Hello, and thank you for joining me for today's lesson all about using rhetorical devices effectively.

I'm Mrs. Butterworth, and I can't wait to guide you through today's learning.

Shall we get started? So by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to create and use effective rhetorical devices.

Now, here is a list of keywords that you may see popping up throughout the lesson.

Let's just read through them and make sure we know what they mean.

So these words are realistic, authoritative, probable, plausible, and credibility.

So what do these mean? So realistic means to be accurate and truthful, so what you are presenting has an element of truth to it.

Authoritative is all about having reliable knowledge or expertise which makes you appear trustworthy and believable.

So when we're thinking about persuasive writing, if you have an authoritative tone or you seem authoritative, that's gonna make your writing even more convincing.

Then we have the word probable, and this means that something is likely or true and based on available evidence.

So it's something that is believable if you like.

And then plausible is something that seems reasonable or believable.

And plausible and probable are quite similar words actually, in terms of this idea that they are presenting something that is likely true, that could be true, and has an element of truth to it.

And then credibility is to be believable, trustworthy, and reliable, and you want your persuasive writing to be credible.

You want to give it a tone of credibility in order to persuade your audience because you want them to believe what you are saying.

So the outline of our lesson using rhetorical devices effectively looks like this.

So we're gonna start by looking at how we can use facts and statistics in our writing and make sure that they are realistic, and then we're going to move on to using rhetorical questions for impact.

So shall we get started on those realistic facts and statistics? So first, I would like you to discuss what is the purpose of using facts and statistics in a persuasive speech? Now, I'm sure you have come across facts and statistics before, but I just want you to pinpoint, please, what is the purpose of using these in a persuasive speech? So pause the video so you've got time to discuss your ideas, or you may just wish to quietly think to yourself.

Off you go.

Excellent.

Thank you everyone.

I really like how some of you are already using those keywords, like probable, and plausible, and credibility.

That's really great.

So let's just use our pupils to feed back some answers.

So Jun says, "A statistic can be used as evidence to prove that what you say is true." And that's a really good example there because when you are developing a persuasive speech, when you make a point or you put forward an opinion, you want some evidence to back up what you are saying, and a statistic or fact can be a good way to do this.

Excellent.

And Aisha says, "As long as they are realistic, they can give credibility to your writing and therefore make it more persuasive." Thank you so much.

And I think this is a really good point about them being realistic because if they're not realistic, then your audience are unlikely to believe you and therefore you lose credibility.

So it is a good thing to use, but it's important to make sure they're realistic.

Excellent answer.

And then finally, Lucas says, "They can give your speech an authoritative tone, but they must be probable and not overly exaggerated." And again, great use of the keywords there.

We want to sound authoritative.

We want to sound confident like we know what we are talking about.

So we must make sure that those facts and statistics are probable, and we don't want to over exaggerate them to make them seem ridiculous.

They need to be believable.

So with that in mind, here is a fact from a speech to world leaders arguing for peace.

Let's read it together.

"Historically, the British army has colonised countries across the globe and the impact of that continues to be felt today." So let's just unpick what makes this so successful because actually the sentence structures are just as important as what is being said, so let's unpick that.

So I think this is a really good way to start.

So, "Historically, the British army has colonised countries across the globe." So it explains the fact and how it is a historic problem, okay? So it's establishing the fact in something historic.

Then it links this back to how it is a current problem and "the impact of that continues to be felt today." So that's a really good thing to do.

So think about what you are presenting, what it was like in the past, and what it's like now.

And then what this sentence does is it combines those two together to show and present how this is an ongoing problem.

Now we have looked at a well-crafted realistic fact, I want to give you some phrases that can help you to do the same.

And the phrases that I'm going to show you are these.

So "Historically," or "For centuries," "Currently," "More recently." And what these phrases enable you to do is they enable you to establish a fact as historical, which makes it more credible, doesn't it? If something's been going on for a long time, it makes it seem realistic and credible, and then also being able to link it to the current day or what's happening nowadays really develops your argument.

And those phrases also help you to link it to the point you are arguing.

So let's see how these work.

So I'm going to go for "Historically" and "More recently" for my phrases first, and these become, "Historically, social media was used as a tool for personal communication, more recently it has become the primary way in which to influence consumers." So you can see how those phrases, not only do they give you an interesting sentence structure, but they present the fact as something that is credible and it also links to your argument or your point of view.

So let's look at another one.

So I'm going to use "For centuries" and "Currently," and here is my argument.

So, "For centuries, women have been campaigning for equal rights.

