Exam Skills: Unit 1 Section B

1. Exam Skills: Unit 1 Section B Starter: You have 7 minutes to write the opening paragraph to this task: Write an article for a teenage magazine in which you persuade readers not to smoke L.O. Understand how to get a C or above when writing to argue and persuade.

2. You are in line for a C or above if… You started your paragraph with either: • A rhetorical question; • An attention grabbing emotive statement; • A list of three; • A direct appeal to the reader; • A shocking example (can be made-up!).

3. A Rhetorical Question “Do you want to die a slow painful death?”

4. Attention grabbing emotive statement “70% of all teenage smokers will die before they meet their grandchildren.” This is also a made up, shocking example!

5. List of Three “Coughing, stinking, wheezing. Not a nice way to start each day.”

6. Direct Appeal to the Reader “You might not realise it now, but you are about to make one of the most important decisions of your life: to smoke or not to smoke.”

7. If you put it all together… Coughing, stinking, wheezing. Not a nice way to start each day. You might not realise it now, but you are about to make one of the most important decisions of your life: to smoke or not to smoke. Recent research has shown that 70% of all teenage smokers will die before they meet their first grandchild. Basically, if you smoke you are signing your own death warrant. Some teenagers claim it’s the only way they can relax… well let’s face it – dead is about as relaxed as you can get! Think about it, do you want to die a slow painful death? Make the best decision of all – don’t smoke.

8. Assessing Your Writing A* - form, content and style are assuredly matched to purpose and audience; distinctive and consistently effective. A - form, content and style are consistently matched to purpose and audience. B - form, content and style are generally matched to purpose and audience. Well structured. C - clear identification with purpose and audience; begins to sustain reader’s response. Linked paragraphs. Confident use of rhetorical devices. D - conscious attempt to suit the needs of purpose and audience and begins to engage reader’s response. Clear paragraphs. Starts to use rhetorical devices. E - sustained awareness of purpose and audience; more conscious attempt to organise sentences into paragraphs with some attempt to use vocabulary for effect. F - clear communication of ideas with more sense of purpose and audience; uses some organisational devices appropriately with occasional conscious selection of words.

9. Main Write an article for a teenage magazine in which you persuade readers not to smoke • Step 1 – Plan – write a list of around 3 or four points you want to make. • Step 2 – Use the writing techniques to write a paragraph based on each one • Step 3 – Use the chart to check your work

11. Plenary • Use the techniques to persuade Miss Ambrose to let you listen to music in lessons. • Write down your argument, which must feature a persuasive technique and be ready to argue your case!

12. Homework • ‘Students should not be allowed to bring mobile phones to school’ • Write an article for a school newspaper in which you argue for or against this view. • Write for 45 minutes