Five-Week Plan
This sequence teaches students to argue for a position in speech, not to win at any cost. It begins with the ethics of advocacy and the anatomy of a claim, then builds evidence, structure, rhetoric and refutation before finishing with audience analysis, calls to action and a short persuasive speech.
The shape of the unit
| Week | Focus | Core moves | Formative evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What persuasion does | Distinguish advocacy from manipulation; analyse claims; collect evidence; record a baseline turn. | A claim-and-evidence table and a 60-second baseline. |
| 2 | Structure and rhetoric | Build a case; place evidence; practise repetition, contrast, triads and questions. | A persuasive skeleton and a marked rhetorical passage. |
| 3 | Refutation and fallacies | Steelman an opposing view; refute fairly; identify fallacies in real texts. | A refutation paragraph and a fallacy log. |
| 4 | Audience and action | Analyse values and objections; design a credible call to action; rehearse. | An audience profile and a call-to-action draft. |
| 5 | Build and deliver | Draft, rehearse, deliver and reflect on one change. | A short persuasive speech and a written reflection. |
A typical lesson
| Time | Routine | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Voice warm-up and a one-line claim drill. | Prepare the voice and the argument. |
| 10 minutes | Analyse a short persuasive text or speech extract. | Notice the moves before naming them. |
| 10 minutes | Teach one persuasive technique. | Make the choice visible. |
| 15 minutes | Apply it in a 60-second spoken argument. | Move from analysis to use. |
| 10 minutes | Test the argument with a question or objection. | Strengthen the case. |
| 5 minutes | Reflect and record one change. | Make improvement deliberate. |
Week by week
Week 1: What persuasion does
Begin with the difference between persuasion and manipulation. Persuasion offers reasons and respects the audience's ability to judge; manipulation hides the argument, exploits emotion or suppresses dissent. Students analyse claims: What is being asserted? What would count as evidence? What is assumed? They collect three pieces of evidence for a position they hold and record a one-minute baseline persuasive turn. Keep recordings private by default.
Week 2: Structure and rhetoric
Students build a persuasive skeleton: hook, claim, two or three reasons with evidence, a refutation and a call to action. They practise rhetorical devices—repetition, contrast, triads, rhetorical questions, anecdote—and learn to use them sparingly. The test is always function: does the device make the argument clearer or more memorable, or is it decoration?
Week 3: Refutation and fallacies
Students learn to steelman an opposing view before refuting it. They write a refutation paragraph that states the objection fairly, concedes what is valid and answers the strongest version. Then they identify common fallacies in advertisements, headlines and speeches: false dilemma, ad hominem, straw man, slippery slope, appeal to popularity, cherry-picking and false cause. The aim is not to label everything but to notice when reasoning breaks.
Week 4: Audience and action
Persuasion depends on what the audience already values. Students profile a real audience: prior beliefs, values, objections, trusted sources and access needs. They revise an argument for a sceptical audience without abandoning their position. They design a call to action that is specific, realistic and proportionate—something the audience can actually do.
Week 5: Build and deliver
Students draft a two- to three-minute persuasive speech on a school, community or civic issue. They rehearse with a partner who plays a sceptical listener, deliver to a small audience, take two questions and reflect on one specific change. The reflection should name the technique, the effect and the evidence.
Materials
- A room with space to stand and move.
- Printed claim, evidence and refutation planners.
- Phones or tablets for recording, with consent and storage rules.
- Two or three short persuasive texts or advertisements for analysis.
- A timer and a visible clock.
- Optional microphone and speaker.
What students produce
| Product | Purpose | Keep it manageable |
|---|---|---|
| Claim analysis | Separates claim, evidence and assumption. | One paragraph. |
| Baseline turn | Gives a starting point. | 60 seconds, private by default. |
| Persuasive skeleton | Builds structure before wording. | Hook, claim, two reasons, refutation, call. |
| Rhetorical passage | Practises devices with purpose. | One marked paragraph. |
| Refutation paragraph | Tests fairness and strength. | State, concede, answer. |
| Fallacy log | Builds critical listening. | Three examples with explanations. |
| Audience profile | Adapts the argument. | Four bullet points. |
| Call to action | Moves from belief to action. | One specific, realistic step. |
| Short speech | Integrates the skills. | Two to three minutes. |
| Reflection | Makes learning visible. | 100–200 words. |
Persuasion is not winning. A speech that tricks an audience into agreement has failed the ethical test, even if it succeeds rhetorically. The aim is to make the strongest honest case.
Routines that save time
- One-line claim. Each lesson begins with a student stating a claim in one sentence.
- Evidence test. A listener asks “How do you know?” after every claim.
- Steelman swap. Partners state the strongest version of the opposing view.
- Device hunt. Find one rhetorical device in a short text and explain its effect.
- Action check. Ask whether the call to action is specific, realistic and proportionate.
Common planning errors
- Choosing a topic nobody disagrees about. Persuasion needs a live question.
- Starting with evidence. Start with the claim and the audience.
- Teaching devices as decoration. Every device should do a job.
- Skipping refutation. The strongest speeches answer the other side.
- Ignoring audience values. Facts alone rarely change minds.
- Calling for vague action. “Raise awareness” is not a step.
- Rewarding aggression. Confidence is not the same as persuasion.
Next, read outcomes and skills to see what the unit builds towards. The what persuasion does page begins the conceptual work.