Connecting Literacy Teacher Book 2 Sample Pages

Connecting 

Literacy 

‘… so I can grow into the person I am and will ultimately be’ 

Authored by 

Hayley 

Harrison 

and a team of students, just like you. 

Teacher 

Book

‘… so I can grow into the person I am and will ultimately be’ 



Teacher 

Book 

Authored by 

Hayley 

Harrison 

and a team of students, just like you.

Connecting Literacy 

Teacher Book 2 

1st edition 

Hayley Harrison 

Publisher: Catherine Charles-Brown 

Project editor: Naomi Saligari 

Copy editor: Naomi Saligari 

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Publication data 

Author: Hayley Harrison 

Title: Connecting Literacy Teacher Book 2 

ISBN: 9780655091455 

A catalogue record for this 

book is available from the 

National Library of Australia 

Printed in Australia by Courtney Brands 

Oct-2022



Contents 

Introduction to literacy ......................... 

iv 

Unit 1: Persuasive literacy ..................... 2 

Unit 2: Procedural literacy ..................... 24 

Unit 3: Imaginative literacy .................... 48 

Unit 4: Informative literacy .................... 70 

Unit 5: Analytical literacy ...................... 94 

Unit 6: Reflective literacy ...................... 120 

Unit 7: Comparative literacy .................. 142 

Literacy How-to .................................. 166 

Comprehension ............................... 166 

Planning and writing ......................... 169 

Structures and features ...................... 176 

Vocabulary ..................................... 183 

Syntax ........................................... 185 

Punctuation .................................... 190 

Spelling ......................................... 193 

Speaking and listening ....................... 202 

Introduction to literacy 

iii


Literacy is a complex amalgamation of skills that interweave and are applied when 

reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The goal of systematically and explicitly 

teaching individual literacy skills is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of 

students’ communication. Mastering literacy skills requires a person to understand, 

consolidate, and build automaticity in individual skills and then combine these skills 

to develop as a critical reader, coherent writer, and confident speaker. 

The literacy skills and strategies presented in this book are designed to be individually 

taught, explored, consolidated, and built upon. This learning is then explicitly transferred 

beyond the classroom to help students in every part of their school and everyday 

lives. Teaching is supported by an instructional model that consists of prior knowledge 

activation, explicit teaching, collaboration, independent practise, and reflection. There 

are layers of teaching and learning support, including links to comprehension strategies, 

writing organisers, and formative assessment opportunities at a lesson and unit level. 

How to use Connecting Literacy: Model, practise, apply 

This book is divided into seven units – which are based on the different text types that students 

will encounter during school and beyond – and one Literacy How-to section, which is a complete 

reference guide that can be referred to throughout the book: 

• Unit 1: Persuasive literacy 

• Unit 2: Procedural literacy 

• Unit 3: Imaginative literacy 

• Unit 4: Informative literacy 

• Unit 5: Analytical literacy 

• Unit 6: Reflective literacy 

• Unit 7: Comparative literacy 

• Literacy How-to section. 

In each unit, the students model, practise, and apply specific literacy skills to a different text type. 

Model 

Each of the seven units begins with an anchor text. Each anchor text is a model that is 

designed to ‘anchor’ the students’ learning as they complete the activities in the unit. 

The anchor texts in this series were all written by students in years 7–10, from schools 

across Australia. 

Practise 

Each unit has eight lessons that focus on core literacy skills and strategies: 

1 comprehension 

5 syntax 

2 planning and writing 

6 punctuation 

3 structures and features 

7 spelling 

4 vocabulary 

8 speaking and listening. 

At the end of the book, there is a Literacy How-to section. This is a comprehensive 

literacy reference guide that is designed to support teachers and students by providing 

content, skills, and strategies that can be applied across the units. This section is 

designed to connect with prior knowledge activation, and to provide opportunities 

for clarification and extension of understanding and skill development. 

iv Connecting Literacy • Book 2

Apply 

In each lesson, comprehension strategies are suggested to help the students to complete the 

activities successfully. Each unit includes writing pages for students to use to draft and edit their 

own original texts. By containing their learning and application in the same book, students can 

build a comprehensive learning folio. 

STRATEGY 

Pause to 

wonder and 

connect. 

Connecting Literacy 

Model, practise, apply 

Comparative texts 

SPEAKING & 

LISTENING 

3 Apply 

MY WRITING PAGES 

2 Practise 

COMPREHENSION 

Persuasive texts 

Refllective texts 

SPELLING 

PUNCTUATION 

1 Model 

ANCHOR TEXT 

A model text written 

by a student, 

just like you 

PLANNING & 

WRITING 

STRUCTURES & 

FEATURES 

Procedural texts 

Analytical texts 

SYNTAX 

VOCABULARY 

Imaginative texts 

Informative texts 

LITERACY HOW-TO 

Your go-to literacy reference guide, to support your every step 

Reflect 

Unit confidence scores: At the start of each unit, students are invited to rate their confidence about 

reading, writing, speaking, and listening to the particular text type. The intention is that students will 

return at the end of the unit to score their learning confidence again and to celebrate their success. 

Lesson confidence scores: Every lesson in the Connecting Literacy series culminates in students 

giving themselves a score out of five: this self-assessment promotes students’ awareness of their 

learning and understanding. This self-assessment also provides an opportunity for teachers to note 

any areas that require further class time or clarification. 

The students’ learning in each unit is brought together with a learning ladder. Using this chart, 

the students can self-assess their final writing and speaking and listening task (these tasks have 

a speaking and listening icon in the margin) and reflect on their learning throughout the unit. 


v

Persuasive literacy 

Developing your literacy skills involves practising your ability to read, write, speak, or listen 

to non-fiction texts that express a strong opinion. Persuasive texts try to convince a reader 

or listener to adopt the writer’s or speaker’s point of view about a topic. These texts 

use different persuasive techniques to achieve this purpose. Many different texts can be 

persuasive, including speeches, advertisements, debates, essays, letters, reviews, and articles. 

http://mea. 

digital/CL2_1_0 

Why do we create persuasive texts? 

The most important thing to know about a persuasive text is that it is created to convince someone 

to take up, or accept, the author’s opinion. A persuasive text shows how the author thinks and feels 

about a topic. Often a person chooses to create a persuasive text because they feel passionate 

about something. This is why persuasive texts are often highly emotional. 

Understanding for whom a persuasive text is written is important because authors change the type 

of language and devices they use to persuade, depending on the target audience. A persuasive 

text designed to sway a friend will sound very different to a persuasive text created for your 

school principal. 

