIC SCL RIG3: Misty Adoniou - Literacy through Literature 2. [Online] Available
at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoKFruX-w3U[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Regional Leadership Conferences and Forums Team, 2018. Associate Professor Misty Adoniou – Workshop.
[Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=72vCotSIHzA&feature=emb_title[Accessed 15 March
2022].

Thinking Pathways, n.d. See Think Wonder. [Online] Available at:

thinkingpathwayz.weebly.com/seethinkwonder.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Thompson, C., 2006. The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley. s.l.:Hachette Australia.
Persuasion and Influence

3. Analysing Persuasive Elements in Visual Texts

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To understand how authors use images and ● I can identify the author’s intention or point
language to persuade the reader of view

● I can compare and contrast the visual

elements in persuasive texts

● I can suggest the effectiveness of different

approaches

Materials and texts

● A3 paper and coloured markers

● Access to digital resources

● Posters on a similar topic promoting a point of view (links provided). These posters could be enlarged
digitally or in hard copy, with smaller copies available for students to analyse closely.

● Double and triple Venn diagrams.

● Brainstorm: Purpose and features of persuasive texts: docx PDF

Get started
This stage of the sequence analyses visual texts and examines the ways artists, designers and writers use images
and language to present a point of view and influence their audience.

Select and display artworks that provoke discussion of social issues. For example, Gregg Segal and his
photographic series, 7 Days of Garbage, and El Anatsui and his artworks made from recycled materials are
intended to draw attention to waste and the environment. Further information about the artists, their approaches
and philosophies are available via the above links.
Facilitate a class discussion exploring the possible viewpoint of the artist and the possible motives or intentions
of the art works.

Encourage students to turn and talk with a partner. Suggested question prompts include:

● What do you see in these artworks?

● Why might El Anatsui have used waste materials to create his artworks?

● Why might Gregg Segal have wanted to photograph people with their weekly rubbish?

● What are some of the things these image makes you think about?

● What are the possible points of view the artists may have been wanting to promote? Explain the
evidence to support your thinking.

● Can you think of other artists that are trying to promote a point of view? For example, Banksy.

Encourage students to record short responses on sticky notes or paper strips. These responses could be displayed
with the artworks.

Discuss the student responses. Encourage students to elaborate on the way the artists have used images and
materials. Ask them: 'How might the artist be prompting the viewer to think about the issues of waste, recycling
and the impact of rubbish on our environment?'

Go deeper
Teacher-led example

Display persuasive posters covering a similar topic and encourage a discussion examining:

● the purpose of each poster

● the possible viewpoints promoted

● how the poster is attempting to influence the viewer

● the visual and text features of each poster.

Possible visual texts exploring a social issue could include, Plastic Pollution , Stop Sucking! Say NO to Plastic
Straws, and Wildlife Lost: eating plastic.

Select two posters on a similar topic and co-construct a Venn diagram with the students. Demonstrate methods
to compare and contrast the text and how to record information in dot points. Ask questions to prompt students
as they work. For example:

● What are some of the things these texts have in common?

● What are some of the differences between them?

● How might the author or designer be intending to influence the reader or viewer? Are they trying to
change the way you think or act?
 ● What are some of the techniques they are using to influence the reader?

● What are some of the techniques you find most persuasive in each image?

● How might the use of language influence the reader?

● How might the images influence the reader?

Collaborative investigation

Invite the students to form collaborative pairs. Each pair selects two images and work together to construct a
Venn diagram.

Monitor student progress and look for opportunities to discuss the key teaching points offered by each image in
small groups or with the whole class. For example: 

● Discuss the evidence provided in the Plastic Pollution poster and ask students to suggest whether the
purpose of this poster is informative or persuasive. Students may suggest that the poster is providing
information to support the view that plastic is harmful for the environment and sea life, and that
humans are using an enormous amount of plastic. However, it only provides facts, it doesn’t offer any
evaluative judgement.

● Invite students to suggest what the purpose of the Stop Sucking! Say NO to Plastic Straws poster might
be, and how it is trying to influence the reader's thinking and/or behaviour. Discuss the use of humour
and word play.

● Ask students what emotions and behaviours the Wildlife Lost postcard might be trying to promote.
What information is presented in the image?

Extend students by suggesting they use a triple Venn diagram to compare and contrast three of the images. You
could also extend student understanding of persuasive text types and purpose by exploring persuasion in
advertising. Possible texts could include the following Coke advertisements, Coke Zero, I’d like to buy the
world a Coke, Thanks for recycling and Share some team spirit. These advertisements could be compared to a
poster promoting water as a healthy drink.

Reflect and consolidate

The Venn diagrams could be collected to provide formative assessment information.

Ask the students to nominate a poster or advertisement that they consider to be the most persuasive and to
identify:

● the persuasive features

● how the text might influence the way they think, feel and will act in the future.

