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Year 8

Writing a persuasive speech about a new word

I can write a persuasive speech about my new word.

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New
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Year 8

Writing a persuasive speech about a new word

I can write a persuasive speech about my new word.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Rhetorical questions, anecdotes and direct address are a great way to ‘hook’ your audience at the start of a speech.
  2. The content of a speech needs to be sufficiently developed for the argument to be convincing.
  3. Language devices should be creative, original and matched to the purpose and audience of a speech.

Keywords

  • Convincing - If a speech is convincing then it is able to persuade someone of the merits of something.

  • Original - If a piece of writing is original then it is not like anything written before and more interesting as a result.

  • Persuasion - Persuasion is the action or process of persuading someone.

  • Anecdote - An anecdote is a short story from personal experience for effect.

  • Rhetorical question - Rhetorical questions pose an idea or make a point without needing to be answered.

Common misconception

That as long as they are using language devices in their speeches, this is enough.

There is great variety in quality in the execution of language devices. The best devices are creative, original and well-matched to purpose.

To teach students the process of how to write effective language devices consider giving them the speech in the third learning cycle and asking them to improve it.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Speeches are often written to ...
Correct answer: persuade.
analyse.
evaluate.
identify.
Q2.
A question that poses an idea or makes a point is known as a ...
Correct answer: rhetorical question.
declarative question.
posing question.
big question.
Q3.
Great speeches usually structure their ideas...
Correct answer: clearly and logically.
strongly and relentlessly.
articulately and elaborately.
quickly and promptly.
Q4.
When completing a piece of transactional writing, which THREE things should we be aware of?
Correct answer: Form
Correct answer: Audience
Correct answer: Purpose
Length
Style
Q5.
What is the definition of the word 'convincing'? Here it is used in a sentence 'The player was very convincing in explaining why he should be picked for the starting 11'.
Correct answer: able to persuade someone of the merits of something.
able to trick someone into believing something.
able to threaten someone into doing what you want.
able to persuade someone by offering them compliments.
Q6.
What is the definition of the word 'persuasion'? Here it is used in a sentence 'It took a great deal of persuasion to get his classmates to attend his birthday party'.
Correct answer: the action or process of convincing someone.
the action or process of encouraging someone.
the action or process of discouraging someone.
the action or process of threatening someone.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match these devices to their definitions.
Correct Answer:Rhetorical questions,pose an idea or make a point without needing to be answered.

pose an idea or make a point without needing to be answered.

Correct Answer:Anecdote,a short story from personal experience for effect.

a short story from personal experience for effect.

Correct Answer:Direct address,when a speaker addresses their audience directly.

when a speaker addresses their audience directly.

Q2.
'It was a dreary, miserable Tuesday when the idea for my new word first hit me.’ What device is being used here?
Correct Answer: Anecdote, anecdote, an anecdote
Q3.
Why do speeches need a clear and logical structure with ideas to support the main argument?
This is what all great speeches do.
Correct answer: It will help your audience follow your argument.
Great speeches stick to rigid structures like this.
It will make it easier to remember.
Q4.
A piece of writing that is not like anything written before and more interesting as a result can be described as
Correct answer: original.
persuasive.
compelling.
convicing.
Q5.
Which of the TWO below best describe how we should craft our language devices?
Correct answer: They should be original and creative.
Correct answer: They should be well-matched to purpose and audience.
They should be humours and fun.
They should be clear and to the point.
They should be used extensively across a speech.
Q6.
Why is this not an effective rhetorical question for a persuasive speech to your classmates? Choose the most suitable answer. 'How can you seriously not vote for me for student council?'
Correct answer: It is aggressive and accusatory.
It is boring and ineffective.
It is obvious and overused.
It is not funny enough.