Currently, the pay gap stands at a 7% difference which suggests there is still work to be done." So again, we can see how positioning it as a historical problem gives it credibility, and then linking it to nowadays enables you to discuss your point of view, your argument, further.

Just a word a caution with "For centuries." You may need to adapt this depending on what you are arguing.

So you might want to use "For decades" or "For many years" because if you're looking at something that hasn't been argued for more than a century, then again that's gonna lack credibility.

So you could always change that to "For decades" or "For many years" in order to maintain that credibility.

Okay, let's keep going.

True or false? Facts should be exaggerated to develop your argument.

Is that true or false? That's right, it's false.

Excellent.

Okay, but you still need to justify your answer by picking a or b.

Okay, who's feeling confident? Should we see the answer? Absolutely.

It's a.

Facts and statistics should be realistic to give credibility to your writing, and that is so, so important.

Now we're going to look at a statistic.

So we've looked at the facts, now let's look at some statistics.

So here is an example.

"2 in 50 soldiers or 2 out of 50 soldiers suffer mental health issues, following the trauma of serving for their country." Now let's unpick what makes this statistic successful.

So we've got a realistic number here.

So it is so important not to exaggerate or inflate the numbers that you use.

It is so tempting, isn't it, to be like 300,000 soldiers or 1 million percent because it feels more persuasive, but actually it loses credibility and therefore your audience are less likely to believe you.

So just make sure it is a realistic number to really help with that credibility and that authoritative tone as well.

And here they've used a subordinate clause to link it back to the topic or problem, so "following the trauma of serving for their country." And this is really important.

So your statistic must be relevant to your argument or the point you are making.

Please don't just throw statistics in for the sake of it.

Make sure that your statistic adds something to what you are saying.

So maybe you're using a statistic as evidence to back up something that you've said.

So if you've got an opinion on something, the statistic can be used as evidence to prove your point.

So it is so important that you are making realistic statistics that are relevant to your argument, and using a subordinate clause can really help to develop that.

Okay, so a, b, c, or d? Which of these is the most realistic and credible use of statistics? Off you go.

Okay, and well done to everyone that said a, "Women make up 15% of the RAF." What you may have noticed by b, c, and d is that the numbers used, the statistics used, are really improbable, and they really lack any kind of realism.

So, you know, "The injuries caused by your military power have increased by 10,000%." So that's a really inflated large number.

And then, "2 million people have signed up to join the British army this year." That is a lot of people, and a lot of the population, and there's just no way that that can be true.

So this is what I mean about making sure that the numbers that you use are realistic.

Okay, so over to you.

What I would like you to do is I would like you to pick one of the statements listed here and write a realistic fact and statistic to develop it.

So think about what we have just looked at in terms of the phrases that you can use, in terms of the sentence structures that you can use, and in terms of what you need to do to make them credible and realistic.

So the statements that you can pick from are, "Weapons can never be used as a method of peace.

Social media is not the enemy.

Overdevelopment is ruining our green landscapes.

Sport is as important as academic study, and the world is at its limits for supporting us." So pick one of those statements, and I wanna see a realistic fact and a statistic to develop it.

Okay, pause the video so you've got plenty of time to do this.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you for your hard work, everyone.

Now it's time just to check our answers and share some of our work.

So Izzy picked this statement, "Overdevelopment is ruining our green landscapes," and as the task asked her to do, she has written a fact and statistic to go with it.

So let's read through those.

So Izzy's fact is, "Historically, studies have shown that access to green spaces is associated with lower levels of stress and an enhanced overall quality of life.

Currently, the rapid increase in development would suggest that these benefits are being ignored." That's a really great fact there, isn't it? And then we've got a statistic.

So, "Over 200% of people say they no longer have access to a green space." Okay, so thinking about everything that we have looked at so far this lesson, can you give Izzy a what went well and an even better if? Pause the video so you've got time to consider Izzy's what went well and even better if.

Off you go.

Okay, so let's compare our what went wells and even better ifs.

So for Izzy, the what went well is that the fact is plausible, isn't it, and it's realistic.

And it's well developed using the phrases historically and currently, and it is relevant to the statement.

I actually think this is such a great example of how you can effectively use a fact, and use it to develop your argument as well.

So Izzy should definitely be congratulated on that.

Now, her even better if refers to the statistic because it's unrealistic, isn't it? So, "200% of people say they no longer have access to a green space." That's such a big number, isn't it? It doesn't feel realistic, so Izzy needs to rework that to make it plausible and just to make sure that it is relevant to the statement.

So now look at your own fact and statistic and give your own work a what went well and an even better if.

Okay, excellent work so far.

Let's keep going.

So we're on the second part of our lesson.

