English · Year 13

Active learning ideas

Rhetorical Devices and Figurative Language

Active learning works because rhetorical devices and figurative language rely on sound and imagery, which students must hear and see to grasp their persuasive force. When learners manipulate these tools in real time, they move beyond passive recognition to active analysis, which strengthens both comprehension and retention.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• A-Level: English Language - Rhetoric and Persuasion
• A-Level: English Language - Stylistics

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Chalk Talk
• 35 min · Pairs

Pair Dissection: Speech Annotations

Pairs annotate excerpts from persuasive speeches, labeling devices like anaphora or antithesis and noting their effects. They then swap annotations for peer review and discuss persuasive strengths. Compile class insights on a shared digital board.

Explain how specific rhetorical devices enhance the persuasive impact of a speech.

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Dissection, circulate with the audio clips ready to play so students can hear the rhythm of anaphora and antithesis immediately after reading.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from a famous speech. Ask them to identify one example of anaphora or antithesis and explain in one sentence how it contributes to the speech's persuasive power.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Chalk Talk
• 50 min · Small Groups

Small Group Craft: Device-Driven Persuasion

Groups select a modern issue and compose a 200-word persuasive pitch using three assigned devices. They rehearse delivery, focusing on rhythm and imagery. Present to class for vote on most convincing.

Analyze the function of metaphor and simile in making abstract ideas more concrete.

Facilitation Tip

For Small Group Craft, provide a bank of opposing ideas so groups can focus on structuring antithesis rather than searching for topics.

What to look for

Display a series of sentences, some containing metaphors or similes and others literal descriptions. Ask students to label each as either figurative or literal and briefly explain their reasoning for two examples.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Chalk Talk
• 45 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Carousel: Strategy Swap

Post excerpts around the room; students rotate, adding analysis of figurative language to each. Return to starting station to synthesize group findings. Conclude with plenary on cross-text patterns.

Differentiate between various rhetorical strategies and their intended effects on an audience.

Facilitation Tip

In the Whole Class Carousel, assign each station a different device so students build expertise as they rotate, making annotations more targeted.

What to look for

Students write a 100-word persuasive paragraph on a given topic. They then exchange paragraphs with a partner, identifying at least one rhetorical device used by their peer and commenting on its effectiveness in one sentence.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Chalk Talk
• 25 min · Individual

Individual Remix: Metaphor Makeover

Students rewrite a prosaic paragraph from a speech using similes and metaphors. Self-assess impact on persuasiveness via a rubric. Share one example in a class gallery walk.

Explain how specific rhetorical devices enhance the persuasive impact of a speech.

Facilitation Tip

During Individual Remix, ask students to draft their metaphor makeover in pencil first so they can revise after peer feedback on audience impact.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from a famous speech. Ask them to identify one example of anaphora or antithesis and explain in one sentence how it contributes to the speech's persuasive power.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model annotation with think-alouds, showing how to mark sound devices with slashes and figurative language with brackets. Avoid overloading students with terminology; instead, emphasize purpose and effect. Research suggests that students learn rhetorical devices best when they connect them to persuasion in speeches, not isolated examples, so anchor every lesson in real-world texts.

Successful learning looks like students confidently labeling devices in unfamiliar texts, explaining their effects with precise language, and adapting them effectively in their own writing. By the end of these activities, students should be able to connect rhetorical choices to audience, purpose, and tone with clarity.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Dissection, watch for students who treat anaphora as accidental repetition rather than deliberate patterning.

  Prompt pairs to mark the repeated phrase and then read the section aloud twice, once normally and once with exaggerated pauses at each repetition, to highlight the rhythmic buildup.

• During Small Group Craft, watch for students who conflate metaphors and similes as interchangeable tools.

  Ask groups to rewrite their metaphor sentences by replacing the 'is' with 'like' or 'as,' then vote on which version sharpens their abstract idea more effectively for their intended audience.

• During Whole Class Carousel, watch for students who assume antithesis always creates balanced arguments.

  Have students underline the opposing ideas in each speech excerpt and then circle any words that reveal the speaker's intent, such as 'must,' 'should,' or 'cannot,' to expose persuasive rather than neutral tensions.

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Methods used in this brief

• Chalk Talk