Even
my students who “don’t have time” for homework spend 2-3 hours a day on
Facebook, YouTube, and Netflix.
Our
students consume media in amazing quantities, and it’s said that traditional
advertising doesn’t work on their generation. As advertisers become more and
more savvy in an attempt to break through to their younger listeners, it’s
important that students understand how to identify the ways in which a speaker
could be manipulating their emotions and instincts.
Here
are some activities for helping students develop an awareness of persuasive
techniques. You can use these to start a larger conversation about being an
informed viewer (and citizen!) in today’s media-driven climate.
1. Introduction to Rhetoric
Use
this activity to introduce (or refresh) ethos, logos, and pathos. Students
watch two videos and complete a Doodle Notes worksheet, eventually synthesizing
the concepts. My students really enjoy watching these short, animated videos a
couple of times in order to make sure they “get it”, and the Doodle Notes
provide a nice visual to help them remember the important ideas! You can grab them here.
2. “Buy My Pencil”
In
this activity, students try to convince each other to buy a pencil. They will
employ a variety of persuasive techniques, even if they do not yet have the
names for all of them. This is because students absorb persuasion constantly,
and demonstrate various techniques on a hunch. After a few minutes of letting
them try to sell a partner their pencil, call students back together and have
them describe the techniques they used.
To
extend this, you can have students perform these impromptu skits in front of a
larger group or in front of the class. This is a great way to get some informal
public speaking practice, and I’m always a proponent of making public speaking
less intimidating.
3. Introduction to Persuasive
Techniques
I
use this interactive PowerPoint will help students put names to the techniques
they’ve grown up hearing and using. Students will be able to identify
techniques in context and apply their knowledge of ethos, logos, and pathos.
To
break up the term-definition monotony, I have students “buzz in” to identify
the techniques in some example ads. I also include Think-Pair-Share to get them
to generate more examples of various techniques they’ve seen in recent
commercials.
4. Persuasive Tweets
A
fun bellringer or exit slip activity for practicing persuasive techniques is
Persuasive Tweets. In 140 characters or less, students can use one persuasive
technique to sell something. I’ve had success giving all students one item
(similar to “Buy My Pen”) and having them draw a persuasive technique from a
hat. You can download my list of
persuasive techniques for this activity here.
5. News Literacy Project
The News Literacy Project is a new tool that I would like to integrate into my curriculum throughout the
year to help students determine the credibility and levels of bias in various
news reports. I’m still in the early stages of exploring this project, but they
have online modules that take students through the steps of developing media
literacy. According to their site,
“As
students progress through the checkology™ platform, journalists from The New
York Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, NBC News and other news outlets are
joined by experts on the First Amendment and digital media to guide them
through each lesson’s core concepts. These e-learning experiences use
real-world examples of news and information that test students’ emerging skills
and lead them to mastery.”
This
has huge potential to help our students become informed, discerning citizens!
Wow!
6. Commercial Analysis
My students really enjoy applying their new knowledge to commercials! This is a perfect activity to use in this post-football time of the year. Students are
still talking about commercials aired during the Super Bowl, and you can find a
“top ten” list of commercials to bring to class (vetted first by you for
content). Have students choose a commercial, and follow this step-by-step analysis of persuasive techniques. They can complete this alone or in pairs,
and can present in small groups. For an added bonus, let them show the
commercials in class.
Persuasive
Techniques are a great way to get students engaged and thinking. You can help
develop their media literacy and challenge them to consider the incoming
messages.
7. Pop Culture Analysis
I LOVE implementing short texts, like music, songs, video games, and more. I simply can't stand the hours of research it entails to find the right short text...so, we've done that part for you with a Pop Culture Analysis Bundle that features...🎵 15 short texts (see the titles below)
📽️ 15 easy-to-implement standards-aligned lesson plans
📺 Options for discussion strategies
🎮 Editing capabilities to personalize & differentiate
This resource also includes the first digital escape game of Terminus and a week of Poetry Bell Ringers.
Each Pop Culture Analysis lesson plan includes…
✨ Background information on the short text
✨ Any pre-knowledge (if applicable)
✨ An objective to guide their learning
✨ An anticipatory activity
✨ A group analysis
✨ A wrap-up activity
✨ Extension ideas to continue the learning
You can learn more about this resource and even find a FREEBIE of one lesson over at this blog post!
Check out these great resources by other Coffee Shop authors:
Logical Fallacies by The Daring English Teacher
Media Literacy/Advertising Activities by Addie Williams
Logical Fallacies by The Daring English Teacher
Media Literacy/Advertising Activities by Addie Williams
What
are your favorite resources and activities for teaching persuasive
techniques?
Pin this article for future reference. :)