1 Explain in your own words why persuasive texts are created. 

Persuasive texts are created so people can express their opinion on a topic. They are used to try to 

convince a specific audience to agree with the author and hopefully take action after engaging with 

the persuasive text. 

2 Give an example of a persuasive text you have read or written yourself. What made it persuasive? 

I wrote a persuasive speech in Year 7 to convince my class that soccer should be offered as a lunchtime 

sport at school. It was persuasive because I had to include different examples and reasons why the 

school should include soccer. I used lots of persuasive language to make the class agree to sign the 

petition I had written for the principal. 

Page 3 

3 Read the anchor text. This text is a model that will help you to ‘anchor’ your learning as you 

complete the activities in this unit. It will also assist you to draft your own persuasive speech. 

The anchor text was written by a student, just like you. 

Rate my 

confidence 

At the end of each lesson, you will rate how confident you are about your 

progress throughout the unit. Be as honest as you can; it’s your learning! 

4 How confident do you currently feel about reading, writing, speaking, and listening to persuasive 

texts? Give yourself a confidence score out of five. Come back at the end of the unit and score your 

confidence again. 

Start of the unit: DD \ MM \ YYYY 

End of the unit: DD \ MM \ YYYY 

1 2 3 4 5 

1 2 3 4 5 

Not very 

confident 

Somewhat 

confident 

Confident 

Highly 

confident 

Super 

confident 

Not very 

confident 

Somewhat 

confident 

Confident 

Highly 

confident 

Super 

confident 

2 Connecting Literacy • Book 2

Anchor text 

Persuasive speech 

Paragraph one 

Paragraph two 

Paragraph three 

Paragraph four 

Superman: The ultimate hero 

Our teacher encouraged us to present our point of view on something that we are 

passionate about. Something that is important. Something life-changing. And what 

could be more important than Superman vs Batman? The ultimate ongoing rivalry 

between two superheroes within the super universe, dating all the way back 

to 1964! Despite all the controversy among film fanatics, however, the title of 

best superhero can only be bestowed to one, and that is … Superman. Now, Batman 

supporters, don’t be disheartened and don’t set your torches and pitchforks at me yet. 

From having extraordinary powers and unimaginable strength to being essentially 

invincible, I, Thanh Do, wholeheartedly believe that, Superman outshines the dark 

and gloomy Batman, and can assure you that, by the end of this speech, you too will 

reconsider your love for the man of bat and realise that Superman conquers all! 

To begin, Superman can fly! Need I say anything more? C’mon, let’s be real. No-one 

would rather be saved in a boring ‘invisible’ Batmobile, when they can instead get 

swooped into the sky as they’re falling off a building. Unlike Batman, Superman has 

powers that are literally in his DNA, and don’t rely on any external gadgets to save 

lives. Being a superhero is in his blood! Not only does he have the power of flight, 

but also remarkable speed, incredible hearing, ridiculous strength, and, coolest of all, 

solar‐hot lasers that come straight out of his eyeballs! And yes, I know, Batman 

is strong too, but we don’t call him the Man of Steel for nothing. 

Still not convinced? The man was born on another planet and as a human-looking 

alien, the dude’s basically invincible! The only substance that is Superman’s weakness 

is radioactive kryptonite and we can’t really get that from your local supermarket. 

This means, against the average bank-robbing villain, Superman is guaranteed to win 

and protect us all. Batman, on the other hand, not so much. Because … he is human, 

and, like us, he is vulnerable to all the dangers that being a human brings. So are you 

really willing to risk your life on some leather-clad human? 

Now, exposing the fact that Superman has superpowers and is invincible barely 

scratches the surface of Superman’s supreme awesomeness. It’s completely 

illogical and possibly illegal if you have any remaining thoughts that Batman even 

comes remotely close to the legend that is Superman. So quick quiz: who do YOU 

prefer more? 

Student author: Thanh Do 

Audience: Thanh’s class 

A final, 

memorable 

statement 

Introduction 

of the topic 

Repetition 

An engaging hook 

Emotive words 

Introduction of 

the contention 

Introduction 

of the speaker 

Exclusive language 

Rhetorical question 

A key argument 

Evidence to support 

the arguments 

Argument one: 

Superpowers 

versus gadgets 

An explanation of how 

the arguments prove 


A key argument 

Argument two: 

Invincible 

versus human 

Evidence to support 

the arguments 

Inclusive language 

An explanation of 

how the arguments 

prove the contention 

Synthesis of the 

arguments in the 

contention 

Emotive language 

Emphasis 

The intention 

is made clear 

http://mea.digital/ 

CL2_1_A 

Persuasive literacy ~ Unit 1 

3

1.1 

L E A R N I N G 

I N T E N T I O N : 

Persuasive comprehension 

To understand the overall 

purpose of a persuasive text 

Part A: Question the text 


CL2_1_1 

We often don’t have time to complete a close analysis of every text we encounter, but spending 

time exploring key parts of a text can help us understand the text at a deeper level. One way to 

do this is to question the text. Asking questions can help us uncover parts of the text that may 

not have made sense, or that we missed, in our first reading. 

Page 3 

1 What is the author of the anchor text passionate about? 

That Superman is better than Batman 

2 What dates ‘all the way back to 1964’? 

The rivalry between Superman and Batman 

3 How are Superman’s powers ‘literally in his DNA’? 

They are a part of who he is; nothing has happened to him; he was born this way. 

STRATEGY 

Skim and 

scan the text 

for specific 

information. 

4 Why is Superman ‘basically’ invincible? 

Because he can be defeated by kryptonite, but this is not found on Earth, so he’s unlikely to die. 

5 Why is Superman ‘guaranteed to win’ while Batman is ‘vulnerable’? 

Nothing on Earth can kill Superman, because he is not human, but Batman is human so needs 

technology to help him. 

6 The author refers to Batman as ‘some leather-clad human’. How does this make the reader feel 

about Batman? 

Like he is trying too hard, pretending to be stronger than he really is. 

7 What questions could you ask to understand other parts of the anchor text? Think of six questions 

that start with ‘Who’, ‘What’, ‘When’, ‘Where’, Why’ and ‘How’. 

1 Who encouraged the students to present their points of view? 

2 What is Superman’s only weakness? 

3 When should supporters of Batman set their torches and pitchforks at Thanh? 

4 Where was Superman born? 

5 Why doesn’t Superman rely on external gadgets? 

6 How does Thanh finish her speech? 


Part B: Contention and intention 

To comprehend a persuasive text, we must understand the text’s contention (its main idea) and 

the text’s intention (its call to action). The contention is what we are being asked to think, while 

the intention is what we are being asked to do after reading or listening to a text. One way to 

find the contention of a text is to list the text’s main arguments and underline the keywords in 

those arguments. Next, draw together the keywords into a statement. This statement is the 

text’s contention. 

