• Students who have difficulty identifying a concession may benefit from seeing examples on the board or within a small group.
• Students who have trouble identifying an opponent’s top three points will benefit by working in a group or with a partner.
• Students who might need an opportunity for additional learning can modify their writing voice based on the situation or audience. Ask students to brainstorm how their communication differs (language, grammar, topics) based on whether they are talking to friends, teachers, parents, administrators, or others.

Focus Question: How can a writer increase the likelihood the reader will end up agreeing with his/her point?

Part 1

Tell students, “Learning the different persuasive strategies is just the first step in becoming an effective communicator. Equally important is understanding your audience and its needs.” Read and analyze a letter to the editor for attitude and voice (see L-C-5-2_Letter to the Editor and KEY.doc). With a partner, students are to identify the author’s attitude and impact on various audiences:

• Is it clear what the writer’s purpose is?
• How would you describe the language level used? Basic (mostly one syllable words), Everyday (1-2 syllable common words), or Advanced? What does that possibly imply to you about the writer’s reading level?
• Who is the intended audience?
• How would you describe the tone of the piece?
• Do you think the tone helps or detracts from the author being taken seriously and sounding rational?

Have groups join with other groups to share findings or, as an entire class, share observations. This activity can be modified by using different texts for analysis in small groups.

With the whole class, ask, “Does the voice (the combined word choice, tone, and sentence structure) of the writer make him/her sound like a respectable, stable person? How might someone from the opposite viewpoint react to this piece? Could it have been written to sound more polite? More satiric? More shocking? How?”

Part 2

Next, students should brainstorm one specific thing they would like changed at a local level. It may be in their home, a club or group, the school, or the immediate city. (Example: A student might write the school board to do away with exams or school uniforms. A student may write a persuasive letter to a parent asking for a later curfew or to negotiate a new cell-phone plan.) Have students complete the Voice Brainstorming Plan handout regarding the chosen situation (L-C-5-2_Voice Brainstorming Plan.doc).

Explain: “To truly convince an audience to accept your position, or even to motivate him or her to complete a specific action, you must address the opponent’s concerns and fears.”

Have students take notes: “To recognize the opponent as having concerns and intellect shows respect. This increases the likelihood that your thoughts will in turn be considered. Three basic steps to do this in an argument are:

1. Identify the audience’s position and the reasons for it.
2. Provide a small concession (give in and agree) where the audience may have a valid, logical concern, but then show where the fear or concern may be minor in the larger picture. This shows respect and validation for at least part of your opponent’s views and rationalization.
3. Provide counterpoints with reasons or evidence to show why the opponent’s points are minor or irrelevant to the larger situation. This advances the argument beyond mere statements of wills or beliefs. Also, to be able to refer to a larger picture can convince opponents to agree for the community good rather than focus on the individual inconveniences of a situation.”

Direct students to review a model of point and counterpoint construction. Have students practice understanding an opponent’s view by completing their own two sides to an argument on a topic of their choice (L-C-5-2_Two Sides Graphic Organizer and Model.doc). Consider: “Where can a counterpoint or concession be made to make the audience less defensive?”

After individual brainstorming, argument plans may be discussed with a partner, the full class, or you. Remember, specific research and evidence gathering can be done later if you would like students’ plans developed further as an extension.

As a summary, direct students to pair up and quiz each other using the following review questions. For any question they cannot answer, students should use their notes. To assess comprehension, have students write their joint answers on an exit ticket to hand to you for a quick assessment. Otherwise, to check recall, ask the class these questions:

• “Why is it important to consider who the audience is?” (To show respect by acknowledging the audience’s fears and cares and thereby increase persuasive success.)
• “How can making a concession to an opponent help to persuade him or her to your side?” (Concession shows respect and validation for at least part of your opponent’s views and rationalization.)
• “Why are counterpoints important in an argument?” (Counterpoints advance the argument beyond mere statements of wills or beliefs. Also, being able to refer to a larger picture can cause opponents to buy in for the community good rather than focus on the smaller individual inconveniences of a situation.)

Extension:

• Students may write a persuasive letter to a person who could make a desired change. Voice brainstorming, counterpoints, and concession should be utilized. You may choose to have students edit and actually mail the letters.
• Students may locate and analyze the voice of other persuasive writings. Newspaper editorials or political texts offer the easiest, most direct examples.