Provide a strip of paper or a sticky note for students to record a short response to the above question. The
responses could be collected and displayed with the posters.
References
ABC News, 2019. Soft drinks targeted with graphic images of tooth decay in new health campaign.
[Online] Available at: www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-22/soft-drinks-targeted-over-tooth-decay-new-health-
campaign/10735064[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Anatsui, E., n.d. Artworks. [Online] Available at: elanatsui.art/artworks?type=wall-hanging&type=installation-

floor&pages=2[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Anatsui, E., n.d. Biography. [Online] Available at: elanatsui.art/biography[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Coca-Cola Australia, 2019. Thanks for recycling. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?

v=AeF8dp0rz2Q[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Coca-Cola, 2019. Share some team spirit. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

QDdNUxWGwk[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Dipdrop Branding Solution, 2015. Coca cola creates first ever drinkable advertising campaign.
[Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQovoot_ZUM[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Global Population Speak out, n.d. Wildlife lost eating plastic. [Online] Available at:
populationspeakout.org/postcards/wildlife-lost-eating-plastic/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

N.S.W. Ministry of Health, n.d. Choose water as a drink. [Online] Available at:

www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/file/textandlinkbasedsidepanelteaser/
choosewaterasadrink.pdf[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Nova: Science for curious minds, n.d. Plastic pollution. [Online] Available at:
i.pinimg.com/originals/7b/e²/₀₄/7be204a9db2b1c9988ae4ce4daef32c5.png[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Project Aware, n.d. The ugly journey of our trash. [Online] Available at:
https://www.diveagainstdebris.org/publication/ugly-journey-our-trash[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Project ReBrief, 1971. Hilltop – I’d like to buy the world a Coke. [Online] Available at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VM2eLhvsSM[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Segal, G., n.d. 7 Days of Garbage. [Online] Available at:

www.greggsegal.com/P-Projects/7-Days-of-Garbage/1/caption[Accessed 15 March 2022].

The Museum of Australian Democracy, n.d. Teacher Guide: Graphic Organisers. [Online] Available at: getting-
it-together.moadoph.gov.au/teacher-guide/graphic-organisers.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

The New York Times, 2014. Banksy Mural Satirizing Racism is Erased After Complaint. [Online] Available at:
www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/world/europe/banksy-mural-removed-england-clacton-on-sea.html[Accessed 15
March 2022].

Visual humour, n.d. Stop Sucking, say no to plastic straws. [Online] Available at:
organicgypsy.co.za/wpcontent/uploads/2017/08/20369543_1516169585100102_2490599931183967062_o.jpg[
Accessed 15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

4. Analysing Persuasive Techniques in Written Texts

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To understand how authors use language, ● I can identify the author’s intention or point
images and evidence to present their views of view
and influence the reader
● I can identify and discuss an example of
evaluative language

● I can identify the evidence the author uses to

support their point of view

Materials and texts

● Multiple copies of a persuasive text for modelled, shared and independent reading.

● Coloured highlighters

● Brigitte Bardot letter: docx PDF

● Text analysis table: docx PDF

● Brainstorm: Purpose and features of persuasive texts: docx PDF

Get started
This stage of the sequence continues to build the context or field of persuasive texts. Modelled and collaborative
writing practices are used to construct texts.

Display an image from the cover of Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer.

Contextualise the image for the students. Explain that this is the cover of a recent study that estimates that cats
kill 1.5 billion native animals every year in Australia.

Discuss how the authors have used a powerful image, colour and emotive words, Companion and Killer, in the
title to influence the reader.
Invite the students to offer an opinion about cats. You could record and sort their responses as facts, opinions,
evidence or anecdotal stories on an anchor chart.

You may also wish to discuss the terms 'evaluative language' (language selected to suggest the worth or quality
of a process or thing) and 'emotive language' (language selected to invoke a strong emotional response). 

Go deeper
Text analysis

Model reading and summarising the persuasive features of a suitable text. For example, War on feral cats:
Australia aims to cull 2 million. Discuss the use of the term ‘War’ in the heading and the date and source of the
article.

Demonstrate how to summarise information from the text using a think-aloud strategy and record the relevant
details under the suggested headings below:

● Main idea/point of view

● Evaluative and emotive language

● Evidence to support the author’s point of view.

Suggest that students work in collaborative pairs to analyse two texts with different points of view and record
the key features of each in the text analysis table available in the Resources and texts section. Possible texts
include Brigitte Bardot’s open letter to Minister of the Environment and Natural born killers: The problem with
cats. 

Invite each collaborative pair to share their work and combine ideas with another group.

Enable students to analyse the text by inviting them to join guided or reciprocal reading groups, or completing
an analysis of one text rather that two.