For example, imagine a persuasive speech titled ‘Cats: The ultimate pet’, which explores the 

topic of cats being superior to dogs. 

Page 166 

Comprehension 

strategies 

The text’s main arguments with 

keywords underlined 

Evidence 

1 Cats are self-sufficient. Listing all the tasks a dog owner needs 

to complete in a day to entertain their pet 

2 Cats are more affordable. Noting the price of expensive dog grooming 

appointments and dog toys and treats 

Contention (the main idea): Cats are better than dogs because they are more self-sufficient and 

affordable pets than dogs. 

Intention (the call to action): Persuading the audience to adopt a cat as a pet rather than a dog. 

8 Annotate the anchor text by numbering the paragraphs and labelling the two main arguments. 

9 Using the example above as a model, complete the table below for the anchor text. Hint: Underline 

the keywords in the arguments to help you write the contention. 

1 

The text’s arguments with keywords underlined 

Superman has inherent superpowers, 

while Batman relies on gadgets. 

Evidence 

List the superpowers that are a part 

of Superman’s DNA 

Page 3 

STRATEGY 

Identify and 

understand 

the pieces 

of the text. 

2 

Superman is invincible, while Batman 

is human. 

Kryptonite is the only substance that 

can kill Superman. 

Contention (the main idea): 

Superman is better than Batman because he has superpowers and is invincible, while Batman 

only has gadgets and is human. 

Intention (the call to action): 

The speech should make me think that Superman is way better than Batman. 

I understand the overall purpose of a persuasive text: ______ / 5 

Next time you are working with a challenging text in another subject, try numbering 

and labelling the paragraphs. This may help you to ‘see’ the overall purpose of the text. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.1 Persuasive comprehension 5

1.2 

Persuasive planning and writing 

Part A: Develop your arguments 



To understand how 

to plan and develop 

my persuasive speech 


CL2_1_2 

Page 20 

Whenever you are asked to construct a persuasive text, you need to spend time understanding the 

topic, considering alternative perspectives, and developing clear and strong arguments. How you 

develop those arguments will determine how strong your persuasive text will end up being. 

Your writing task for this unit is to write a short speech, which will be similar to the 

anchor text in purpose, audience, and length. In this speech, you will present your point 

of view on something you are passionate about. 

1 Select a topic that you are passionate about. Select a topic that has different perspectives. What is it? 

Pineapple is perfect on pizza. 

2 To help you brainstorm ideas that can be used as arguments in your speech, ask ‘why’ questions. 

For example: Why do you think Superman is better than Batman? Why is he stronger? Why is 

he invincible? Write answers to your why questions. These can help form the arguments in 

your persuasive text. 

Why is pineapple so perfect on pizza 

? 

Pineapple adds a touch of sweetness to a savoury dish. This makes the overall dish more delicious. 

Why do some people disagree 

? 

Some people don’t like sweet and savoury flavours together. 

Why should people eat pineapple on pizza 

? 

Pineapple has vitamin C and minerals that help with digestion; this makes pizza healthier. 

3 Using the answers to the why questions you developed in Question 2, select two main arguments 

to use in your speech to convince your audience. 

Topic: 

Argument one 

Pineapple adds sweetness to this savoury dish, which makes the whole dish 

more delicious. 

Argument two 

Having pineapple on pizza makes this dish healthier. 

4 Using your topic and the key words from your arguments, write the contention of your speech. 

Pineapple should always go on pizza because it makes it healthier and more delicious. 


Part B: Revise your text for your audience and purpose 

Your speech will be delivered to your peers. Knowing your audience is important because you 

need to decide what language and evidence is appropriate for your audience and purpose. 

5 What do you want the audience to do after listening to your speech? What is your call to action – 

your intention? (Remember, you might want to change how they think about the topic, or you 

might want them to do something after listening to your speech.) 

After listening to my speech, I want the members of my audience to try pineapple on pizza. 

6 How might your classmates feel about your topic? 

My classmates are likely to already strongly agree or disagree with my topic. 

7 Use your findings from Questions 5 and 6 to rewrite your arguments in the following table and then 

choose evidence that will connect to your audience while supporting your arguments. 

Arguments 

Argument one: 

Pineapple adds sweetness 

to this savoury dish, which 

makes it more delicious. 

Evidence 

• Many savoury foods have been made more delicious by adding 

sweetness (and vice versa). For example, peanut butter and 

jelly, salted caramel, and chilli and chocolate. 

STRATEGY 

Understand 

the purpose 

of the text 

or feature. 

Page 174 

Finding 

appropriate 

evidence 

Argument two: 

Having pineapple on pizza 

makes this dish healthier. 

There is vitamin C in pineapple; this vitamin: 

• improves immunity 

• helps digestion 

• strengthens bones 

• improves eye health. 

Page 174 

Turning a plan 

into a draft 

8 Using the anchor text as a model and the arguments and evidence you identified in Question 7, 

write a draft of your speech. You can write your draft in the writing pages at the end of this unit. 

We will continue to revise your speech throughout the unit, so for now, write the first draft, 

knowing it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it is enough to start experimenting with. 

Page 20 

I understand how to plan and develop my persuasive speech: ______ / 5 

We only asked ‘why’ three times during this lesson, but you can keep asking ‘why’ 

until you run out of answers. Try asking ‘why?’ next time you are brainstorming 

ideas in another class. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.2 Persuasive planning and writing 7

1.3 

Persuasive structures 

and features 



To understand the key structural 

elements and language features 

of persuasive speeches 

Part A: Persuasive speeches 


CL2_1_3 

There are a lot of similarities between persuasive speeches and essays because we tend to plan 

both texts in a similar way. However, writing a speech is different to writing an essay because 

the structures and features of a speech are different to those of an essay. 

1 On the anchor text, identify and label the following structural elements of a speech. 

Page 3 

Opening Body Closing 

• An engaging hook 

• Introduction of the topic 

• Introduction of 

the speaker 

• Introduction of 


• Introduction of the key 

arguments 

• Evidence to support the 

arguments 

• Explanation of how the 

arguments prove the contention 

• Synthesis of the arguments 

in the contention 

• The intention is made clear 

• A final, memorable 

statement 

STRATEGY 

Re-read the 

text at a slower 

pace to search 

for specific 

information. 

