Understanding the purpose, layout and features of a persuasive letter
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify the purpose and features of a persuasive letter in preparation for writing based on ‘Front Desk’.
Key learning points
- To persuade is to convince someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
- A persuasive letter is often highly formal in tone.
- Paragraphs are used to structure a persuasive letter.
- Flattery, presumption and veiled threat are examples of persuasive devices.
- A persuasive letter contains an address, return address, greeting and sign-off.
Keywords
Purpose - the aim of the text
Persuasion - the action or process of trying to change someone’s mind or behaviour
Recipient - the person who receives a letter
Linguistic feature - language features that help the text achieve its purpose
Persuasive technique - a structure or device used in writing to try to change someone’s mind or behaviour
Common misconception
Pupils may be unaware of the layout features of a formal letter.
Ensure that pupils know that a persuasive letter starts with the date, a greeting, is organised by paragraphs and ends with a sign-off.
Teacher tip
Give pupils non-examples of persuasive letter layouts. Give them visual scaffolds that show the correct and incorrect ways to lay out persuasive letters so that they can explicitly see the difference.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.True or false? A letter is a written, typed or printed communication that is sent in an envelope by post or messenger.
Q2.What are the features of a text?
Q3.What does persuade mean?
Q4.What is vocabulary?
Q5.True or false? Informal writing can be identified by its serious, unemotional and impersonal tone.
Q6.The place where someone lives or where an organisation is situated is called ...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Persuasion is the action or process of trying to change someone’s ...
Q2.True or false? The purpose of a persuasive letter is to change someone’s mind or behaviour or convince them about something.
Q3.Which of these might be reasons to write a persuasive letter?
Q4.True or false? Persuasive letters are mostly written using an informal tone.
Q5.Which of these is a persuasive technique in a persuasive letter?
Q6.Which of these is a definition for the technique 'veiled threat'?
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Understanding the purpose, layout and features of a persuasive letter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Understanding the purpose, layout and features of a persuasive letter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the 'Front Desk': persuasive letter writing unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.