Session 1 · AUTHOR: Techniques
Ethos: why should they trust you?
- 10 minRead the ethos paragraphs from the reading-group and cousin exemplars. Underline every 'I know…' or 'I've…' phrase.
- 10 minPEEL warm-up: label the school-garden paragraph P, E, Ex or L.
- 25 minWrite your ethos paragraph using PEEL, with a specific first-person detail: a place, an object, a person. Use certainty words: 'I know', not 'I think maybe'.
- 5 minPeer check: is the example specific? Does Explain actually explain?
Session 2 · AUTHOR: Techniques
Pathos: why should they care?
- 10 minRead the pathos paragraphs about Aria and about being talked over. Which sentence is the emotional punch?
- 10 minWarm-up: 'Not everyone gets treated fairly at school' versus 'Imagine putting your hand up, finally getting picked…'. Which is stronger, and why?
- 25 minWrite your pathos paragraph with an 'Imagine…' or 'Picture…' moment, direct address ('you', 'your'), and a short sentence after a long one.
- 5 minRead it aloud. Ask your partner: where should I slow down to let this land?
Getting started
Use the language toolbox strip: 'I know this because…', 'Imagine…', 'Picture…', 'That's not a small thing.'
Stretch
Write your ethos from observed experience (someone you know) rather than your own, and make it just as convincing.
Checkpoint
Ethos and pathos paragraphs drafted, peer-checked and read aloud.
Activities for this week
- PEEL build: How do I turn an idea into a paragraph people trust?
- The 'Imagine…' moment: How do I make an audience feel it, not just hear it?
Useful this week
- Speech New Zealand ↗ Speech and communication awards and ideas for young speakers.
- NZ Schools' Debating resources ↗ Speaker roles, rebuttal tips and example debates.