2 What are some of the language features you can identify in the anchor text speech? (For example, 

perspective, tense, tone, emphasis, word choice, etc.) 

Language features: 

• First-person perspective 

• Present tense 

• Signposts/transitions 

• Persuasive devices 

• Pause for effect 

• Speaking directly to the audience 

• Shifts in tone 

Page 176 

Text forms 

3 What are the similarities and differences between the structural elements and language features 

of a persuasive speech and a persuasive essay? (For example, consider what it looks like, what 

language is used, what techniques are used, its audience and purpose, etc.) 

Similarities 

• Answer a question 

• Have a contention 

• Use evidence to support ideas 

• Have introduction, body, and 

conclusion paragraphs 

Differences 

Persuasive speeches 

• Introduce yourself 

in the introduction 

• Have very different 

features in writing 

Persuasive essays 

• Don’t use first-person 

persepctive or speak 

to the audience or 

use many of the 

persuasive devices 

Part B: Persuasive devices 

One of the most common features of persuasive writing is the use of persuasive devices. These 

devices are language choices that make a text more persuasive. For example, repeating important 

words or phrases makes it more likely that the audience will remember the key persuasive points. 


4 In the anchor text, highlight a sentence that uses inclusive language and a sentence that uses 

exclusive language. Explain how inclusive and exclusive language are different, but can both 

be persuasive. 

Inclusive language: ‘but we don’t call him the Man of Steel for nothing’ 

Page 3 

Exclusive language: 

‘are you really willing to risk your life on some leather-clad human?’ 

How they are different and persuasive: 

Inclusive language uses words such as ‘us’ or ‘we’ so it makes the audience feel like they are 

a part of the speech. Exclusive language uses words such as ‘I’ or ‘you’ to separate what the 

author thinks from the audience and makes the audience question what they are doing differently. 

5 Highlight examples of the following persuasive devices in the anchor text. Explain what effect each 

device has on the speech. 

Persuasive 

device 

Repetition 

Rhetorical 

question 

Emotive 

language 

Emphasis 

How to find it in a text 

Look for the same word 

or phrase repeated in a 

paragraph, or throughout 

the whole text. 

Look for a question mark. 

Look for descriptive 

words. 

Look for italics, words 

written in CAPITAL 

letters, words in bold 

or colour. 

Example from the 

anchor text 

‘something that …’ 

‘something that …’ 

‘something 

life-changing’ 

‘Need I say anything 

more?’ 

‘remarkable speed, 

incredible hearing, 

ridiculous strength’ 

‘Man of Steel’ (italics) 

‘who do YOU prefer’ 

(capitalisation) 

What effect does the 

device have? 

Repeating ‘something’ made 

the last ‘life-changing’ word 

stand out as important. 

By asking questions and 

not giving time to answer, 

it seems the answer is what 

the speaker wants. 

Using words that make the 

audience feel the way the 

speaker wants them to feel. 

By emphasising words, they 

stand out as important and 

show the tone of voice a 

speaker might use. 

STRATEGY 

Pause 

to wonder 

and connect. 

6 What other persuasive devices can you find in the anchor text? 

alliteration, hyperbole, connotation, appeals, facts, reason and logic, variety of sentence lengths, 

modality, tonal shifts 

7 a Identify the structural elements and language features in your speech. 

b What devices have you used in your speech? 

c How could you make your speech more persuasive? 

d Revise your draft by focusing on the structural elements and language features used throughout. 

Page 20 

I understand the key structural elements and language features of persuasive speeches: ______ / 5 

Try noticing the similarities and differences in both the structural elements and the language 

features of different writing types outside of this class. Can you identify any texts where you 

find (or can use) persuasive devices even though the text isn’t persuasive? 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.3 Persuasive structures and features 9

1.4 


Persuasive vocabulary 


To understand emotive language, 

denotation, and connotation 

in persuasive writing 

Part A: Emotive language 


CL2_1_4 

Writers use emotive language to express their feelings. We can also use emotive language to appeal 

to certain feelings in our audience. 

1 How do the following emotive words make you feel about ‘the student’? 

STRATEGY 

Connect to 

the feeling 

of a word. 

a The innocent student: 

b The lethal student: 

c The excessive student: 

d The underestimated student: 

e The humiliated student: 

f The outstanding student: 

they are a victim, they are little, vulnerable 

they are brutal, they are dangerous, harsh 

they are extravagant, they are too much, over the top 

they are undervalued, they aren’t believed in 

they are embarrassed, they feel shame 

they are valued, they have achieved 

2 Highlight the emotive words in paragraph one of the anchor text. 

Page 3 

3 How is the author making you feel about Superman? Quote words from the anchor text in 

your answer. 

That Superman is ‘incredible’, ‘remarkable’, and ‘awesome’ 

4 How is the writer making you feel about Batman? Quote words from the anchor text in 

your answer. 

That he is ‘dark and gloomy’ and ‘vulnerable to all the dangers’ 

5 The following excerpt makes the reader feel sorry for left-handed people and angry towards 

right‐handed people. Change the bolded emotive words so the reader feels frustrated towards 

left‐handed people and supportive of right-handed people. 

For years, many cultures have labelled innocent trouble-making left-handed people 

as disadvantaged and have aggressively meaningfully tried to convert them. 

Cruel Kind 

right-handers forced supported left-handers to use their right 

hands and any resistance was punished re-educated . But left-handed people are said to use 

the right side of their brain more, making them more creative, emotional and better at sports. 

Such positive fictional facts highlight that this ruthless necessary vilification 

actually comes from jealousy acceptance more than anything else. 


Part B: Denotation and connotation 

Denotation is the standard definition of a word – what a word literally means – whereas connotation 

is the feeling evoked by a word. 

Denotation: To pour, to make liquid flow. For example: Please pour me a glass of water. 

Connotation: To pour, the feeling of juggling too many things. For example: The work continued 

to pour in. 

We can classify connotations into either negative or positive. The power of understanding a word’s 

connotation is that you can control how your reader feels about a topic, object or person. This is 

where you can be powerfully persuasive! 

