English: Year 8 Advertising

Year 8 student, Angela R, gives us the scoop on English this term, including the new advertising unit, oral presentations and exams!

From learning about advertising, oral presentations and doing our first exam, the Year 8's have had an exhilarating term. This term, our main focus was on advertising and persuasive techniques, with three main assessment tasks; creating our own advertisement, presenting a persuasive oral presentation and an exam on persuasive techniques.

We started the term off by learning about each persuasive technique and their effect on the viewer. Once we had a good understanding of how advertising used all these techniques to influence our decision, we were asked to create an advertisement of our own, using all these techniques.

It was then time to try and convince a room full of restless teenagers, with our persuasive oral presentations. Having the freedom to choose our topic, being something we were passionate about, and implementing all the persuasive strategies taught to us, to compose an essay about why we believe our view on the topic is correct. Understandably, it was a little nerve racking for most of us, having to get up in front of everyone, however we got through the nerves and managed to produce some incredible work.

Ending off our persuasive unit this term was the completion of our first exam. Within the hour given, we wrote an essay analysing the persuasive techniques, composition, target audience and colour, of the advertisement that was provided. As you could imagine, students were all a little worried as this was out first exam although performed very well.

We are all looking forward to next terms English electives!