Extend students by suggesting they investigate texts presenting different points of view on another topic and
analyse how each text has used persuasive devices, evidence and expert opinion to support their arguments.
Encourage students to identify rhetorical devices such as alliteration, repetition, and exaggeration. Possible texts
could include a Behind the News report on the Adani Coal Mine, a video by the Guardian News, Fact v Fiction ,
a video clip presenting views for and against the mine and a news report arguing the benefits the mine. Students
could also use a table to analyse these texts using an information, source and viewpoint lens. The text could also
be examined to distinguish between facts and opinions.

    

Exploring evaluative language

Ask students to suggest nouns that refer to cats. For example, puss, cats, kittens, pets, companions, felines,
house cat, domestic cat, farm cat, shed cat, wild cat, hunters, feral cat, introduced species, pest, vermin,
predators, killers.
Discuss how some of these words are subjective, evaluating the worth or quality of cats. Write the words on
cards, and invite students to construct a vocabulary cline. A cline is a scale of language that goes from one
extreme to another, for example positive to negative, or from light to dark. Invite students to explain how they
sorted the words and to elaborate on their thinking.

Display the following text:

Cats are fabulous little predators. They’ve honed their skills over millions of years and, despite appearing
beguilingly fluffy and adorable, they are swift and silent killers.

Invite students to suggest the author’s point of view, and to elaborate on their word choice.

Ask students to rewrite the passage, replacing the underlined words to alter the meaning of the text.

Extend students’ awareness of the emotive language used in the text and to recognise the gradations in meaning
by constructing a vocabulary cline using other evaluative language examples.

Reflect and consolidate

Review the text analysis charts and vocabulary exercises completed by the students.

Display a mentor text clearly. Read the text with the students, identifying the main argument, evaluative and
emotive language and any evidence that the authors use to support their point of view. Encourage students to
identify particular text and language features. Annotate the text summarising each text feature.

Collect student text analysis charts and vocabulary exercises to assess against the success criteria.

References
ABC News, 2015. Brigitte Bardot condemns Environment Minister Greg Hunt's plan to cull 2 million feral cats.
[Online] Available at: www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-22/brigitte-bardot-condemns-greg-hunt-for-feral-cut-cull-
plan/6640846[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2017. Behind the News, Adani Coal Mine. [Online] Available at: www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/adani-
coal-mine/10522196[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Australian Resources and Energy Group, 2017. Time to fully understand the benefits of Adani’s Carmichael
Project. [Online] Available at: www.amma.org.au/news-media/media-center/time-fully-understand-benefits-
adanis-carmichael-project/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

CSIRO Publishing, n.d. Cats in Australia: companion and killer. [Online] Available at:
www.publish.csiro.au/book/7784/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Doherty, T., 2015. The Conversation, Feral feast: cats kill hundreds of Australian animals. [Online] Available
at: theconversation.com/feral-feast-cats-kill-hundreds-of-australian-animals-35555[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Guardian News, n.d. Fact V Fiction: Adani’s Carmichael coal mine – video explainer. [Online] Available at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdHZ82dtLrE[Accessed 15 March 2022].

McNeill, E., 2017. Australia and Adani mine. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tLcO_MplNeE[Accessed 15 March 2022].
Ministry of Education, Te Kete Ipurangi, n.d. Clines. [Online] Available at: esolonline.tki.org.nz/ESOL-
Online/Planning-for-my-students-needs/Resources-for-planning/ESOL-teaching-strategies/Vocabulary/
Clines[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Pickerell, J., 2019. Australian Geographic, Natural born killers: the problem with cats. [Online] Available at:
www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2013/03/natural-born-killers-the-problem-with-cats/
[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Power, J., 2017. The Sydney Morning Herald, ‘The war on feral cats: Australia to cull 2 million.
[Online] Available at: www.smh.com.au/national/war-on-feral-cats-australia-aims-to-cull-2-million-20170214-
gucp4o.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

State Government of Victoria (Department of Education and Training), 2019. Literacy Teaching Toolkit:
Modelling through think alouds. [Online] Available at:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/
speakinglistening/Pages/teachingpracmodelling.aspx[Accessed 15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

5. Analysing Persuasive Texts: Collaborative Investigation

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To recognise that texts are written to reflect ● I can identify particular features in a
the viewpoint of the author persuasive text

● To identify the techniques authors use to ● I can collaborate with my peers to present
develop a persuasive text our ideas clearly in writing and during
discussion

Materials and texts

● Jigsaw protocol: docx PDF

● Persuasive text - Brigitte Bardot's letter: docx PDF

Provide students with a wide range of persuasive texts, for example, posters, speeches, newspaper articles,
advertisements and written texts. Select materials that align with your students’ interests or and/or the themes
being studied in the classroom.

Get started
This stage of the sequence continues to build the context or field of persuasive texts. Modelled and collaborative
reading practices are used to explore and analyse a variety of persuasive texts.

Explain to the students that they will be working in collaborative groups to closely examine and analyse
persuasive texts. They will be gathering information to collaboratively create a poster that provides examples of
the key structural and language features of persuasive texts.