6 Complete the following table by identifying how these words from the anchor text are used. 

Word 

Positive or 

negative 

connotation 

Denotation (the word’s 

definition or literal meaning) 

Connotation (the word’s 

implied meaning) 

Page 3 

Unimaginable Positive Impossible to imagine A hugely impressive amount 

Swooped 

Positive 

Move quickly downward 

in the air 

Safely caught and fly happily 

through the air 

Average 

Negative 

The typical version of 

a group 

Mediocre, not very good 

Risk 

Negative 

Be exposed to danger 

Choosing to put yourself 

in danger 

7 What is a synonym with an alternate connotation for each of for the following words? 

Positive connotation 

Unique 

Steadfast/determined 

Curious 

Challenging/complex 

Vintage 

Meticulous/selective 

Relaxed 

Negative connotation 

Weird 

Stubborn 

Nosy/busybody 

Difficult 

Decrepit/old/outdated 

Picky 

Lackadaisical/lazy 

Page 183 

Word meanings 

8 a How do you want your audience to feel during your speech? 

b Revise your speech to appeal to your audience’s feelings. Experiment with your language choices 

to make them more emotive. Include more descriptive words so your audience knows how to 

feel about what you are talking about. 

Page 20 

I understand emotive language, denotation, and connotation in persuasive writing: ______ / 5 

Notice how different texts use positive and negative language regardless of the subject. 

Next time you are writing, experiment with emotive language and see how it changes 

what you are trying to express. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.4 Persuasive vocabulary 11

1.5 

Persuasive syntax 



To understand the differences between 

spoken and written language, including 

maintaining the subject–verb agreement 

Part A: Spoken versus written language 


CL2_1_5 

It is not just language choices that change depending on audience and purpose. Syntax (sentence 

structure) changes too. This is even more evident between spoken and written texts. We know 

spoken and written language sounds different syntactically but we have to write the way we want 

to speak when writing a speech. 

1 What are the key similarities and differences between spoken language and written language? 

Page 204 

Spoken versus 

written language 

STRATEGY 

Connect with 

the language 

choices. 

Similarities 

• Both use the same 

language (i.e. English) 

• Both are used to 

communicate ideas and 

feelings to other people 

Differences 

Spoken language 

• Speaking and listening skills 

• Less formal: lots of 

repetition, incomplete 

sentences, etc. 

• May be less grammatically 

correct 

• Used between people in 

the same place 

• Uses tone, pitch, volume, 

pace 

• Is temporary, in 

the moment 

Written language 

• Reading and writing skills 

• Often more formal 

• More grammatically 

correct 

• Often used to 

communicate in different 

time and place 

• Uses punctuation, 

formatting 

• Is permanent and can 

be kept 

• An explicitly learned skill 

Page 3 

2 How have the following sentences in the anchor text been written to make them sound more like 

the way a person speaks? 

a ‘Now, Batman supporters, don’t be disheartened and don’t set your torches and pitchforks at 

me yet.’ 

Talking directly to the supporters 

b ‘C’mon, let’s be real.’ 

Using colloquial language 

c ‘And yes, I know, Batman is strong too …’ 

Pretending to answer a question from the audience 

3 Change the following spoken sentences into formal written sentences. 

a Awwww man, like everyone thinks soccer is totes better than football! 

Most people believe soccer is significantly better than football. 

b I’d be shook if you peeps didn’t get what I’m putting down. 

I would be surprised if anyone here didn’t understand my point of view. 

4 Record yourself talking about dinosaurs for 10 seconds. Transcribe what you said exactly, then 

rewrite your words to make them sound more formal. 


Part B: Subject–verb agreement 

Every sentence needs a subject (someone or something doing something) and a predicate 

(which includes a main verb to show what the subject is doing). 

In English sentences, the subject and the predicate (or verb) must ‘agree’ with each other. 

Page 188 

Subject and 

predicate 

What this means is: 

• if a subject is singular (one), the verb must also be singular 

• if a subject is plural (more than one), the verb must also be plural. 

For example: The research suggests that the benefits of treatments depend on their purpose. 

5 Determine whether the following words are singular or plural, and subjects or verbs. 

Word Singular or plural? Subject or verb? 

author 

presents 

she 

have 

those 

are 

singular 

singular 

singular 

plural 

plural 

plural 

subject 

verb 

subject 

verb 

subject 

verb 

6 Rewrite the following sentences so that all the subjects and verbs agree. 

a The graph show that 15 per cent of 13–18-year-olds has their phobia for life; however, only 

one per cent of those with a severe phobia has it for life. 

The graph shows that 15 per cent of 13–18-year-olds have their phobia for life; however, only 

one per cent of those with a severe phobia have it for life. 

b Females is three per cent more likely to have a phobia for life than males and a 10–14-year-old 

are two per cent more likely to have a lifetime phobia than a 15–18-year-old. 

Females are three per cent more likely to have a phobia for life than males and a 10–14-year-old 

is two per cent more likely to have a lifetime phobia than a 15–18-year-old. 

7 a Does your speech read like a text that is intended to be spoken? 

b How can you find the balance between writing formally and writing a text that is intended 

to be spoken to your class? 

Page 20 

c Make sure your subjects and verbs all agree! 

I understand the differences between spoken and written language, 

including maintaining the subject–verb agreement: ______ / 5 

If you struggle to put your words into writing in any subject, try speaking the words 

first and then play around with making them sound more formal depending on the text 

type. Although spoken and written language are different, there are many similarities, 

including the fact that the subject and the verb always agree. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.5 Persuasive syntax 13

1.6 


Persuasive punctuation 


To understand the impact 

exclamation and question marks 

have on a written text 

Part A: Exclamation marks! 


CL2_1_6 

Page 190 

Types of 

punctuation 

Page 3 

Exclamation marks allow us to show emphasis and emotion in a sentence. They can be powerful 

in a written text in many ways but need to be controlled. Using too many is not more persuasive, 

and often less formal. 

1 In the following sentences from the anchor text, the author has emphasised particular emotions 

and feelings by using exclamation marks. Identify these emotions and feelings. 

a ‘… dating all the way back to 1964!’ 

emphasis, shock, amazement 

b ‘Superman can fly!’ 

emphasis, amazement, excitement 

c ‘… the dude’s basically invincible!’ 

emphasis, exaggeration, incredulity 

2 Write a sentence, using an exclamation mark, to show the following emotions. 

a Fear His knees trembled as he crept around the corner into darkness! 

b Joy My heart sang! 

c Urgency We need to do something about the state of our world, TODAY! 

STRATEGY 

Connect the 

punctuation 

to what is 

being said. 

Part B: Question marks? 

Questions in a speech are called rhetorical questions. This is because the answer is assumed; 

no response is expected or required by the audience. Rhetorical questions can be compelling in 

persuasive texts (both written and spoken) because the writer or speaker controls how the audience 

answers the question. However, like anything effective, rhetorical questions have to be controlled. 

A few can be persuasive, too many can be overwhelming and you can end up not saying anything. 

If your sentence includes a question mark and quotation marks, remember: 

• if the question relates to the words in the quote, then the question mark stays in the 

quotation marks 

For example: She asked him, ‘If you really want to change the world, how are you going to do it?’ 