Now, this is about rhetorical questions, those all important rhetorical questions, and how we can use them for impact.

Now, rhetorical questions are one of the most used devices in persuasive writing.

I think statistics are probably up there too.

We are looking today at some of the most used rhetorical devices.

Now, rhetorical questions can be really effective, but they do need to be used carefully.

If they are used too often throughout your writing or in succession, they will lose their impact.

So if you keep saying or repeating the same structures over and over again, it isn't as impactful.

And we need to make sure our rhetorical questions make a point or they should challenge or provoke thought.

They don't necessarily need an answer.

So we've just considered rhetorical questions and how they can be used.

So what I would like you to do is in a moment I'm going to show you some rhetorical questions and I'd like you to discuss which of the following rhetorical questions are the least effective and why.

So let's look at them together.

"Weapons of mass destruction are a force of evil.

What do you think? People are dying unnecessarily.

Can you believe it? Do you? Around the world, there are four separate wars happening right now.

As leaders, how can you sit by whilst our soldiers are sent to battle for a cause they don't fully understand?" Okay, so in a moment you'll need to pause the video to discuss which of the following rhetorical questions are the least effective and why.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, great.

Let's just feed back some of the answers on those rhetorical questions.

So quite rightly, people have been picking up on this idea of the questions being ambiguous.

So they don't really reference anything specific.

So what I always say is if it can be used in any speech, it means it is not specific or relevant to the topic it is arguing.

So, "What do you think?" We could put that in any speech, couldn't we? Absolutely.

So it's too ambiguous.

It's not specific.

It's too vague.

So it's so important when you're crafting your rhetorical questions that they continue to make statements about what it is you are arguing or trying to persuade your audience.

And also it does not make a statement or provoke thoughts.

It's like, "What do you think?" It kind of doesn't feel very assertive, does it? It doesn't create the right tone.

Let's look at the next one.

So, "People are dying unnecessarily.

Can you believe it? Do you?" Again, these questions are really ambiguous, aren't they? And they could be used in any speech.

You could take, "Can you believe it?", and, "Do you?" and put them into any speech about any topic.

So again, it is so important that your rhetorical questions are crafted to be specific to the point that you are arguing.

And another thing that this rhetorical question has done is it's used multiple questions in succession.

So, "Can you believe it? Do you?" and that lessens the impact.

So it's really important to consider how you are using these questions.

And also it overuses the pronoun you.

It actually uses it twice.

"Can you believe it? Do you?" And we do want to use direct address because it's a really powerful rhetorical device, but again, we don't want to overuse it, especially in quick succession.

Okay, over to you.

A rhetorical question should? Select the right answers.

Okay, so who's feeling confident? Oh, lots of you.

That's good.

Okay, so the answers are a, b, and d.

So a rhetorical question should not overuse the personal pronoun you, they should not be used in succession, and not to be ambiguous or vague.

Now, c is an incorrect answer, so a rhetorical question should not link to the topic, but we know actually it absolutely should link to your topic and develop your argument and point of view.

We have considered what makes a not so effective rhetorical question, so now let's look at a successful rhetorical question and really think about what makes it effective and how we can use this in our own work.

So look at this rhetorical question here.

"Around the world, there are four separate wars happening right now.

As leaders, how can you sit by whilst our soldiers are sent to battle for a cause they don't fully understand?" So let's unpick what makes this successful.

Well, first of all, the first sentence, the precursor sentence, states the overarching problem or concern.

So, "Around the world, there are four separate wars happening right now." And actually that's also a fact really, isn't it? So we can combine those facts and statistics to craft our rhetorical questions.

And what this precursor sentence does as well is it makes the rhetorical question relevant.

It establishes what it is you are arguing, your point of view, your opinion.

And the precursor, like I've just said, the precursor sentence includes a realistic fact or statistic to highlight the problem.

And again, the use of a declarative sentence is really handy here too.

And I think this is a really good top tip.

Try using a subordinate clause to position the audience.

So here we've said, "As leaders, how can you," and it's actually much more effective than relying solely on, "you." So think about who your audience is and how you could address them using that subordinate clause 'cause you can adapt that, "As leaders," to make it relevant to you.

So you could say something like, "My fellow students," or, "As teachers," or something like that or something just to make it specific to your audience.

And they direct this rhetorical question, directs the question, using personal pronouns, but doesn't overuse "you." So it it uses, "How can you sit by?" So it only uses it once, and it also doesn't feel so confrontational as some of the other uses that we have looked at.

And almost most importantly, the question is specific to the topic.

So we couldn't put this question in any other speech because it has to link to this topic.

