This learning module is aimed at advanced and superior ELLs at the high school level, specifically 9th-grade to 12th-grade students with strong communicative competence in English. There are seven sections in this learning module: the first four sections guide students to comprehend persuasive writing in their social life and produce their original piece; the fifth section allows students to provide constructive feedback on one another’s pieces of writing; the last section is a presentation day, providing students with the opportunity to showcase their final product in their comfortable way.

This course is primarily designed for students in ESL enrichment programs by using transformative and reflexive pedagogy. Students’ agency in researching their interested topic and generating their persuasion is the core of the teaching and learning activities. The course can take two to four weeks depending on the duration of the ESL programs. Each session is planned to take 40-60 minutes, except for the last one which may take longer time depending on the number of students and specific arrangements. 

Standards: English Language Proficiency Standards with Correspondences to the K-12 Practices and Common Core State Standards

9-12.4 Level 5

• Construct a substantive claim about a variety of topics,
• Introduce the claim,
• Distinguish it from a counter-claim,
• Provide logically ordered and relevant reasons and evidence to support the claim and to refute the counter-claim, and
• Provide a conclusion that summarizes the argument presented.

9-12.6 Level 5

• Analyze and evaluate the reasoning and use of rhetoric in persuasive texts, including documents of historical and literary significance,
• Determine whether the evidence is sufficient to support the claim, and
• Cite specific textual evidence to support the analysis thoroughly.

Supplies Needed:

• Students must have a personal device and access to the internet.

Purpose

This section is to use authentic materials which are related to students' daily life to introduce the definition and components of persuasive writing. Language segments often associated with persuasive writing are also introduced to the students for their reference.

The updates are inviting each student to take their initiative and contribute to the collective intelligence of the class. By making comments, they are communicating with and help each other in terms of their knowledge internalization.

Advice

Teachers can add their choices of examples that are more relevant to their learning community.

Teachers can make comments under each student's post as well to join in the discussion. Teachers can also comment on the common errors made by students. By doing this, teachers guide students to turn the online space into a collaborative learning community.

Purpose

This section is to encourage students to play an active role in brainstorming their writing content. Students can choose whether to work in groups or individually based on which one is a more comfortable learning environment for them.

Advice

Teachers can walk around during the discussion and research time to facilitate the research progress.

Teachers can also make comments under each student's post to provide further suggestions on their research and language use.

If students work in groups, an email or message about the allocation of work needs to be sent to teachers for confirming each student's participation of group work. 

Purpose

This section is to guide students to have a planning of writing content and structure before the complete first draft. It should be part of the training process of good writing habits.

Advice

The part of the counterargument in the planning sheet would be confusing for many students. Teachers need to highlight the definition and give a mini-lesson about the term.

Teachers can walk around and tutor students one-on-one if needed during the class. Teachers can also make comments under each student's post to provide further suggestions on their content, structure, and language use.

Purpose

This section is to guide students to complete the writing process of the first draft. 

Advice

This section is the core of this course. Teachers need to pay special attention to scaffolding students and make sure that they understand teachers' expectations. Teachers can adjust their requirements based on the students' English proficiency levels. The sample writing is not perfect and teachers can guide students to discuss its strengths and space for improvement. More samples can be added to the teaching content based on teachers' previous experience. 

Purpose

The purpose of this section is to enable students to edit and revise their writing with the help of their classmates. The peer-review invites students to critique and analyze the writing. Since they are in the same space, they also have the chance to discuss and explain their writing when needed. Constructive feedback would encourage students to both uplift their classmates but also have an opportunity to help improve their writing. 

Purpose

The purpose of this section is to enable students to produce a tangible final product presentable to the public, which may give them a sense of achievement to further their language study. It is also an opportunity for students to see their work as not just something made for the teacher with the sole purpose of a grade, but rather as a way to inform the world around them of their ideas and voices. This is, in fact, the true purpose of writing.

Teachers can help students to print out their final product and have a space for an exhibition or workstation to walk around and talk to people about their ideas and beliefs. It could be in the classroom as well with other teachers and students invited to the classroom so that the audience is more than just the teacher. If this kind of space is not available at school, any place in the local community could be a good choice. Other community members from local communities could also be invited for improving the social relevance and learning motivation of the presentation.

Since I taught the class in an enrichment program where grading is not an essential element, I did not grade students on their final presentation but write a comment to each of them under their update. However, teachers who implement this learning module in the school setting could also grade students’ performance in their final presentation based on the following criteria. Modifications can be made based on the specific situation.

Rubric

Content and Scientific Merit (60 points)

Introduction:

• Defines background and importance of the topic
• States research process having been done by the presenter, and
• Identify relevant arguments

Body:

• The presenter has a scientifically valid argument
• Addresses audience at an appropriate level (formal language use)
• Offers evidence of proof/disproof
• Include counterargument of potential opposites
• The talk is logical

Conclusion:

• Summarizes major points of the talk
• Provides you with a “take-home” message

Speaking Style/Delivery (20 points)

• Speaks clearly and at an understandable pace
• Maintains eye contact with the audience
• Well rehearsed (either extemporaneous or scripted presentation)
• Limited use of filler words (“um,” “like,” etc.)
• Speaker uses body language appropriately
• Speaker is within time limits
• Speaker is able to answer questions professionally
• Speaker has dressed appropriately

Audio/Visual (20 points)

• Graphs/figures are clear and understandable.
• The text is readable and clear.
• Audio/Visual components support the main points of the talk.
• Appropriate referencing of data that is/was not generated by the presenter

Creativity (Bonus point)

• The form of presentation is creative. e.g. The student uses self-created videos or images.
• The content of the presentation is creative. e.g. The students use some unexpected examples or reasoning processes.
• The delivery of the presentation is creative. e.g. The student uses vivid facial expressions, gestures, or jokes to attract the audience's attention.