Establish or revise classroom protocols for working in collaborative groups. For example, the role of each
student, listening behaviours, speaking behaviours, sharing or allocating work within the group, recording and
sharing information.

Provide a visual instruction explaining the Jigsaw protocol. (An example is provided in the Materials and texts
section above. You may wish to alter the tasks assigned to each group.)
Invite students to view and discuss the purpose and persuasive techniques used in the video, Dirty Water.

“Every day 1.1 billion people have to wash with, bath in and drink dirty water.
That’s the same as the population of North America and Europe.
We can’t live with that fact. Can you?”

Possible discussion prompts:

● Describe some of the feelings you had while watching the video.

● Who is the author/creator of the video?

● What might the purpose of this visual text be?

● Which images did you find the most emotive or powerful?

● What might be the intention of the words displayed in the video?

You may wish to explicitly refer to the purpose of the video, which is to raise awareness of, and encourage
people to donate money to World Vision’s Clean Water campaign. The discussion could also reference the
persuasive strategies used in the video, for example, building empathy with the viewer, providing statistics and
asking a rhetorical question. A comparison could be made between the techniques used in Dirty Water with the
approach taken three years later by another World Vision promotion, Every Child Deserves Clean Water.

Go deeper
Modelled text exploration

Discuss with students the purposes of persuasive texts. Ask students to provide examples of persuasive texts that
might be trying the change the way we think, feel and act. For example: advertisements are trying to sell a
product, the World Vision Clean Water campaign may be trying to affect social change while some persuasive
campaigns, such as the Cancer Council’s Sun Smart, aims to influence behaviour.

Select an appropriate text and model completing each of the assigned jigsaw tasks and recording the ideas in
point form. Brigitte Bardot’s letter to the Environment Minister (available in Materials and Texts) is provided as
an example that could be used for this task.

Expert Group Number Jigsaw Group Task

1 List the author, the text type, and summarise the

point of view of each text

2 Suggest how the text was trying to influence the

reader to think, feel or act

3 List any persuasive language features used in the

text. For example, evaluate language, modal verbs,
emotive language, exaggeration, rhetorical questions.

4 Highlight the topic sentences and/or key ideas in the

text.

5 Summarise evidence used to support the topic

sentences and key ideas.(a) List the use of nouns and
abstract nouns, for example: sharks, magnificent
creatures, they, species, animals.(b) List the
 conjunctions used in the texts to connect and extend
ideas, for example: and, therefore, despite.

Optional
Comment on how the ideas are organised in the text.
For example:
Poster – headings, sub-headings, graphics and fast
facts
Written text – headings, paragraphs, topic sentences
Video – sound, images, voice, tone

Enable students to successfully read and explore a range of persuasive texts by selecting mixed ability groups
where all students will be supported. Students requiring assistance with reading comprehension or
understanding concepts could also be supported in guided reading groups.

Extend student analysis of the texts by asking them to suggest counter arguments and to discuss what
viewpoints, ideas or evidence might be missing from the texts.

Collaborative text analysis

Students move to expert groups to read and analyse a range of persuasive texts. Allow time for expert groups to
discuss and share their thinking. Experts then return to their original group to share their findings.

The original groups collaborate to design a poster that lists different types of persuasive texts and provides
examples of persuasive devices used by authors. Students could use digital tools to create a multimedia poster.

This activity could be repeated a number of times to allow students to examine a wide range of quality
persuasive texts.

Reflect and consolidate

Invite students to share their work and add to each other’s posters with a gallery walk. Provide sticky notes for
students to give feedback to each other. For example, they could comment on features of the posters that are
clearly expressed, to identify new learning and to add additional information they feel has been omitted.

Ask students to present examples of:

● Different ways that writers stated their point of view or argument. For example, was the point of view
suggested in the title, clearly stated or was it inferred throughout the text?

● The author aiming to influence the reader to think, feel or act a particular way.

● Evaluative language

● Modal verbs
 ● Emotive language

● Images

● Simile or metaphor

● Rhetorical questions

Collect and display the posters. Gauge student understanding of persuasive techniques and their ability to
connect evidence to the key arguments presented.

Invite students to complete an individual reflection and list any new learning or questions they may have about
persuasive techniques. These questions could be addressed in individual conferencing or as a whole class focus.

References
ABC, 2017. Behind the News, Kangaroo Control. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/kangaroo-control/10522362[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2017. Behind the News, School Uniform Debate. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/school-uniform-debate/10522370[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2018. Behind the News, Shark Cull Debate. [Online] Available at: www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/shark-
cull-debate/10611652[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2019. Behind the News, BTN Newsbreak: Are loot boxes gambling?. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/newsbreak/btn-newsbreak-²⁰¹⁹¹⁰²³/₁₁₆₃₃₁₁₂[Accessed 15 March 2022].

