While there are different genres of writing, persuasion is one of the basic skill, particularly applicable in persuasive writing. Our ability to express an issue and argue or counter-argue it can significantly affect our skill for persuasive writing. Capitalising on this refined skill, teachers can enhance student’s persuasive writing skills. Considering this important points, I have compile a few ideas that can help teachers improve the persuasive writing expertise of students through persuasion techniques. These techniques are germane for range of ideas and themes whether it is for any trivial topics such as window shopping vs. shopping online or something as serious as democracy vs. aristocracy. While there is variety of topics available, you must give students something that is interesting and that they have passion for writing.
Here are some of the themes that can make for some interesting debatable topics for persuasive writing:
Personal Persuasion
Personal persuasion can focus on ideas such as abortion, immigration or euthanasia and applies practical rhetorical techniques. Tell students to write a persuasive paper on issues, such as convincing someone to affiliate with a political party or endorse a cause. This will help students understand the power of persuasion and will also allow them to have a command of this refined skill, ultimately enhancing their persuasive writing skills.
Political Issues
Political issues are also a perfect choice for a persuasive paper. They are the most debatable topics among students and tend to touch their emotional buttons. So you can expect some fieriest arguments from them. Tell them to discuss something currently in the headlines, such as gun laws, and create arguments around it. Or ask them to pretend as the leader of a political party and then argue for their agendas.
Famous Quote
Tell students to write on any famous saying or quote to argue for or against it. Examples include “First impression is the last impression” or “Evil begets evil”. Ask students to come up with similar sayings and then back it up with facts and logic. Give them a list of sayings or let them choose their own.
School Themes
Ask students to write on issues they face in their schools and how those issues affect them. Some issues have significant impact on their academic life such as changing school uniforms, providing expensive education or school bullying. These issues are among the major problem the students face in on daily basis, so there is good room for strong arguments and counter-arguments.
