Lesson summary
This lesson is designed to be completed independently by students.
Students will read a persuasive text arguing that Jacinda Ardern is showing exceptional leadership skills. They will be guided to understand the content of the article through questions about both the text and one of the key videos. Then, students will analyse the use of pathos, logos and ethos in the article itself. Finally, students will apply what they have learnt about good leadership and about persuasive writing to write about a leader they admire. They will have the option to share this writing with the leader themselves.
Learning Intentions:
Students will...
- Identify evidence for arguments stated in the text
- Identify and analyse the effect of ethos, pathos and logos in the text
- Evaluate which persuasive appeals you find most effective
- Apply those techniques to your own persuasive writing.
Success criteria:
Students can...
- understand the key arguments stated in the text and independently link them to evidence
- find examples of ethos, pathos and logos and explain your choices
- reflect upon the techniques that have the most impact upon you and explain your reasoning
- apply skills learnt from a text to your own writing.
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
Year 7 English:
- Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts (ACELT1621)
- Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose (ACELY1721)
Year 8 English:
- Analyse and evaluate the ways that text structures and language features vary according to the purpose of the text and the ways that referenced sources add authority to a text (ACELY1732)
- Investigate how visual and multimodal texts allude to or draw on other texts or images to enhance and layer meaning (ACELA1548)
General capabilities: Literacy, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking.
Resources required
- Device and internet connection
- Pen and paper (optional)
- Article: Three reasons why Jacinda Ardern’s coronavirus response has been a masterclass in crisis leadership
Additional info
This lesson has been developed in partnership with The Conversation. The Conversation’s mission is to be known as a prominent and trusted publisher of new thinking and evidence-based research, editorially independent and free of commercial or political bias. The Conversation hopes teachers will use their content as a source of truthful information, and that teachers can show their students the importance of trusted, evidence-based information in understanding the world around them and making informed decisions about their actions. Please follow the republishing guidelines when using The Conversation’s articles.