ABC, 2019. Behind the News, Student Climate Protests. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/climate-protest/10910858[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Advertising TV, n.d. Mum’s Birthday, Cadbury. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?

v=TfMt3HN8tuY[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Cancer Council, n.d. All Sunsmart Resources. [Online] Available at:

www.cancersa.org.au/cut-my-risk/sunsmart/resources/all-sunsmart-resources#posters[Accessed 15 March
2022].

Glogster, n.d. Multimedia posters with 3D. [Online] Available at: edu.glogster.com/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Idaho State University, n.d. What can we do about plastic. [Online] Available at: image.isu.pub/160610145431-
b6fc13db7dd60c1328e94df17c9a432d/jpg/page_105.jpg[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Nova: Science for curious minds, n.d. Plastic pollution. [Online] Available at:
i.pinimg.com/originals/7b/e²/₀₄/7be204a9db2b1c9988ae4ce4daef32c5.png[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Organic Gypsy, n.d. Stop Sucking, say no to plastic straws. [Online] Available at:
organicgypsy.co.za/wpcontent/uploads/2017/08/20369543_1516169585100102_2490599931183967062_o.jpg[
Accessed 15 March 2022].

TED, 2016. Our Campaign to ban plastic bags in Bali. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=P8GCjrDWWUM&t=131s[Accessed 15 March 2022].

TEDXTalks, 2015. Kids Can Too, Noah Diguangco,TEDxKids@BC. [Online] Available at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5RZF9fAjW4[Accessed 15 March 2022].

TedXTalks, 2018. Kids against plastic, Amy & Ella Meek, TEDxExeter. [Online] Available at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxtlqHjxvo[Accessed 15 March 2022].

The Guardian, 2019. You did not act in time: Greta Thunderg’s full speech to MPs. [Online] Available at:
theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/23/greta-thunberg-full-speech-to-mps-you-did-not-act-in-time[Accessed
15 March 2022].
The Travels, 2016. Consumerism Speech - The Negative Effects. [Online] Available at: youtube.com/watch?
v=W18M2o5K2yA[Accessed 15 March 2022].

World Vision, 2011. Dirty Water. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH0MiUsdSLc[Accessed

15 March 2022].

World Vision, 2014. Every Child Deserves Clean Water. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=BiVcGlVEp0U[Accessed 15 March 2022].

World Vision, 2019. Clean Water. [Online] Available at: www.worldvision.org/our-work/clean-water[Accessed

15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

6. Creating Persuasive Texts: Developing Ideas

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To develop a clear point of view on a topic ● I can use thinking tools to organise my ideas
of interest on a topic

● I can clearly express my point of view

Materials and texts

● Visual prompts to generate discussion about relevant controversial issues. For example, technology
use, pollution, animal welfare, homework policy, uniform policy.

● Writing materials for class brainstorming activities. For example, poster paper, sticky notes, coloured
pens.

Get started
This stage of the sequence moves towards independent construction as students plan a persuasive text.

Explain to students that they will be asked to agree or disagree with a number of statements. Students who agree
will move to one side of the room, and students who disagree will move to the opposite side. They will then be
invited to explain why they decided for or against each statement.

Display an image about an issue that is of interest and relevant to your students. For example, students, children
and adults using phones and computers in a variety of settings.

Suggested statements to generate discussion:

● Technology is a useful tool to make learning fun and interesting.

● Children spend too much time on their devices.

● Adults spend too much time on their devices.

● Everyone should be allowed to use a device at the dinner table.

Statements that include both fact and opinion could be explored. For example:

● Cats make fabulous pets.

● Cats are mammals.

● Cats kill an enormous number of native animals every year.

● Councils should pass laws to ban cats from being allowed outside.

● It is cruel to keep cats locked up inside at night.

Encourage students to provide reasons for their decisions and to support their viewpoints with personal stories
or evidence.

Provide opportunities for students with opposing views to explain their thinking. Remind students of the
importance of being open minded and listening actively to their peers.

Following this activity, ask students why it might be important to consider all points of view in an argument.

Go deeper
Support students to develop a clear contention or point of view on a topic that will be developed into a
persuasive text.

Class Brainstorm

Brainstorm issues that are relevant to your students. These should be issues they feel strongly about and would
like to address. They could include something about their personal circumstances, for example, pocket money,
uniforms or homework; something in their community, for example their school or neighbourhood; or
something at a national or international level, for example, coal mining, deforestation or pollution in the oceans.

Record and display student responses.

Explore issues of personal interest

Provide students with three thought starter questions to further explore issues of personal interest. Ask students
to record three ideas under each of these sentence beginnings:

● I know…

● I care about …

● I wish people understood …

Display these questions on poster paper with students writing their responses on sticky notes. Share and display
their collective thinking.

Encourage students to elaborate on their sentences to identify a clear point of view.

Mind Mapping

Model how to create a mind map on an issue. Demonstrate how to begin with a main argument, develop
supporting statements, how and where to include relevant evidence and to consider counter arguments. Display
mind mapping examples if your students are not familiar with the process.

