Learning Theories

I’ve chosen to focus on teaching students to write an effective persuasive essay using elements like persuasive appeals and strong connotations. I will focus on the cognitive information processing theory and the situated learning theory.

Cognitive Information Processing Theory

First, I would begin by appealing to sensory memory. We would build on the students’ prior knowledge of the elements of writing and then look at several examples of persuasive texts. We will discuss patterns in the texts and highlight these patterns. I will also provide them with several notes and graphics introducing the new persuasive elements with plenty of examples.

Second, we will work with short-term memory by practicing writing persuasively in shorter then longer assignments. Slowly building up to writing a full essay. Encoding will take place by helping students build on their prior knowledge concerning writing and giving them real world persuasive prompts to write and discuss.

Persuasive writing will hopefully move into their long-term memory after several practices with and without notes. I will also continue to return to this information and build upon it throughout the year, causing students to retrieve the information often.

Situation Learning Theory

I would begin first by giving students a short introduction to persuasive writing and its elements by providing examples and notes.

Then I would allow students to work together and independently to solve real world issues through persuasive writing. They would seek out problems in society that they feel strongly about and write letters to government officials and other leaders persuading them to take a particular position. Feedback will be given through peer and teacher editing as well as any response they might receive from the community.

Ideally, students would use blogging, social networking sites, and other media to open discussions and debates concerning issues that are important to them. Learning persuasive strategies and writing will be learned through the students’ desires to be heard and appreciated in the larger community.