Lesson video

Hi everyone and welcome to our lesson today.

Today we're going to be beginning to plan the introduction of our persuasive letter.

By the end of today's lesson, you will have planned the introduction of a persuasive letter using inspiration from the text Front Desk.

Here are some key words we're going to use.

Introduction.

Introductory sentence.

General information.

Linking sentence.

The introduction is the first paragraph of a persuasive letter.

The introductory sentence states the purpose of the letter.

General information is the most basic necessary information.

A linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

Today we are planning the introduction of a persuasive letter using inspiration from a text.

We are going to begin by discussing the purpose and the context of our persuasive letter.

Then we are going to move on to planning the introduction.

The purpose of a persuasive letter is to persuade or convince the reader to change their mind or behaviour around a particular issue.

Persuasive letters use a range of linguistic features and persuasive techniques to help achieve this purpose.

Formal tone is used when writing a persuasive letter.

Can you think of a time when you have really tried to persuade someone to change their mind or behaviour? Pause the video while you take some time to have a little think or to discuss this question with a partner.

Well done.

You may have found that you used persuasive language to try and persuade somebody to forgive you if you've been apologising for something, or to convince a parent or a carer to allow you to have a friend visit after school, or you may have used persuasive language when writing a speech to convince others to elect you to Pupil or Eco Council.

There are lots of reasons why we might use persuasive techniques in our everyday language.

In Front Desk, our protagonist, Mia, raises $300,000 needed to buy the Calivista Hotel.

She does this by persuading other people to donate money and invest in the motel.

Mia's passion and her commitment to her cause makes her very persuasive.

It's because she feels so passionately about this issue that others feel compelled to help her.

We are going to write a persuasive letter to the council, persuading them to fund the construction of a community playground.

We will need to use a range of linguistic features and persuasive techniques in our writing in order to achieve our text's purpose.

Linguistic features are language features that help the text achieve its purpose.

Persuasive techniques are structures or devices used in writing to try and change somebody's mind or behaviour.

These are all features of persuasive letters: an introductory sentence, fronted adverbials, rhetorical questions, relative clauses, conditional clauses, presumption, flattery, evidence or proof, veiled threat.

The first list is full of linguistic features.

Remember, these are language features that help the text achieve its purpose.

The second list are persuasive techniques.

These are structures or devices used in writing to try and change someone's mind or behaviour.

Match the linguistic features to their definitions.

We've got introductory sentence, fronted adverbial, rhetorical question, relative clause, and conditional clause.

Let's read the definitions first.

A sentence starter followed by a comma.

A type of subordinate clause that states hypothetical situations and their conditions.

A sentence at the start of a paragraph which states the paragraph's main aim.

A type of subordinate clause beginning with the relative pronouns, who or which.

A question posed to the reader which they answer in their head.

Pause the video while you complete this task.

Well done if you spotted that an introductory sentence is a sentence at the start of a paragraph which states the paragraph's main aim.

Remember, it's really important that our reader clearly understands why we are writing and what we are asking for.

A fronted adverbial is a sentence starter followed by a comma.

A rhetorical question is a question posed to the reader which they answer in their head.

A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause beginning with the relative pronouns, who or which.

A conditional clause is a type of subordinate clause that states hypothetical situations and their conditions.

They often begin with if.

Now it's time for your first task.

Match the linguistic features to their examples.

Let's read the examples together.

If we were to avoid tackling this matter, which are vital to children's mental and physical health, consequently, I am writing to request your support on an urgent matter.

Surely you can appreciate the magnitude of this issue.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Well done if you've spotted that an introductory sentence example is I'm writing to request your support on an urgent matter.

An example of a fronted adverbial is consequently.

A rhetorical question is surely you can appreciate the magnitude of this issue.

A relative clause is which are vital to children's mental and physical health.

And a conditional clause is if we were to avoid tackling this matter.

Great work, everyone.

Now it's time for your second task.

Match the persuasive techniques to their examples.

So we've got presumption, flattery, evidence or proof, unveiled threat.

And let's read through the examples together.

Surely you would not want this on your conscience.

I'm confident you will agree that.

According to the most recent NHS data.

A kind, empathetic counsellor such as you.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Brilliant work, everyone.

The example of presumption was I am confident you will agree that.

The flattery example was a kind, empathetic counsellor such as you.

Evidence or proof was according to the most recent NHS data.

And veiled threat was surely you would not want this on your conscience.

Well done, everyone.

Now we have learned about the purpose and context of our persuasive letter.

We are going to move on to planning our introduction.

What are the benefits of a community playground? Why would it be important? Have a moment to have a little think or to discuss these questions with a partner.

Well done if you've come up with some of these ideas.

To provide a safe space to play.

To encourage children to be physically active.

To give children opportunities to play with friends and make new friendships.

To develop confidence.

And to help foster strong community relationships.

Also to help children spend more time in nature.

You might have come up with some of these ideas or lots of other ideas.

Well done.

We are going to focus on some of these.