So that's a really good test to see if something is too general or ambiguous.

So here, this is so specific to the topic, which means it has been well thought out and well crafted.

Okay, let's look at these two pupil responses.

We'll read them through together, and you'll need to decide who has created the most effective rhetorical question.

So let's look at a first.

"Sport is not only important for our physical health, but also our mental health.

Don't you agree? Don't you want to act?" And then b, "With teenage mental health issues at an all time high, sports offers an opportunity to resolve this.

As educated professionals, are you not inclined to invest in and support the role of sport in education?" So which one is the most effective, a or b? Okay, well done to everyone that said b.

I liked how some of you were starting to justify your answers as well, which is fantastic.

So some of you picked up that a is least effective because it's using those rhetorical questions in quick succession.

So, "Don't you agree? Don't you wanna act?" And it also overuses those pronouns, doesn't it? You, you.

And finally it's very ambiguous.

Those questions can be put in any other speech.

So lots of you noticed that b is much more specific to the topic.

It's got that subordinate clause, "As educated professionals," to address the audience.

It's really specific, and it doesn't overuse those devices.

So we can see how that rhetorical question has been well crafted in terms of our success criteria.

Okay, so it's over to you.

So we worked a little bit on a statement in Task A, so we'll need that again.

And what I want you to do is I want you to develop that argument by writing an effective rhetorical question.

Now, make sure your rhetorical question fits the success criteria.

So you need to make sure the question is specific to the topic and not overly general.

So remember to check if it can be put in any speech, it is not specific enough, so it has to develop your point.

Use a subordinate clause to position the audience.

So remember, you can adapt, "As leaders," to suit you and your audience.

Use direct address, but don't rely solely on the pronoun you.

So look, how many times have you used you, and is it too many? And then finally, avoid using those short questions in succession.

Okay, so you've got this, I know you have, and I can't wait to see those really good rhetorical questions.

So let's pause the video so you've got plenty of time to craft them really well.

Okay, off you go.

Okay, thank you for your hard work, everyone.

I think what's interesting is a lot of you are starting to realise that actually rhetorical questions need crafting.

I think we very often get used to just popping them in really quickly as general questions or a quick use of direct address, but to create a really good rhetorical question that is impactful takes a bit of crafting.

And remember, like I always say, the more you practise and the more you use these structures and phrases, the easier it will be for you to write them in the future because you'll remember which phrases you need, you'll remember which phrases you need and also the sentence structures that you use.

So let's just look at Sofia's question here.

So Sofia uses the checklist to check her question.

So let's just read through the question first.

"A staggering 58% of teens say they have been a victim of online bullying mostly through social media.

As those responsible for the regulation of social media sites, we look to you, our tech leaders, to address this issue.

Isn't it time you acknowledge the detrimental effect of online bullying?" Wow, isn't that fantastic? So let's just use the checklist to look at Sofia's question in a bit more depth.

So the question is absolutely specific to the topic.

So this couldn't just be taken out and put into any other speech.

You know, she's talking about the detrimental effect of online bullying.

So even though we don't have the title for our topic, we know exactly what it is she is talking about.

And what Sofia's done really well is she's taken that subordinate clause to address her audience, and she's even taken it a bit further.

So, "As those responsible for the regulation of social media sites," but she's continued with, "we look to you, our tech leaders." So she's really made an excellent use of subordinate clauses to address the audience specifically directly.

That's really clever, Sofia.

And then finally, she has definitely used direct address effectively.

She's only used the pronoun you once, so it hasn't lost its impact, but she's used that subordinate clause previously to show who she's directing her speech to.

So this is such a great example of a well-crafted rhetorical question.

So look at your own question and use the checklist to assess your own work.

Off you go.

Okay, well done, everyone.

We are at the end of the lesson, and it's been really great to see how you're starting to understand how these devices can be used, but how they need some thought, and consideration, and crafting to make them really impactful.

And like I said previously, the more you practise using those sentence structures and those phrases, the easier this will become, so do keep practising and do keep writing these really impactful rhetorical devices.

They just make your writing much better.

Okay, so let's remind ourselves of everything we've looked at.

We know that rhetorical questions and statistics are the most used persuasive devices, but they need to be crafted carefully.

We know that statistics and facts need to be realistic and probable in order to add credibility to your writing.

We know that rhetorical questions should be used sparingly and not in succession.

Rhetorical questions should avoid overusing the pronoun you, and a realistic fact or statistic can be combined with a rhetorical question to make it even more impactful.

So I really hope you've enjoyed the lesson as much as I have today, and I can't wait to do this all again another time, so I'll see you then.

Goodbye.