• if the question is part of the sentence rather than the quote, then it goes outside the 

quotation marks 

For example: What did you mean when you said, ‘Little changes make the greatest impact’? 

• if it applies to both the words and the sentence, use it just once, inside the quotation marks. 

For example: Did anyone ever ask you, ‘Do you like the world the way it is?’ 


3 Identify an example of a rhetorical question in the anchor text. 

Still not convinced? 

4 Why are rhetorical questions so persuasive? 

Page 3 

They force the audience to answer the question the way the speaker wants them to answer it, 

making it feel like they are agreeing in their mind. 

5 For each of the following sentences, decide whether the question mark should be placed inside or 

outside the quotation marks. 

a She raised her hand and asked, ‘If the tongue is so important, why don’t we learn more about it’ 

Inside 

b When can we use a fact, such as ‘the tongue print is unique, just like fingerprints’ 

Outside 

c What if I ask you, ‘What do you need to learn to make better life choices’ 

Inside 

Part C: The interrobang?! 

The interrobang is the combination of a question mark with an exclamation mark (?!) or the 

combination of multiple question marks and exclamation marks (!?!). While the interrobang is 

certainly not a formal technique, it is becoming more acceptable in informal written language. It is 

still a non‐standard form of punctuation but it is used to show an exclamation that takes the form 

of a question. 

6 In which of the following texts is it appropriate to use an interrobang for emphasis? 

An email or text message to a friend 

An email or letter to the principal 

An advertisement or marketing material 

An information or research report 

A speech to show emphasis 

An analytical essay 

7 Can you think of any other written texts where it is appropriate to use an interrobang? 

Any creative writing task (poetry, short stories, scripts, etc.), any informal writing (social media, 

gaming chats, etc.), any sales material (some brochures, billboards, etc.) 

8 a Revise your speech to use exclamation marks to evoke different emotions. Although the 

audience won’t see them, they will help you use the right tone. 

b Rhetorical questions are compelling in persuasive writing. Have you used any rhetorical questions 

in your speech? Revise your speech to include at least one. 

Page 20 

I understand the impact exclamation and question marks have on a written text: ______ / 5 

Notice the types of texts in other subjects that use exclamation and/or question marks, 

particularly in quotes. Be inquisitive about how and why these marks are used. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.6 Persuasive punctuation 15

1.7 

Persuasive spelling 

Part A: Prefixes 



To understand how 

prefixes and suffixes 

impact words 


CL2_1_7 

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to make a new word with a different 

meaning. Each prefix has its own meaning. Adding a prefix to a word can make the word opposite 

(nonsense), negative (unlikely), or show time (preschool), manner (overgrow), or an amount (monorail). 

Even the word ‘prefix’ helps you know what it means: 

pre = before fix = to join prefix = to join before a word 

Understanding prefixes helps our spelling because we can see patterns in the way words work. 

Page 197 

Bases and affixes 

Prefixes placed before freebase words (words that can stand on their own) generally make a lot 

of sense. However, prefixes are often placed before bound bases (these cannot stand on their own). 

These are more complex because we see the whole word and can miss the prefix. 

For example: 

Free base 

dis = reverse/negative; respect = to admire 

disrespect = to not admire someone/something 

Bound base 

de = reverse or change; struct = to build 

destruct = to destroy something built 

STRATEGY 

Consider the 

meaning and 

pronunciation 

of familiar 

parts of 

the word. 

1 Complete the following table and note the impact of adding prefixes to different words. 

Prefix 

in 

il 

im 

ir 

(These are all 

assimilated prefixes.) 

dis 

Prefix 

meaning 

not, 

opposite 

or without 

reverse or 

negative of 

the word 

Base word 

possible 

valuable 

responsible 

legal 

credit 

agree 

cover 

New word 

created 

Other words that use 

the prefix 

impossible impressive impassable 

invaluable 

irresponsible 

illuminate illegible 

inconvenient indecisive 

irreplaceable irregular 

illegal 

discredit dissimilar discontent 

disordered discolour 

disagree 

dismay disarm 

discover 

2 For each of the following bound bases, select which prefix is correct: in, il, im, or ir. As a rule, 

il before l, im before p, m, or b, ir before r, and for all other letters use in. 

a im proper 

d in adequate 

g in grown 

b im balance 

e il logical 

h in sight 

c ir rational 

f il legitimate 

i in edible 

Page 3 

3 Explore the words in the table below from the anchor text. Work out the overall meaning of each 

word, using your knowledge of the prefix. 

Word Prefix meaning Base word meaning Overall meaning 

disheartened 

illogical 

incredible 

dis = reverse or 

negative 

il = not or 

opposite 

in = not or 

opposite 

heartened = to put 

heart into 

logic = based 

on reason 

credible = to believe 

Not having heart in something 

Not having reason 

Unable to believe 


Part B: Suffixes 

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to make a new word with a different 

meaning. Unlike a prefix, which changes the meaning of a word, a suffix changes the grammatical 

function of a word. 

Suffixes can create a plural, or change the tense: 

For example: declare + s = declares; declare + ed = declared; declare + ing = declaring 

Suffixes can also completely change how a word can grammatically be used. 

For example: ‘Declare’ is a verb, but add a suffix and suddenly it can be: 

declare + er = declarer (changes to a noun = a person) 

declare + ation = declaration (changes to a noun = a process) 

declare + ative = declarative (changes to an adjective = describing a noun) 

4 Change the verb ‘contend’ by adding appropriate suffixes. 

Original word Change to … New word 

contend past tense They … contended 

contend adjective (describing a noun) They are … contentious 

contend noun (person) The … contender 

STRATEGY 

Connect the 

word to its 

function. 

5 Using the spelling guide in the Literacy How-to section (page 193), work out the correct spelling 

for the following words and their suffixes. Then, identify which spelling generalisation is used for 

each word. 

a begin + ing 

b encourage + ment 

c defy + es 

d bore + ing 

e cool + est 

f awesome + ness 

g bare + ly 

beginning 

encouragement 

defies 

boring 

coolest 

awesomeness 

barely 

The doubling generalisation 

The e generalisation 

The y to i generalisation 


The doubling generalisation 



Page 199 

Spelling 

generalisations 

6 a Have you accurately used prefixes and suffixes and in your persuasive speech? How many have 

you used? 

b Edit your speech, focusing on your spelling throughout. 