Support students to select an issue and to compose a clear statement outlining their point of view.

Provide materials and sufficient time for students to create their own mind map.
Explore counter arguments

Use the doughnut sharing protocol to deepen student thinking around particular issues and to consider counter
arguments. Ask students to quickly discuss issues, suggesting ideas that support or challenge a particular point
of view. Assist the students to form two circles, an inner circle and an outer circle. Nominate one circle to
support each statement, the other to provide counter arguments. Record examples of the statements developed
by students. 

Read statements expressing a clear point of view to the students. Ask guiding questions to encourage robust and
respectful discussion exploring different viewpoints. Possible questions:

● What is your point of view?

● What is your most powerful argument?

● What action would you like people to take?

● What rhetorical question could you ask, in order to reinforce your point of view?

Plus, Minus, Interesting

Introduce the Plus, Minus, Interesting thinking protocol and invite students to consider the points that may
support and contradict their argument.

Reflect and consolidate

Invite students to share their mind maps and thinking tools. Possible question prompts:

● How have your ideas developed to support your original argument?

● Do you think that some of the supporting ideas are stronger than others?

● How might you organise your ideas?

● Why might it be important to include counter arguments in a persuasive piece?

● Can you think of a counter argument to add to a peer’s mind map?

Discuss with students how the mind map or plus, minus interesting chart could be developed to create a logical
argument, either as a written, visual or spoken text.

References
Coalition for the protection of racehorses, 2016. Download a poster. [Online] Available at:
horseracingkills.com/resources/download-a-poster/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Dainius, 2015. Removed: Photographer removes phones from his photos to show how terribly addicted we’ve
become, Bored Panda. [Online] Available at: boredpanda.com/portraits-holding-devices-removed-eric-
pickersgill/[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Lindsay2431, 2016.  Is Too Much Homework bad for kids’ health?, 17 March. [Online] Available at:
lindsayshank.wordpress.com/2016/03/17/is-too-much-homework-bad-for-kids-health/[Accessed 15 March
2022].

Mind mapping, n.d. 10 Really Cool Mind Mapping Examples. [Online] Available at:
mindmapsunleashed.com/10-really-cool-mind-mapping-examples-you-will-learn-from[Accessed 15 March
2022].
State Government of Victoria (Department of Education and Training), 2020. Literacy Teaching Toolkit:
Classroom Talk Techniques. [Online] Available at:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/
speakinglistening/Pages/exampleclasstalk.aspx[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Teaching Channel, 2019. Spark your persuasive writing: 3 simple prompts. [Online] Available at:
www.teachingchannel.org/video/persuasive-story-starters-ypp[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Virtual Library, 2019. Plus, Minus, Interesting. [Online] Available at: www.virtuallibrary.info/pmi-plus-minus-

interesting-strategy.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Waymouth, B., 2017. Plastic: It’s what’s for dinner, Huffington Post,  6 December. [Online] Available at:
www.huffpost.com/entry/plastic-its-whats-for-din_b_6511242[Accessed 15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

7. Creating Persuasive Texts: From Talking to Writing

Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To examine how spoken texts differ from ● I can use formal language to present a point
written texts of view

● To use noun groups and conjunctions to ● I can use nouns, noun groups and
write clearly conjunctions to improve my writing

● I can use vocabulary to improve the

meaning of a text

Materials and texts

● Stimulus material

● Access to digital texts

● Recording devices such as an iPad

Get started
This stage of the sequence focuses on the joint construction of a persuasive text.

Provide students with an example of a formal speech and an informal discussion. For example, Kids Need
Recess, and Cat Ban. Cat Ban is a Behind the News report, where students are invited to express their point of
view on the topic at the end of the article.

Promote a discussion examining the different language styles in the two examples. Possible question prompts
could include:

● When and where might you use formal language to persuade?

 ● Why might it be important to learn to write or speak in a formal style?

● What are some of the differences between how the children expressed their point of view?

● Did you notice any differences in the language they were using? Can you provide examples?

Provide a short transcript from Cat Ban. For example:

“Not all cats go for … like native animals and I think that what they are planning to do is cool. I reckon
they should … like let them stay inside at night and let them roam around in the morning.”

Identify any informal or unclear language, for example: they, like, reckon, cool.

Identify the nouns in the transcript and model how to develop noun groups and phrases. For example:

● all cats, all domestic cats; friendly domestic cats

● native animals, small native mammals, native birds, our endangered natives birds and small mammals

● they, the council, the City Council of Canberra.

During a shared writing activity, invite students to suggest how to adapt the transcript and write it as a formal
statement, providing the reader with details and expressing a clear point of view. For example, the informal text
above could be re-written as:

“The recent plans by the City Council of Canberra to restrict our friendly domestic felines from roaming
free has some merit. Keeping domestic cats inside at night will ensure both the loved pets and the native
birds and small mammals are safe. However, it is unnecessary to lock friendly cats up both day and night.
Not every domestic cat hunts and kills native animals and all cats should be able to enjoy the sunshine and
roam freely around the garden during the day.”

