A Critical Thinking Lesson for Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion
This is a great interactive lesson to get students talking and thinking about a number of controversial issues. The lesson is designed as an idea-generating activity for advanced ESL/EFL students who are preparing to write an argumentative essay or do a persuasive speech. The lesson takes about 90 minutes. The best way to do the lesson is put students in small groups. First, go over the vocabulary. Next, explain that they will watch several videos and then in their groups, they will discuss and answer the questions on their worksheets. Here are the links and videos for teaching the lesson:
ESL/EFL Critical Thinking Lesson: Argumentation and Persuasion Worksheet
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ESL/EFL Critical Thinking Lesson
Argumentation and Persuasion
Useful vocabulary
promote oppose/opposition ban
slogan support legalize
donate assist/assistance fine
Idea-generating Exercise
Watch the following videos of advertising campaigns that are proposing some kind of action about a social issue. Answer the questions for each video.
Video 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1DNoole3Wo
Topic: _____________________________________
1. What is the ad trying to persuade people to do?
2. Who is the main target audience?
3. How does the ad try to convince people to take action?
____celebrity representative
____shocking statistics
____appeal to people’s emotions
____facts
____logic
____examples
Video 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86lYG1V2-n4
1. Who is the target audience?
2. What is the main idea of this advertisement?
3. What is your reaction to seeing this ad?
Video 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJG7RaLX-DM
Topic: ______________________________________
1. What is the ad trying to persuade people to do?
2. What cause and effect relationship does the ad imply? (Use an “if” clause.)
3. What is the name of the organization? What is their slogan?
4. How does the ad try to convince people to take action?
____celebrity representative
____shocking statistics
____appeal to people’s emotions
____facts
____logic
Video 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLvP6b0fwBQ
Topic: ______________________________________
1. What is the ad trying to persuade people to do?
2. What cause and effect relationship does the ad imply? (Use a “since” adverb clause.)
3. What part of the ad made the deepest impression on you?
4. How does the ad try to convince people to take action?
____celebrity representative
____shocking statistics
____appeal to people’s emotions
____facts
____logic
Video 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7OHG7tHrNM
1. When and where do you think this television advertisement was aired?
2. How is this video different from video four?
3. Why does the ad use a Native American?
4. Which ad do you think is more effective video 4 or video 5?
Watch the following 3 videos and complete the chart.
Video 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_oJ-irqDFg
Video 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOI-Va5aU3U
Video 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuRk-J1PuUo
| Topic: | |
| Arguments for (Pro) | Arguments Against (Con) |
Homework
Find an advertisement with a picture that is proposing some kind of action or response to a social issue. The ad can be from a magazine or from the internet. Write a paragraph about how the ad makes you feel. Bring the ad to class with you.