New
New
Year 8

Expressing convictions

I can explain how writers express their convictions with passion.

New
New
Year 8

Expressing convictions

I can explain how writers express their convictions with passion.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Throughout history, writers have used their skills to take a stand to address social issues.
  2. Writers also use their skills to express their views with conviction and passion.
  3. Sometimes a writer taking a stand can have real world benefits by stimulating awareness of an issue.
  4. Different text types have different strengths when it comes to expressing convictions.
  5. Writers make specific language choices to express their views strongly and effectively.

Keywords

  • Assert - state a fact or a belief confidently or forcefully

  • Ballad - a poem or song that tells a story

  • Lament - a passionate expression of grief or sorrow

  • Vocal - refers to the voice, used to describe someone who speaks forcefully

  • Savage - brutal and animal like

Common misconception

Students think of speeches as being a form of protest, but poems or songs.

Emphasise the wide range of text types used in the lesson.

You could explore the idea of speaking out in this lesson. What issues are current in your school community or surroundings?
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is the best definition of the word "opinion"?
a statement based on facts and evidence
Correct answer: a personal belief or judgement that may be based on facts
a fact that everyone accepts as true
a conclusion drawn from scientific experimentation
Q2.
Match the text type with the definition.
Correct Answer:novel,long prose narrative with a plot and characters

long prose narrative with a plot and characters

Correct Answer:TV drama,emotionally driven acting for television

emotionally driven acting for television

Correct Answer:poem,characterised by stanzas, rhythm and the use of figurative language

characterised by stanzas, rhythm and the use of figurative language

Correct Answer:song,a musical composition consisting of melody and lyrics

a musical composition consisting of melody and lyrics

Q3.
Which of the following words best fits the following sentence: She couldn't go to the park she had to finish her homework.
therefore
Correct answer: because
although
besides
Q4.
If we write with conviction, we write with...?
perception
Correct answer: passion
confusion
sadness
Q5.
What word beginning with a T refers to the name given to a piece of writing?
Correct Answer: title, The title, a title
Q6.
What word beginning with S means a word with a similar meaning?
Correct Answer: synonym, synonyms

6 Questions

Q1.
Starting with the first, put the following texts in to order of publication date.
1 - 'The Song of The Shirt'
2 - 'The Jungle'
3 - 'Cathy Come Home'
4 - 'Blinded by your Grace'
Q2.
Match the words on the left with their synonyms on the right.
Correct Answer:assert,proclaim

proclaim

Correct Answer:lament,grieve

grieve

Correct Answer:vocal,outspoken

outspoken

Correct Answer:savage,ferocious

ferocious

Q3.
What word beginning with B is a type of narrative poem or story?
Correct Answer: ballad
Q4.
What did Thomas Hood, writer of 'The Song of the Shirt', do for a living?
Correct answer: He was clergyman.
He ws a lawyer.
He was a doctor.
He wasa journalist.
Q5.
What changes were brought in after the publication of 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair?
There was legislation against meat consumption.
Upton Sinclair was ordered to stay away from investigative journalism.
Correct answer: New legislation was brought in to make the meatpacking industry safer.
Chicago was forced to close down its meatpacking industry.
Q6.
Which two of the following can we look at to analyse a writer's language?
Correct answer: what the words suggest
Correct answer: how the words sound
how the words are spelled
how the words are pronounced