Page 20 

7 Suffixes change the grammatical functions of words. Find an example in the anchor text of a word 

that uses a suffix to function in the follow ways: 

a Past tense bestowed 

c Adverb barely 

Page 3 

b Adjective remarkable 

d Noun 

awesomeness 

I understand how prefixes and suffixes impact words: ______ / 5 

Observe how many prefixes and suffixes are used in all your subjects. Their meaning does 

not change, so you can feel confident to experiment with changing the affix of different 

words to see how many new words you suddenly have to choose from in your own writing. 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.7 Persuasive spelling 17

1.8 

Persuasive speaking and listening 

Part A: Voice and body language 



To understand 

how people speak 

persuasively for 

different audiences 

and purposes 


CL2_1_8 

Page 202 

Voice and body 

language 

STRATEGY 

Identify and 

understand 

the pieces of 

the text. 

You might have the most amazingly written speech ever created, but if it is not presented 

convincingly, it will not persuade anyone of anything! 

How a spoken text is presented has a lot to do with how persuasive it is. This comes down to 

two things: 

• our voice (tone, pitch, volume, pause, pace, emphasis, and expression 

• our body language (eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and posture). 

A speaker can use punctuation and formatting (italics, bold, CAPITAL LETTERS) in their writing 

to help them deliver a speech the way it was intended. 

1 Read the third paragraph of the anchor text aloud to a classmate as follows (have fun with it!): 

a Read it with no expression, don’t present it. 

b Pretend your friend is on the other side of the oval and you don’t have a microphone. 

c Read it as quickly as possible. 

Page 3 

d Choose six random words to emphasise while reading the paragraph. 

e Film yourself presenting the paragraph using your best voice and body language. 

2 What was the most surprising discovery you made while completing this experiment? 

Student answers will vary, but they should notice that by taking things to the extreme, they could 

see how a good speech can lose all impact if not presented properly. 

3 Which focus was the most effective, persuasive and engaging? Why? 

Student answers will vary, but hopefully it will be the final focus because they had rehearsed it 

and thought about an effective way to present it. Of course some may say the others because 

they were entertaining and more enjoyable to complete … 

4 Watch the video of the anchor text by scanning the QR code on page 3. 

Page 3 

5 List the different ways the speaker used their voice and body to be persuasive. 

Voice 

Good pace 

Speaks clearly 

Uses tone and expression 

Good volume 

Uses pauses 

Body language 

Makes eye contact 

Uses facial expressions 

Makes gestures with her hands 

Stands up straight 

Faces the audience 


Part B: The active audience 

We are surrounded by persuasive texts. People and companies are constantly trying to convince 

us to buy something, do something, think something, or feel a certain way about something. 

While some spoken and audio-visual persuasive texts are obvious in their intention (for example, 

commercials are trying to sell us something), there are plenty of other situations where someone 

is speaking persuasively. 

An active listener is someone who gives their full attention to the speaker. They are polite, make eye 

contact, and ask clarifying questions if appropriate. However, being an active listener is also about 

understanding what the speaker is trying to say and knowing how to respond appropriately. 

STRATEGY 

Pause to 

wonder and 

connect. 

6 Draw an arrow from each of the following situations to the appropriate audience response. 

Situation 

At a loud music concert 

Someone presenting at an assembly 

At a tennis match 

At a political rally 

Someone giving a wedding speech 

Appropriate audience response 

Being quiet during play and then clapping 

and yelling at the winning point 

Yelling, singing, talking, and dancing; 

clapping at the end of songs 

Laughing at appropriate sections, cheering 

at the end 

Listening quietly, eyes focused on the 

speaker, clapping at the end 

Talking, chanting, and clapping 

7 What are the appropriate ways to be an active audience member when listening to a classmate’s speech? 

I can be a good audience member by not distracting the person who is presenting. I can laugh 

or clap at the appropriate times and I can try my best not to look bored as they are speaking. 

8 You have spent this unit revising your speech into a quality piece of writing. Now you need to 

rehearse your speech so it is ready to be presented to your class. You should rehearse or practise 

your speech until you know it well enough so you don’t have to read every word and you can 

make eye contact with members of your audience. Rehearsing your speech will also help you to 

find a good pace, know where the pauses are, what words need emphasis, and what tone of voice 

works best in which parts. 

9 Think about presenting your speech. What are you feeling most confident about? 

I’m confident about getting up in front of my class and presenting. I like drama, so I can treat this 

like putting on a performance. 

10 Think about presenting your speech. What are you feeling most nervous about? How might you 

overcome these nerves? 

I’m most nervous about my classmates distracting me or putting me off, or that I might get lost 

in the speech and forget what comes next. 

I understand how people speak persuasively for different audiences and purposes: ______ / 5 

How can you use your understanding of voice and body language to improve your speaking 

skills in other subjects? How can you use your understanding of being an active listener to 

improve your listening skills? 

TAKE IT 

WITH YOU 

1.8 Persuasive speaking and listening 19

1.9 

Teacher connections: Persuasive literacy 

A sample lesson sequence for a 50-minute class 

Timing Focus Actions Implementation guide 

5 minutes Establish 

the learning 

intention and 

connect to the 

students’ prior 

knowledge 

5 minutes Explicit 

teaching 

5 minutes Collaborative 

learning 

10 minutes Independent 

learning 

• Read the learning 

intention and 

clarify the key 

terms. 

• Draw connections 

to prior units, 

lessons, class 

learning, and life. 

• Students 

document current 

and future 

learning. 

• Watch the video. 

• Read the 

workbook notes 

and clarify terms 

for Part A. 

• Connect to the 


learning. 

• Students ask 

any questions 

they have. 

• Complete the 

first part of each 

activity as a class. 

• Students to 

complete the rest 

of each activity 

in pairs. 

• Students 

complete the 

activities in Part A. 

• Check their 

answers. 

Before you teach 

• Denotation, connotation, prefixes, and suffixes are 

likely to be the main words that will need deeper 

clarification; check the students’ prior knowledge of, 

and experience using, these terms. 

• Check the Literacy How-to links prior to teaching to 

familiarise yourself with the supporting information. 

Prior knowledge activation 

• Use the ‘30-second hot-spot’ strategy on three 

different students to get a quick assessment of the 

class members’ understandings of vocabulary and 

content. 

• 1.0 Introduction: 

– Brainstorm the different persuasive texts the 

students are likely to have personally experienced. 

– Get the students to share their answers to Q1 

and Q2. 

• 1.1 Comprehension: 

– Extend the students to consider what type of 

questions are eliciting different answers from 

the comprehension questions and which questions 

they find the most useful. 

– Ask the students to share their answers to Q7. 

