This year, we started using the Empowering Writers program. It is a strong program with a truly comprehensive writing guide for expository and persuasive writing. Pretty impressive.
My students have learned about all different aspects of persuasive writing and are now planning their three main arguments. Included in these argument paragraphs are techniques such as rhetorical questions and bandwagon techniques, as well as critical language for affirming your audience and supporting your position.
Once the body paragraphs are done, there is a section about writing an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Like I said, very comprehensive.
Why am I blogging about this? Mainly because I wish my writing teachers taught me some of these techniques. This is good stuff!!
As I conference with students, they are beginning to understand that they need to address the audience's possible opposing view and then negate it or "flip it" to show that their point of view is right. The chapter on critical language gives multiple examples of how to do this.
The students see the power of the bandwagon technique and see it as an intelligent, persuasive version of a "dis." :-)
Looking forward to teaching this unit for years to come.
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