Persuasion slides 2016 part a

Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.
Persuasive Writing
in the Middle Grades (5-7)
OSPI Instructional Support Materials for Writing
Version Two – June 2007
These materials were developed by Washington teachers to help students improve their writing.

Persuasive Prompt –
baseline paper
Some seventh graders attend school
where their teachers do not accept late
homework. Your principal is thinking of
making this a rule at your school. Take a
position on this rule. Write a multiple-
paragraph letter to your principal to
persuade him or her to support your
position.

Expository vs. Persuasive
Writing
What is the difference?

Expository vs. Persuasion
• Expository writing
 has a narrow topic.
 stays focused on the
main ideas.
 is elaborated using
reasons, well-chosen
and specific details,
examples, and/or
anecdotes to support
ideas.
• Persuasive writing
 has a clear position and
is focused on that
position.
 has more than one
argument to support a
position.
 is elaborated by using
reasons, well-chosen
and specific details,
examples, anecdotes,
facts, and/or statistics as
evidence to support
arguments.

 includes information
that is interesting,
thoughtful, and
necessary for the
audience.
 uses transitions to
connect ideas.
 is organized to make
the best case for my
position.
 uses transitions to
connect position,
arguments, and
evidence.

 is organized with an
introduction,
supporting paragraphs
with main points and
elaboration, and an
effective conclusion.
 is organized to make
the best case with an
opening, including the
position statement,
and an effective
persuasive conclusion,
such as a call to
action.
 anticipates and refutes
the opposing position.

 shows care about the
topic with voice and
language appropriate
for the audience.
 uses specific words
and phrases that help
the reader understand
ideas.
 shows commitment to
position with voice and
language appropriate
for the audience.
 uses specific words,
phrases, and
persuasive strategies
that urge or compel to
support a position.

Expository Example
• Expository writing is explaining.
 I would include my skates because I love to
ice skate. I especially love ice dancing, a form
of ice skating in which you have a partner,
don’t jump or do lifts above the boy’s head,
and are partly judged on the quality of your
edges and interpretation of the music.

Persuasive Example
• Persuasive writing is convincing.
 Some late work counts as 70% credit, giving
kids a C- which is passing. Some kids are
happy because they think a C- is a good
grade. How can we allow students to turn in
all of their work late but still have a passing
grade? The kids that have C-’s don’t care
about their work because even if they turn it in
late, they can still get a passing grade. These
kids have sort of twisted the grading system
to benefit themselves. This can no longer be
allowed.

Purposes of Persuasive
Writing

Persuasion is Powerful
Use it to:
SupportSupport
aa
CauseCause

Use it to:
UrgeUrge
PeoplePeople
ToTo
ActionAction

Use it to:
MakeMake
AA
ChangeChange

Use it to:
ProveProve
SomethingSomething
WrongWrong

Use it to:
StirStir
UpUp
SympathySympathy

Use it to:
CreateCreate
InterestInterest

Use it to:
GetGet
PeoplePeople
ToTo
AgreeAgree
WithWith
YouYou

Persuasion is Powerful!
Use it to…
Purposes
1.Support a cause
2.Urge people to action
3.Make a change
4.Prove something wrong
Persuasive Examples
• Please support my soccer
team by buying discount
coupons.
• Vote for Pedro.
• The principal should let
us wear hats.
• Cars do not cause global
warming.

Persuasion is Powerful!
Use it to…
Purpose
4.Stir up sympathy
5.Create interest
6.Get people to agree
with you
Persuasive Examples
• If you don’t adopt this dog, it
could be put to death.
• Better grades get you a
better job and more money.
• I am sure you’ll agree
Snickers are the best candy
bars.

Effective Persuasion Essentials
Audience Awareness
Clear Position
Persuasive Language
Organizational Structure

Persuasive Writing
Persuasive writing is recursive in
nature. These essential elements
are constantly working together to
make the best case for the writer’s
position.

Audience Awareness
Providing information an audience
may need and/or anticipating an
audience’s point of view

Audience Awareness
• Know your audience before you start writing.
 The audience is who will read your writing.
 The audience may be your teacher, your
parents, your friends, or the President of the
United States.

Audience Awareness
• Knowing who your audience is helps you
to decide:
 How to connect with the ideas, knowledge, or
beliefs of the person or group.
 What information to include.
 What arguments will persuade him/her.
 How informal or formal the language should
be.

Audience Awareness – example
Dear Mrs. Gillingham,
Imagine you were a student, sitting in
algebra when your teacher says, “Okay,
get out your homework.” You rustle
around in your backpack for a while until
you realize -- oh no! You left your
homework at home, perfectly done.

Clear Position
A position or argument; the
audience knows exactly what the
writer wants

Clear Position
• The writer must clearly state or imply
his/her position and stay with that position.
• Generally, the position is stated in the
opening paragraph or introduction.