• 1.2 Planning and writing: 

– Give the class time to share their topic ideas for 

the writing task. 

– Make sure each student has a clear topic statement 

before moving forward. 

• 1.3 Structures and features: 

– Ask the students to share their answers to Q1 

to ensure there isn’t any confusion. 

– Q2 can be completed as a class or in small groups 

to ensure that the students use technical and 

accurate language. 

– For Q3, connect to the students’ prior knowledge to 

ensure the similarities and differences are accurate. 

• 1.4 Vocabulary: 

– Be prepared to complete at least Q1a as a worked 

example. Clarify vocabulary for the students before 

they complete Q1. 

– For Q5, have fun and push extension students 

to come up with a variety of options. 

• 1.5 Syntax: 

– Q1 can be completed as a class or in small groups, 

or the students’ responses can be shared with 

the class after an individual brainstorm. 

– Allow time for the class to discuss the students’ 

answers to Q2 and Q3. 

– For Q4, if recording options are unavailable, 

students can be divided into pairs, with one student 

transcribing their partner’s words as accurately 

as possible. 



• 1.6 Punctuation: 

– Emphasise synonyms and subtleties of language 

for Q1. 

– Get the students to share their answers to Q1 

and Q2. 

– Part A should not take long, so you have more 

time for Part B and Part C. 

• 1.7 Spelling: 

– For Q1, complete the first row of the table as a class. 

– For Q1, ask the students to share their answers for 

‘other words that use the prefix’. 

– Q2 can be extended to consider other words that 

use these prefixes. 

• 1.8 Speaking and listening: 

– For Q1, divide the students into pairs, with each 

pair tackling one part of Q1, and then presenting 

their responses to the class. This will allow the 

students to respond to Q2 and Q3 more effectively. 

– Ask the students to share their answers to Q5 with 

the class. 

5 minutes Explicit 

teaching 

5 minutes Collaborative 

learning 

10 minutes Independent 

learning 

• Read the 

workbook notes 

and clarify terms 

for Part B. 

• Connect to the 


learning. 

• Students ask any 

questions they 

have. 

• Complete the 

first part of each 

activity as a class. 

• Students to 

complete the rest 

of each activity 

in pairs. 

• Students 

complete the 

activities in Part B. 

• Check their 

answers. 

• 1.0 Introduction: 

– Q3 of the first lesson involves reading and engaging 

with the anchor text. This can be read aloud, or the 

class can listen to the audio version. 

– Save the video of the anchor text for the speaking 

and listening lesson. 

• 1.1 Comprehension: 

– Before the students attempt Q8, spend time 

working through and analysing the worked example 

as a class. 

– Ensure the students label the arguments effectively 

(Q8) before they move on to Q9. 

– Ask the students to share the contentions and 

intentions they wrote for Q9, and discuss the 

variations. 

• 1.2 Planning and writing: 

– As they are planning, extend the students to think 

about what evidence will best connect with their 

audience (Q7). 

– Allow as much class time as possible for the students 

to work on the draft of their speech. Realistically, 

you might need to allocate a separate period for 

the students to complete their draft speech before 

moving on to the next lesson. 

• 1.3 Structures and features: 

– For Q5, ask the students to share the examples they 

found in the anchor text. 

– Ask the students to share the persuasive devices 

they found for Q6; allow time to discuss the effects 

of persuasive devices in different contexts. 

– Q7a and Q7b can be a competition or treasure hunt 

to see how many of each can be uncovered. 

• 1.4 Vocabulary: 

– Students may need help to deeply understand 

connotation. 

– To clarify Q6, provide example sentences that show 

how the words can be used in different ways. 

– Ask the students to share their answers to Q7; 

there should be a variety of responses. 

1.9 Teacher connections: Persuasive literacy 21


• 1.5 Syntax: 

– Ask the students to share their answers to Q5, to 

ensure their responses are accurate, before moving 

forward. 

– You can discuss the difference between single and 

plural verbs as a class. 

• 1.6 Punctuation: 

– As a class, discuss punctuation of dialogue and 

quotes before the students attempt Q5. 

– Extend the students to look at punctuation more 

holistically when revising their drafts. 

• 1.7 Spelling: 

– For Q4, refer the students to the spelling 

generalisations in the Literacy How-to section. 

– The spelling generalisations will be more explicitly 

taught in other units; for now, see if the students 

can apply the generalisations. 

• 1.8 Speaking and listening: 

– As a class, discuss the students’ answers to Q6. 

– Set up expectations for the class presentations 

through Q7. 

– At least one other lesson will need to be allocated 

for the students to practise and present their 

speeches to the class. 

5 minutes Reflection • Connect the 

learning back 

to the learning 

intention. 

• Were the 

students’ initial 

questions 

answered? 

• What scores do 

the students give 

for their success 

and confidence 

in the lesson? 

• Read ‘Take it with 

you’; can the 

students add any 

other situations to 

which they might 

be able to apply 

their learning and 

understanding? 

• Don’t sacrifice the reflection time to enable the 

students to complete the activities. Instead, prioritise 

the reflection as it can help the students to connect 

and transfer the skills covered to other areas. 

• Establish and support the routine of students scoring 

their learning confidence at the end of each lesson. 

• Allow the students to see and speak about the 

connections to other classes and situations; this will 

allow you to discover their interests and make future 

connections to other learning. 


Variation A: Two 20-minute sessions to teach one lesson 

Teach only Part A or Part B in one class and follow the sequence below. You will need to allow writing 

time between each lesson, so allocate an extra 20-minute block to complete each individual lesson. 

Variation B: One 20-minute session to teach one lesson 

The students could be asked to complete the writing revisions as homework or at another time. 

Explicit teaching would cover the entire lesson (Part A and Part B) before independent work. 

There would be little time for collaboration and sharing of results, but learning could be connected 

to mainstream teaching and learning to consolidate and extend. 

A sample lesson sequence for a 20-minute class 

Timing Focus Implementation guide 

2 minutes Establish the learning 

intention and connect 

to the students’ prior 

knowledge 

• Read the learning intention and clarify the key terms. 

• Draw connections to class learning and life. 

5 minutes Explicit teaching • Watch the video. 

• Read the workbook notes and clarify the key terms. 

• Connect the students’ prior learning to the 

expectations of the current activity. 

10 minutes Independent learning • Students complete the activities. 

• Check their answers. 

3 minutes Reflection • Connect the learning back to the learning intention. 

• What scores do the students give for their success 

and confidence in the lesson? 

• Read ‘Take it with you’. 

1.9 Teacher connections: Persuasive literacy 23

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