Persuasive language is all around us. A book review is a way of persuading someone to read a book (or perhaps not to read it, if it is not very good!). On TV, radio, in magazines and online, advertising tries to persuade us to buy products.
If you feel strongly about an issue, you could write a persuasive letter to someone who can help you with it. You might even give a speech to make your case!
Teach your children about persuasive writing using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Write an estate agent’s advert to sell a house, linked to the topic you are studying. For example, can you persuade someone to buy this Tudor house?
- Ask children to analyse adverts for the techniques used to persuade people to buy.
- Give children a realistic situation to respond to in their writing; in this example, children are asked to respond to a letter with proposals for building a food factory next to the school.
- Ask children to write a book review to persuade someone to read a book they like.
- Brainstorm ideas for writing a persuasive argument, an then choose one or two to explore further. Make a list of “for” and “against” points.
- Write a persuasive letter from a fairytale character or person from history. Can the wolf persuade the pigs to let him in after all? Can you persuade Charles II that a fire brigade should be formed after the Great Fire of London?
- Look at the difference between fact and opinion. How do you know if something is a fact or an opinion? Give children a number of statements related to your topic and ask them to sort them into fact or opinion. This BBC resource is a helpful introduction.
Resources
- Download our Persuasive Writing Pack.
- Check out these WAGOLL (What a good one looks like) examples of persuasive writing.
- Our persuasive writing frame is great for helping children plan their writing.
- This list of persuasive words and phrases is a useful tool for children.
- This planning framework helps children to clarify their ideas before writing.
- Learn more about digital advertising with this resource from Media Smart.
Persuasive Writing Knowledge Organiser
Members of Teaching Packs can download a comprehensive knowledge organiser to accompany this topic. It includes key information that your children can use for reference and research, along with relevant vocabulary and a suggested way of organising your persuasive writing.
Not a member yet? Join us today!
Persuasive Writing Facts
- Persuasive writing aims to persuade the reader to change their ideas or take action.
- Emotive language is used in persuasive writing to appeal to the reader’s feelings.
- The skill of making a speech is known as oratory. Orators use persuasive techniques to get their point across.
- Persuasive letters can influence history; American President Abraham Lincoln grew his famous beard after a young girl, Grace Beddell, suggested it to him in a letter.
- Nike’s “Just Do It” advertising campaign led to the company increasing its sales from $800 million to $9.2 billion in just 10 years.
Videos
How to write persuasively
Can Shannon write a review that will persuade Richard to listen to a Michael Bublé album?
Running time: 4:41
KS2 Persuasive Writing
This video contains four short segments where children and adults discuss different topics suitable for persuasive writing; School Uniform, My neighbourhood, Smoking, Keeping Pets.
Running time: 13:45
Rhetorical Question
This short video is a useful summary of what rhetorical questions are and how they are used in advertising.
Running time: 1:50
Books
Click, Clack, Moo - Cows That Type
Find out what happens when the cows start leaving Farmer Brown notes.
The Day the Crayons Quit
Poor Duncan just wants to colour in. But when he opens his box of crayons, he only finds letters, all saying the same thing: We quit.
Daisy: Eat Your Peas
Can mum persuade Daisy to eat her peas?
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
When the bus driver takes a break, he gives an instruction: “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!”. Find out how persuasive a pigeon can be…
Learning Persuasive Writing and Argument
A helpful guide that students can use to improve their persuasive writing skills.
Links
- Visit this BBC site for ideas about using debates.
- This site has lots of suggestions for persuasive writing topics.
- Revise facts about persuasive writing with these interactive flash cards.
- Try this fun fact and opinion quiz.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
