The Power of Persuasion · Term 1

Rhetorical Devices and Ethos

Analyzing how speakers establish credibility and authority through specific linguistic choices.

About This Topic

This topic explores how speakers and writers deliberately construct a sense of authority to win over an audience. In Year 10, students move beyond identifying simple persuasive techniques to analyzing the sophisticated construction of 'ethos'. They examine how linguistic choices, such as the use of inclusive pronouns, specialized jargon, or a humble tone, work together to build a persona that feels trustworthy and knowledgeable. This aligns with ACARA standards focusing on how language features and text structures vary across contexts to influence audiences.

Understanding ethos is vital as students prepare for senior secondary English, where they must deconstruct complex bias and positioning. By looking at how public figures establish credibility, students learn to be more critical consumers of information and more effective creators of their own persuasive texts. This topic particularly benefits from structured discussion and peer explanation, as students often find it easier to identify a speaker's 'vibe' through talk before pinning down the specific linguistic evidence.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how specific word choices and sentence structures contribute to a speaker's perceived credibility.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a speaker's persona in persuading a specific audience.
• Compare the rhetorical strategies used by two different speakers to establish ethos.
• Explain how a speaker's tone and use of inclusive language shape audience perception.
• Critique the ethical implications of using rhetorical devices to build authority.

Before You Start

Identifying Persuasive Techniques

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of common persuasive strategies before analyzing the more complex construction of ethos.

Analyzing Tone and Audience

Why: Understanding how tone and audience affect meaning is crucial for analyzing how a speaker constructs a persona to connect with listeners.

Key Vocabulary

Ethos	The ethical appeal of a speaker or writer, referring to their credibility, authority, and character as perceived by the audience.
Persona	The character or role a speaker adopts to present themselves to an audience, influencing how they are perceived.
Credibility	The quality of being trusted and believed in, established through expertise, experience, or perceived integrity.
Authority	The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience, often built through demonstrated knowledge or position.
Inclusive Language	Words and phrases that avoid bias or stereotypes and are respectful of all people, often used to build rapport and shared identity.

Active Learning Ideas

Role Play: The Expert Panel

Assign students different personas (e.g., a scientist, a local resident, a politician) to argue for a community project. Students must use specific linguistic markers to establish their unique authority before the class votes on who sounded most credible.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

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Think-Pair-Share: Credibility Audit

Students analyze a short speech transcript individually to highlight words that build trust. They then compare findings with a partner to categorize these words into 'expertise', 'shared values', or 'reliability' before sharing with the class.

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

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Stations Rotation: Persona Shifts

Set up stations with the same message written in different tones (e.g., clinical, passionate, folksy). Groups move between stations to identify which linguistic choices create each persona and discuss which audience would find each most believable.

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

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Real-World Connections

Political commentators on news programs, such as those on the ABC or Sky News, construct specific personas to appeal to their target demographics and establish their authority on current events.

Public health officials delivering speeches about vaccination campaigns must carefully craft their message to build trust and credibility with a diverse and sometimes skeptical public.

Lawyers in court use carefully chosen language and present themselves in a particular manner to establish ethos with the judge and jury, aiming to persuade them of their client's case.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Ethos is just about being famous or having a title.

What to Teach Instead

Ethos is constructed through the text itself, not just the speaker's pre-existing reputation. Active analysis of transcripts helps students see how even an unknown speaker can build authority through precise vocabulary and tone.

Common Misconception

Credibility is only established at the start of a speech.

What to Teach Instead

Ethos must be maintained throughout a text. Using collaborative mapping, students can track how a speaker reinforces their connection to the audience at key transition points to prevent losing trust.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a short transcript of a speech. Ask them to identify two specific linguistic choices the speaker made to establish credibility and explain how each choice contributes to their ethos.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How might a speaker adapt their persona and language to persuade a group of teenagers versus a group of senior citizens?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to provide specific examples of word choice and tone.

Quick Check

Present students with a short video clip of a public figure. Ask them to write down three adjectives that describe the speaker's persona and one piece of evidence (a specific phrase or action) that supports their choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ethos and logos in Year 10 English?

While logos focuses on the logical consistency of the argument and evidence, ethos focuses on the character and reliability of the person delivering it. In Year 10, students should analyze how these overlap, such as how using high-level technical vocabulary (logos) simultaneously builds the speaker's image as an expert (ethos).

How can active learning help students understand rhetorical ethos?

Active learning allows students to 'perform' credibility. Through role plays and simulations, students experience how a shift in word choice immediately changes how an audience perceives them. This hands-on experimentation makes abstract linguistic concepts like 'authoritative tone' concrete and memorable, moving beyond rote memorization of definitions to practical application.

Which ACARA standards cover rhetorical devices?

The primary standards are AC9E10LA08, which looks at how language features influence audience response, and AC9E10LY03, which focuses on analyzing how text structures and language features vary across contexts. These standards require students to evaluate the effectiveness of persuasion.

How do I teach ethos to students who struggle with abstract concepts?

Start with visual examples, like social media influencers or advertisements. Ask students why they trust certain creators over others. Use a 'Gallery Walk' of different profiles so students can physically move and identify the specific visual and textual cues that signal expertise or relatability.