Subject Curriculum Document 2016

Subject: English
Topic: Analysing and Presenting Argument

Unit/Strand: Unit 1

Overview:
Outcomes, Key Knowledge/Skills/VCE/VCAL
Key knowledge
an understanding of arguments presented in texts
the ways authors construct arguments to position audiences, including through reason and logic, and
persuasive use of written, spoken and visual language
the features of written, spoken and multimodal texts used by authors to position audiences, such as appeals, repetition, and
vocabulary choice
the conventions of oral presentations including intonation, stress, rhythm, pitch, timing, volume, gesture and eye-contact
the conventions of discussion and debate such as active listening, checking for understanding and questioning
the features of analytical responses to texts that present an argument: structure, conventions, and language
including relevant metalanguage
the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard Australian English.
Key skills
summarise the key points in an argument using skills such as note-taking
identify and analyse
the intent and logical development of an argument
language used by the writers and creators of texts to position an audience
the impact of texts on audiences
the way in which language and argument complement one another and interact to position the reader
apply the conventions of oral presentation in the delivery of spoken texts
apply the conventions of discussion and debate
use evidence appropriately to support analytical responses
develop sound arguments using logic and reasoning, and detect bias and faulty reasoning in the arguments of others
plan analytical responses and texts that present an argument, taking account of the purpose, context and audience in
determining the selected content and approach
develop, clarify and critique ideas presented in their own and others arguments using discussion and writing
draft, review, edit and refine analytical responses and texts that present an argument, making choices about features of texts
and using feedback gained from individual reflection, and peer and teacher comments
apply the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard Australian English accurately and appropriately in the

composition of written texts.

Vocabulary:
Bias, tone, author, argument, contention, point of view, issue, controversial, intention
Speech, letter to the editor, editorial, opinion piece, webpage, blog, report, feature article, commentary, transcript
Context, form, audience, language, purpose, structure, layout, headlines
Emotive language, inclusive language, loaded language, colloquial language, formal and informal language, euphemism
Alliteration, acronym, analysis, example, attack, allusion, analogy, anecdote, assonance, assumption, bias, case study, cause and
effect, clich, connotation, exaggeration, expert opinion, figures and statistics, generalisation, humour, hyperbole, irony, italics, jargon,
listing, metaphor, objective, pun, quip, repetition, rhetorical question, sarcasm, simile, satire, appeals, evidence, rebuttal, active/passive
voice, juxtaposition, contrast, paradox, synonyms, reason and logic
Image, visual analysis, political cartoon, symbols, colour, graphs, tables, charts

Unit Length:

5 weeks

Essential Learning

Learning Intentions /
Essential Question

SAC
date

Suggested learning activities

Term:

Week:

Assessment

Resources

(diagnostic
formative
summative)

(docs, texts, ICT, links)

Week 1

Students can
identify a point
of view and
contention
about an issue
and identify
supporting
arguments for
their contention.

Learning intention:
I can identify issues,
points of view and
contentions.
Success criteria:
I have watched a
range of persuasive
texts, identified the
issue, point of view
and contentions in the
samples.

Learning intention:
I know how to write a
persuasive paragraph
in response to an
issue that has a clear
contention, persuasive
language and clear
audience and
purpose.
Success criteria:
I have formed a point
of view on a topic.
I have participated in
the class
debate/philosophical
chairs.
I have written a
persuasive paragraph
that has has a clear

Show students examples of good and bad

persuasive speeches on YouTube. E.g.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbtythF8Arg
energy drinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khcJwK4PS8 bad persuasive speech

Exit slip- students write down three

strategies tht engage their audience.

Give students a controversial topic and

they need to deicide if they are for or
against. Who will they be targeting, what is
their contention, purpose and what
techniques will they use to persuade.
Class debate/philosophical chairs.
Write a paragraph

Diagnostic:
Access prior
knowledge on
issue, contention
and point of view

Data projector
Computer labs or
student laptops.
Persuasive speech
draft booklet.

contention, persuasive
language and clear
audience and
purpose.

Week 2

Students can
analyse
language used
by an author to
position an
audience

Learning intention:
I understand that
authors use specific
language to position
an audience
Success criteria:
-I have participated in
bingo/carousel/kahoot
/quizzlet identifying
techniques.
-I have read a
persuasive article,
annotated the article
for techniques and
intended effect.
-I have written 3

PLT carousel- have large butchers paper

around the room each with a PLT written in
the middle. Students move around the
room adding a sample sentence for that
PLT until they have been to every station.
Have a class discussion about the effect of
each PLT.

Diagnostic:
accessing prior
knowledge on PLTs

Butchers paper,
textas

Formative:
Conferencing on
completed work

Bingo squares,
sample persuasive
piece

PLT bingo- give out bingo squares with a

range of PLTs in the squares. Read out a
simple piece of persuasive writing. If a
student hears one of the PLTs on their
sheet in the piece they cross it off. First
student to cross 3 PLTs in a row calls
BINGO and is the winner.
Kahoot- PLT Madness!