Go deeper
Encourage students to select an issue that is of interest to them and to briefly write down a contention or point of
view about the topic.

Explain that they are to record themselves speaking for one minute on their chosen topic, presenting their
argument with supporting facts and opinions.

Provide time for the students to transcribe their conversations and to change the text from informal to formal,
adding language features typical of persuasive texts. This activity could be undertaken in collaborative pairs.

Enable students to successfully change their informal spoken text to a formal written text by assisting them to
transcribe their informal dialogue and offering guidance during writing conferences. Another option may be for
students to rewrite a shorter transcript using a formal language style.

Extend students by suggesting they create a written text, and a short speech using formal language. Students
could then record themselves presenting the speech.

Reflect and consolidate

Organise students into collaborative groups for peer feedback. Students could examine the written work and/or
listen to each other present their formal speeches. Suggest that partners use the traffic lights protocol (searchable
online) to provide positive feedback and identify parts of the text that could be improved.

Share a de-identified student sample with the class. Highlight where improvements have been made and model
how to further improve student writing.

References
ABC, 2014. Behind the News, Cat Ban. [Online] Available at:
www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/cat-ban/10527542[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Tedx Talks, 2014. Simon Link, Kids need recess. [Online] Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Kh9GbYugA1Y[Accessed 15 March 2022].
Persuasion and Influence

8. Creating Persuasive Texts: Modelled, Shared and

Independent Writing
Suggested Learning Intentions Sample Success Criteria
● To present a point of view using persuasive ● I can present a point of view clearly
text features
● I can support my point of view with reason
● To support an argument with logical reasons and evidence
and evidence
● I can use persuasive techniques to
strengthen my point of view

Materials and texts

● Paper for collaborative writing task

● Access to online resources

● Research materials

● Publishing materials

Get started
This stage of the sequence focuses on the independent construction of texts, enabling students to create their
own persuasive text whilst building skill through engagement in mini-lessons.

Demonstrate the thinking involved when planning a persuasive text.  Select a familiar topic that is of interest to
the students and a planning model. For example, a persuasion map or an open mind map (searchable online).
Think aloud as you plan and discuss the thinking behind your choices. For example: 'An argument is
strengthened by evidence, so I will include evidence in my plan.'
Remind students that the number of paragraphs is determined by the number of key points supporting the
general argument.

Provide all students with a copy of the plan.

Invite students to form collaborative pairs and to develop a section of the plan into a written format. Encourage
them to consider how they might present the text, for example as a speech, cautionary tale, advertisement,
poster, letter or essay. Discuss how images could be used to support the argument. The RAFT framework could
be used to support student thinking and planning.

Share student work and provide teacher and peer feedback. Provide explicit feedback on editing and revising the
text to include modal verbs, evaluative language, rhetorical questions and evidence to support the arguments.

Go deeper

Explain to students that they will be planning, drafting and publishing a persuasive text on a topic of their
choice. Allow time for brainstorming and provide possible options for students.

Encourage students to consider:

● Their general topic and argument. What do they know about the topic, what do they need to find out?
How will they source that information?

● Who is the intended audience? Is the contention dealing with a family, school, community, state or
national issue? Will the age group of the audience influence the way the point of view is presented?

● What format will they use to present the persuasive text? It could be a letter, a speech, a poster, an
illustrated narrative or artwork. Encourage students to collect mentor texts that provide examples of
persuasive formats, techniques and devices.

● The planning method they will use to organise their ideas.

Discuss assessment considerations with the students. Collaborate to make a list of the key features of successful
persuasive texts. You may choose to co-construct an assessment rubric with your students.

While students work independently to plan, draft and publish their persuasive texts, provide explicit teaching
and individual feedback using the writing workshop model.

Possible mini lessons:

● Writing introductions: Read introductions that include a factual account or an emotive story. Model
writing a persuasive introduction using a similar style, then ask students to use the same techniques.
Display the writing and ask students to add a coloured dot to the introduction they liked the best. Ask
the students to explain their choices and discuss the effectiveness of the persuasive techniques that
were used.

● Structuring a paragraph: Explicitly analyse well-structured paragraphs. You could introduce or

revise the TEEL model (Topic, Elaborate, Evidence, Link). Co-construct a paragraph using one of the
student’s plans as a starting point.

● Using emotive language: Ask students to determine if words suggest positive (happy, delightful,
comfortable, majestic, gentle, healthy) or negative emotions (appalling, disgusting, barbaric,
 dangerous, expensive, boring). This could be done with a thumbs up, thumbs down activity or a word
sort. 