So providing a safe space to play and encouraging children to be physically active are examples of physical health benefits.

Giving children opportunities to play with friends and make new friendships, developing their confidence, helping foster strong community relationships, and time in nature are all examples of mental health benefits.

So the key arguments we're going to use in our letter are that this community playground would give benefits to children's physical health and their mental health.

Our persuasive letter can be structured like this.

We begin with an introduction.

Then, point one will be all about the benefits of children's physical health.

Point two will be all about the benefits of children's mental health.

And finally, our conclusion.

The introduction is the first paragraph of the letter.

It states the letter's purpose and the main arguments or points.

So it gives an overview as to what the recipient can expect to read in the rest of the letter.

But we keep the information very brief, very short.

We don't go into too much detail.

Then the main points paragraphs explore key persuasive points or arguments in detail, backed up by evidence.

So these will be all about the benefits that the playground would bring to the children's physical health and their mental health.

And finally, our conclusion paragraph will summarise the key information of the letter and outline next steps.

Today we are focusing on planning the introduction of our persuasive letter.

Take a moment to match the sections of a persuasive letter to their functions.

So we've got the introduction, the main points, and the conclusion.

Let's read the functions together.

These paragraphs explore key persuasive points in detail, backed up by evidence.

This paragraph summarises the key information of the letter and it outlines next steps.

The first paragraph of the letter.

It states the letter's purpose and main arguments or points.

Pause the video now while you complete this task.

Brilliant work, everyone.

Well done if you spotted that the introduction is the first paragraph of the letter.

It states the letter's purpose and the main arguments or points.

The main points, paragraphs explore key persuasive points in detail, backed up by evidence.

And the conclusion summarises the key information of the letter and it outlines next steps.

Great work, everyone.

The purpose of the introduction is to do all of these things: engage the reader, outline key arguments, and give the reader some general information about the topic.

General information is the most basic necessary information.

We can use this visual to help us.

In the introduction, we want to keep our information general.

We will save the more specific details for later on in the letter.

We can structure the introduction paragraph like this.

We start with an introductory sentence.

Then we move on to some general information.

And finally we end on a linking sentence.

The introductory sentence states the main purpose of the letter.

General information sentences briefly outline the key points or arguments of the letter.

And the linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

Match the parts of an introduction paragraph to their functions.

So we've got the introductory sentence, general information, and the linking sentence.

One of these links onto the next paragraph.

One of them states the main purpose of the letter.

And one of them briefly outlines the letter's key arguments.

Pause the video while you complete the task.

Brilliant work, everyone.

Well done if you spotted that the introductory sentence states the main purpose of the letter, the general information sentences briefly outline the letter's key arguments, and the linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and capture subject-specific vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer to organise information easily for future use.

We use bullet points when note-taking.

And they look like this.

Here is the planning format we will use for the introduction.

It's got three sections, which you will see will follow the structure of an introductory paragraph that we just looked at.

Firstly, we've got our introductory sentence.

It states the purpose of the letter.

Then we move on to our general information sentences.

They briefly mention the key arguments of the letter.

And finally we have our linking sentence which links on to the next paragraph.

Now plan, in note form and using bullet points, the introductory sentence of your introduction.

I've put this general information visual on the slide to remind you that we are not going into specific facts and details at this point.

Pause the video while you complete this task.

Great work, everyone.

Now you'll have lots of ideas already written on your plan.

Here's my plan.

It's going to be a little bit different from your plan.

If you would like to magpie any words or phrases in my plan, then you can do.

But remember, it's great for us to all have our own ideas.

Let's read mine together.

I am writing to request your assistance, or your support, or attention.

I've given three synonyms there.

And when I come to writing, I choose which one.

On an urgent matter, or I could refer to it as an urgent issue.

Now plan, in note form and using bullet points, the general information sentences of your introduction.

Pause the video now while you complete this task.

Great work, everyone.

Here's my plan.

I am sure that you are aware.

Children's mental and physical health is, or ought to be, or should be, or must be a priority for all councils.

The playground would be beneficial to all in the community.

When I come to writing, I will choose which variation of words I will include, where I've used more than one option or synonym.

And now finally plan, in note form and using bullet points, the linking sentence of your introduction.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Well done, everyone.

Here's my linking sentence planning.

Allow me to explain or outline my points in further detail.

I'm certain you will agree that this issue is of vital, or utmost, or critical importance.

Take a moment now to reread all through your planning and make sure that you've included your most precise and ambitious language choices.

Great work, everyone.

Brilliant work, everyone.

That now brings us to the end of our lesson where today we've been planning the introduction of a persuasive letter using inspiration from a text.

The purpose of a persuasive letter is to convince the recipient to change their mind or behaviour about a certain issue.

Using a range of linguistic features and persuasive techniques helps achieve the text's purpose.

The purpose of the introduction is to engage the reader and provide them with general information about the issue.

The introduction can be structured using an introductory sentence, sentences including general information and a linking sentence.

Great work, everyone.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how we use this planning to help us with writing the introduction next.

Well done.