Persuasive Devices and Media Texts: Year 6 Study Guide
We are surrounded by messages that try to influence us. Year 6 students learn to look closely.
Authors of persuasive texts use techniques to move readers: emotive language (heartbreaking, outrageous), rhetorical questions, repetition, statistics and expert opinions, inclusive language (we, our community) and modality (must, should, might). Images, colours and layout persuade too.
Media texts include advertisements, news reports, websites and social media posts. Readers ask: Who made this? What do they want me to think or do? Whose view is missing? Is it a fact that can be checked, or an opinion?
Persuasive techniques
| Technique | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Emotive language | innocent animals suffering | stirs feeling |
| Rhetorical question | Do we want our beaches covered in plastic? | makes reader think |
| Statistics | 9 out of 10 dentists agree | adds weight (check the source) |
| Repetition | Act now. Act today. | builds urgency |
| Inclusive language | Together we can… | creates belonging |
Fact, opinion and bias
A fact can be checked: 'The Murray is Australia's longest river.' An opinion is a belief: 'The Murray is beautiful.' Bias is when a text favours one side and may leave out others. Look at headlines, which images are chosen and which people are quoted. Compare a news story on two sites.
To inform or to persuade?
Words, images, layout.
Fact or opinion?
Another viewpoint.
Planning a persuasive text
Plan: thesis (your position), three arguments with evidence, a counterargument and rebuttal, and a call to action. Use topic sentences and linking words (moreover, consequently, nevertheless). In a speech, add pauses, tone and eye contact. Keep a respectful tone, even when you disagree.
Worked example and common mistakes
Example: 'Surely no sensible person would let our local park be paved over?' This uses a rhetorical question and emotive framing. Common mistakes: mistaking strong feeling for strong evidence, using the same technique too often and ignoring the opposing view. Aim for a balance of logic, credibility and emotion.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. A question asked for effect, not to get an answer. 2. An opinion. 3. For example, repetition and emotive language.
✨ Key Takeaways
- Persuasive texts use techniques.
- Separate fact from opinion.
- Ask who made the text and why.
- Support arguments with evidence.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- What is a rhetorical question?
- Is 'Cricket is the best sport' a fact or opinion?
- Name two persuasive techniques.
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