Emotional Persuader

Worksheet Description

This worksheet is focused on teaching students how to use pathos effectively in persuasive writing. Pathos, an appeal to emotions, is a critical component of persuasion that speakers, leaders, and advertisers often exploit to influence people’s feelings and decisions. The worksheet provides three relatable scenarios for the student to choose from – persuading a mother to allow staying out late, convincing a friend to lend money, or arguing with a teacher about not assigning homework. Students are instructed to write a persuasive paragraph for one of these situations, using pathos as their primary rhetorical strategy.

“The Emotional Persuader’s Toolkit” worksheet is designed to teach students the practical application of pathos in everyday persuasive scenarios. It helps students understand that pathos can tap into an audience’s fears, hopes, dreams, and beliefs to shape their opinions and actions. Through this exercise, students practice the art of emotional appeal, learning how to craft arguments that resonate with their audience’s feelings. It also enhances their ability to recognize emotional manipulation in writing, thereby improving their persuasive writing skills and critical thinking abilities.