Data projector
Small white cards

Formative:
Ext slip: write 3

statements using the

structured response:
Technique, example,
effect to analyse the
techniques within the
article.

https://create.kahoot.it/#quiz/d1837dc2ebbc-4d96-a934-c7a28c4be882
Create a PLT quizlet.
Read a persuasive text/front page
newspaper. Identify through annotations
the contention and persuasive techniques.
Annotations must include how that
technique affects the audience and how
does it link to the overall contention.

sentences using
the method
Technique,
example, effect
describing the
findings with the
article.

Newspapers
Formative:
Students can
analyse the
ways authors
construct
arguments to
position
audiences.

Learning intention:
I understand that
authors use specific
arguments to position
a target audience
Success criteria:
- Identified the
difference
between
reason and
logic and
emotion
- Written 2
different
paragraphs
with an
intended
audience in
mind that uses
at least 2 PLTS

Quickwrite: What is the difference between

emotion vs reason and logic.
Share responses
Choose a controversial topic; e.g The
death penalty. Ask students form a list of
audiences that would be for or against this
topic. Ask the students to adopt the
persona of one of these members. Write 2
paragraphs appealing to 2 different
audiences; one that uses reason and logic
and one that uses emotion. Reflect on how
your language and choice of techniques
changed depending on the audience.
Provide students with a range of letters to
the editor. One that uses reason and logic
one that uses emtion.
They need to identify:
- What is the argument?
- Who is the argument targeting?

Data projector
Conferencing on
completed work

Week 3

Students can
analyse how
tone is used to
persuade an
audience.

and either
reason and
logic or
emotion
I have
explained how
language
choice differs
depending on
audience.
I have used
like a graphic
organiser to
compare the
treatment of
the same issue
that targets
different
audiences

Learning intention:
I know how to analyse
the tone in a
persuasive piece of
writing, including tonal
shifts.
Success criteria:
I can identify the tone
of a piece of writing
and explain how tone
is used to persuade.

How does the argument target that

particular audience?

Compare the treatment of an issue on two

current affairs or news programs, and then
create a storyboard of an alternative
presentation for a specified audienc
Compare the presentation of an issue in
print media. Make a similarities and
differences table of tone, arguments and
language use

Formative:
Get students to say each sentence aloud
and write town the tone for each sentence
with the different word emphasised.
I am getting married tomorrow.
I AM getting married tomorrow.
I am GETTING married tomorrow.
I am getting MARRIED tomorrow.
I am getting married TOMORROW.

Search for recut movie trailers horror in

YouTube. Show the original trailer

Conferencing on
completed work

Data projector

compared to the recut trailer and discuss

how the tone has changed. What elements
caused the difference in tone
Give students a scenario and a tone word
each and get them to write a response to
the scenario using their tone. They are not
allowed to use the tone word or synonyms
in their writing.
Students can
analyse how
visual language
is used to
complement an
argument and
persuade an
audience.

Learning intention:
I know how to analyse
the components of a
visual image (color,
symbol, framing,
subject)
Success criteria:
I have analysed a
series of visual
images and explained
how they have been
used to support an
argument

Give out a range of persuasive texts and

ask students to identify the tone and any
places where the tone shifts.

Look at the front page of newspapers from

the past week. Discuss how the image has
been used to support the article.
Put students into groups and give each
group an image/cartoon. They need to
analyse colour, symbol, framing and
subject and present back to the group.
Reflective carousel- put a series of images
around the room on butchers paper.
Students move around the room adding
ideas about what the image could
represent. At the end they choose one and
write a one paragraph analysis of that
image using the ideas from the wall.

Week 4

Week 5

Students can
write an essay
using relevant
metalanguage
that analyses
how argument
and language
(including visual
language) has
been to
persuade an
audience.

Learning Intention:
I know how to plan
and write an essay
based on a
persuasive article with
a visual.

Students can
draft, review,
edit and refine
practice essays

Learning intention:
I know how to write a
language analysis
essay that analyses
argument and visuals.
Success criteria:
I have completed a
satisfactory language
analysis essay on a
persuasive article.

Success Criteria:
I have completed a
satisfactory practice
SAC essay and
received feedback for
improvement.

Students complete a practice essay, but

Summative:
teachers must ensure they model both the Practice SAC
planning and writing of an essay and
essay
provide students with the criteria as well as
essay samples. Teachers should use
gradual release of responsibility model in
their teaching. Samples and
scaffolding/planning tables are on Staff
Share and in the booklet.

Planning scaffold,
rubric and sample
essay in booklet.

Students use teacher feedback to refine

their practice SAC and resubmit for further
feedback.

SAC sheet, SAC

books

Students complete language analysis SAC

on an article with a visual component.

Summative:
Language analysis
SAC

Practice SAC
sheets

Students can
write a
persuasive
piece with a
specific
contention and
target audience.

Learning intention:
I know how to write a
Students complete their draft of their
persuasive piece for a persuasive speech and submit for
target audience with a feedback.
clear contention and
supporting arguments.
Success criteria:
I have completed a
draft persuasive
speech and submitted
it to the teacher for
feedback.

Reflections
Considerations for next year?