How to Teach the Art of Persuasion

Teaching students the art of persuasion can serve them well in a variety of settings. Whether they write an article for a newspaper, an essay for college admission, or a future ad campaign, persuasion will factor into their lives. Use a few creative tips and standard tricks to teach your students the art of persuasion.

Things You'll Need

• Food or drinks

Instructions

1. Divide your students into two groups and give each group one type of student-friendly food. Try fruit snacks for younger kids and sodas for older ones. Have the students in each group make a list of the qualities they like about that food, and then go on to write persuasive statements trying to "sell" that food to the opposite team.

2. Use magazines. Magazines are full of persuasions, from the articles themselves to the ads in between. Have students make a chart listing the page numbers on which they find persuasive items in a magazine, what the magazine is trying to persuade them to do, and how it is doing it. For example, an ad for deodorant might try to persuade boys to buy the deodorant by implying girls will like them if they use it.

3. Read political speeches and watch debates. Politicians try to persuade people to vote for them. Teach your students about how they do this using appeals to morality, fear tactics, and even through their clothing and grooming choices.

4. Research propaganda. During World War II, the American government famously used propaganda to stir up support for the war effort. Research these ads and show your students how blatant the persuasion was then, and how it has become more subtle today.

References

• PBS Teachers
• WebQuest: The Power of Persuasive Writing