Clear Position – example
I am writing this letter to persuade you to make
a rule against turning in late homework
assignments. At first that sounds unbearable for
us kids, but when you really look at it you see it
does more good than bad. Just simply turning in
our homework on time prepares us for the hurdles
life throws at us. Have you ever thought to look at it
from the teacher’s point of view? They don’t really
want to grade a late assignment from last quarter.
Having no late homework will also be very pleasing
to those of us who get their work done on time by
not seeing kids with A’s that haven’t turned a single
assignment in on time.

Find the Position Statement
Imagine you were a student sitting in your math class
when your teacher says, “Okay, get out your homework!”
You rustle around in your backpack for a while until you
realize – oh no! You left our homework at home perfectly
done. The teacher comes by your desk and you say, “I
am sorry. I left my homework at home. My mom just had
a baby, so I was taking care of her, and I just ran out the
door without it.” Your teacher smiles at you. “It’s okay. I
understand. Just bring it in tomorrow.” Isn’t that a better
situation than “Oh too bad! You don’t get any credit for
it.”? Late homework should be accepted, and I will tell
you why.

Find the Position Statement
My feeling about the rule that teachers do
not accept late homework is definitely a
mixed one. I know that the rule has its
pros and cons, but I really do think that the
cons heavily outweigh the pros. I would
like to show you, the principal, my position
on this rule in a little bit more depth.

Persuasive Language
Words and phrases that urge or
compel the reader to support the
position of the author

Persuasive Language
Persuasive language is choosing just the right words or
phrases to use at just the right time with just the right
audience.
 Precise words trigger strong feelings.
 Seizes
 Snarls
 Dumbstruck
 Repeated words or phrases for emphasis
 I have a dream…(Martin Luther King, Jr.)
 Different connotations
 Mean or strict
 Died or passed away
 Used or pre-owned

Find Words that Could Be More
Persuasive
You are a young middle school student. Essay in
one hand, you go to class. “I’m done!” You are
glad.
The teacher takes the essay out of your hands
and throws it away. She says, “It’s a day late!”
You look at your hard work. The teacher didn’t
look at it! The No Late Homework Rule is bad.

Persuasive Language
Imagine yourself as a young middle school
student. Five page essay in one hand, you rush
into the classroom. “I’m done! I’m done!” You pant,
beaming proudly.
The teacher seizes the essay out of your grasp
and tears it to pieces before your eyes. She snarls,
“It’s a day late!” On your knees, you stare
dumbstruck at your hard work, ripped to shreds.
The teacher didn’t even glance at it! The No Late
Homework Rule is a cruel, horrible rule.

Organizational Structures
Counter-Argument/Concession/Rebuttal
Causal Chain
Order of Importance
Introductions/Conclusions

Organizational Structure –
Concession/Rebuttal
Acknowledging or recognizing the opposing
viewpoint, conceding something that has
some merit, and then refuting it with
another argument

My Turn! Your Turn!
(Preparing for Concession/Rebuttal)
• Get with a partner.
• Choose one rule in your school that needs to be
revised, added, or eliminated, and think about
why. Each partner may choose a different rule.
• Each of you takes the role of a student. Write the
rule, what needs to be changed, and why.

My Turn! Your Turn!
• Trade your paper with your partner.
• Acting as principal, respond to your partner’s paper
and write back with the principal’s arguments.
• When you get your own paper back, respond again,
this time as a student.
• Repeat.
• Repeat once more.
• Your paper, when complete, will show two points of
view (an argument and counter argument).

Group Discussion
• Say goodbye to your partner and find two
other people for a discussion.
• Each student reads his/her own paper aloud.
• Select one paper from your group. Discuss
and write the answers to the following
questions based on that paper:
 Which arguments were effective?
 What made them effective?
 Were you persuaded? Why or why not?

Concession/Rebuttal
• Concession and rebuttal (or counter
argument). In a concession, you acknowledge
that certain opposing arguments have some
truth. The rebuttal explains how this does not
weaken your argument. This makes you sound
open–minded. This sounds like. . .
I know what other kids would say…
I have a possible solution to this
problem.
I realize most teachers don’t want
cell phones in class because they
cause problems, but…

Develop your Point with
Concession/Rebuttal
Concession/rebuttal from the “late
homework” prompt –
…I’d want all the icky procrastinators to
get no credit, because they didn’t turn the
work in on time and I did. I’m one for
fairness, and a fair school is a great
school! Sure it sounds mean, but some
people need to take up the reins and
learn some responsibility.

Concession/Rebuttal
• How many of you have been in a
discussion with someone and you
remember saying, “Yeah, that’s true,
but…” This is concession/rebuttal.
• Let’s list several examples where this
applies.

Transitional Phrases –
Concession/Rebuttal
• It is true that…however…therefore…
• Certainly…but…in short…
• Admittedly…on the other hand…so…
• Of course…nevertheless…as a result…
• Obviously…on the contrary…finally…
• Sure…however…in addition…

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