● Display examples of texts where the author has used evaluative language. Highlight the evaluative
language. Invite the students to use an example of emotive language from the text, for example,
'slaughtered' or 'cruel', and construct a vocabulary cline, exploring how language can be used to suggest
gradations in meaning. For example, pleasant, helpful, friendly, unhelpful, unfriendly, cruel, wicked,
evil.

● Modality: Model changing the impact of a statement by substituting low modality words and phrases
with high modality words and phrases. Invite students to write statements using high modality and to
review their own writing to include high modality words and phrases. 

● Using personal pronouns to create a connection with the reader: Model using personal pronouns to
engage and include the reader. For example, we, you, us and our. Find examples of writing where the
author has used personal pronouns. Ask students to write statements and rhetorical questions using
personal pronouns.

● Exaggeration: Identify the exaggeration used in the opening of this speech, ‘Say NO to second hand
smoke.’

● Repetition: Find texts where key words or phrases have been repeated to help the key themes and
arguments stick in the mind of the reader. Extend your student’s understanding of this persuasive
strategy by providing a copy of Martin Luther King’s speech and ask them to find repeated phrases in
his speech, particularly his use of the phrase, ‘one hundred years ago’, and ‘I have a dream’.

● Rhetorical questions: Find examples of rhetorical questions to discuss with the students. Ask students
to write sentences beginning with a rhetorical question such as:

How would you feel if …

Do you really think …
Is it really worth …
What would happen if …
What would the world be like if …

Students could work in small, collaborative teams to think of as many questions as possible within a few
minutes.

● Counter argument/rebuttal: Model how to structure a paragraph that deals with a counter argument.
Provide a statement expressing a clear point of view and invite students to brainstorm points for and
against the statement. Record student suggestions on the board. Model writing a paragraph including a
rebuttal. Provide a scaffolded paragraph for students to use as a model for their own writing. For
example, “While some people may believe that …, this would not be practical because …”

● Using evidence or expert opinion to support a point of view: Display examples of writing where the
author has clearly used evidence or a quote from an expert to logically support a point of view. Model
how to write a paragraph using evidence to support the main argument.

● Writing conclusions: Ask students to find strong examples of concluding paragraphs that end the text
in an interesting and convincing way. Invite students to read a chosen conclusion to the class and
explain why they found that text convincing. Provide examples of conclusions that include a brief
story, a question, a challenge or an inspirational quote. Provide opportunities for the students to
collaborate with a partner to write concluding paragraphs experimenting with some of the techniques
examined.

As students are working on their independent persuasive tasks, provide individual feedback and support during
student-teacher conferences. Additional instruction and support could be provided to students with similar needs
during a guided writing group.
Promote a collaborative approach to writing by providing many opportunities for students to:

● share their writing on a daily basis and engage in group discussion about the writing process

● comment on each other’s strengths

● identify areas of the draft they had difficulty understanding or that they feel could be improved.

Reflect and consolidate

Invite students to share their drafts and work in progress. Assess student work against any agreed assessment
rubrics or checklists. Allow opportunities for students to revise and improve their work.

Use feedback protocols throughout the writing sessions to identify student learning needs and focus areas for
teaching. For example, the 3-2-1 protocol would provide an opportunity for students to communicate their
successes and questions.

Encourage students to complete a self-reflection when they have completed their published piece. The reflection
could include some of the following sentence stems:

● Things I have learnt about persuasion …

● Things I have found challenging …

● Things I am proud of …

● I used to … but now I …

● One thing I will remember to do in the future is …

● One thing I really want to learn is ...

References
Best Speech Topics, n.d. Persuasive Speech Example: Say No to second hand smoke. [Online] Available at:
www.best-speech-topics.com/persuasive-speech-example.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Education World, n.d. Goal: ending child labour. [Online] Available at:

www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/worksheets/TCM/pdfs/010202il-download.pdf[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Ham, A., 2014. Gone Feral: The cats devouring our wildlife’, Sydney Morning Herald, September 12.
[Online] Available at: www.smh.com.au/national/gone-feral-the-cats-devouring-our-wildlife-20140911-
10fbs1.html[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Kwong, J., 2018. Martin Luther King Junior’s ‘I have a dream’ speech full text and video, Newsweek, April 4.
[Online] Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/mlk-jr-assassination-anniversary-i-have-dream-speech-full-
text-video-870680[Accessed 15 March 2022].

Ministry of Education, Te Kete Ipurangi, n.d. Clines. [Online] Available at: esolonline.tki.org.nz/ESOL-

Online/Planning-for-my-students-needs/Resources-for-planning/ESOL-teaching-strategies/Vocabulary/
Clines[Accessed 15 March 2022].

State Government of Victoria (Department of Education and Training), 2019. Literacy Teaching Toolkit, TEEL.
[Online] Available at: www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/
literacy/writing/Pages/exampleslearningcyclethree.aspx[Accessed 15 March 2022].

The Teacher Toolkit, n.d. 3-2-1. [Online] Available at: www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/3-2-

1[Accessed 15 March 2022].
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