English Language · Primary 4

Active learning ideas

Identifying Rhetorical Devices in Advertising

Active learning helps Primary 4 students see how rhetorical devices work in real life, not just in textbooks. By creating and analyzing ads, students experience firsthand how language and images shape messages, making abstract concepts concrete and memorable.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Reading and Viewing - P4
• MOE: Persuasive Texts - P4

• 15–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Ad Agency

Small groups are given a 'boring' object (like a paperclip). They must use one specific rhetorical device (e.g., a catchy slogan or emotive language) to create a 30-second pitch to the class.

Analyze how advertisers appeal to our emotions to sell a product.

Facilitation Tip

During the Ad Agency simulation, circulate and ask each group to explain their slogan’s purpose to you before they present to the class.

What to look for

Provide students with a print advertisement. Ask them to identify one rhetorical device used, write down the specific words or images that represent it, and explain in one sentence how it tries to persuade the viewer.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Persuasion Hunt

Display various local advertisements around the room. Students use a checklist to identify which ads use celebrity appeal, 'bandwagon' effects, or bright colors to attract attention.

Explain the role repetition plays in making a message memorable.

Facilitation Tip

For the Persuasion Hunt, provide sticky notes so students can mark examples they find in each poster or screen.

What to look for

Show a short television commercial. Ask students to raise their hand if they see a celebrity endorsement, use emotive language, or hear a slogan. Then, ask one student to explain the purpose of the device they identified.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Slogan Secrets

Students analyze famous slogans (e.g., 'Passion Made Possible'). They discuss with a partner why the specific words were chosen and what feeling they are meant to evoke.

Evaluate if an advertisement can be effective without using any words.

Facilitation Tip

In Slogan Secrets, cold-call students who haven’t shared yet to keep the discussion inclusive.

What to look for

Present two advertisements for the same type of product (e.g., two different brands of cereal). Ask students: 'Which advertisement do you think is more effective and why? What specific rhetorical devices did each advertiser use to try and convince you?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start by modeling how to analyze an ad aloud, thinking through each rhetorical device step by step. Avoid assuming students understand the difference between a fact and a claim without guided practice. Research shows that scaffolding these distinctions early prevents misconceptions from taking root. Use think-alouds to make your thought process visible to students.

Successful learning looks like students confidently identifying slogans, emotive language, and celebrity endorsements in ads. You will hear them explaining how these devices persuade viewers, not just listing them. Look for evidence of critical thinking as they compare different advertisements.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Ad Agency simulation, watch for students who assume all claims in ads are true without questioning the wording.

  Redirect them to the 'fact vs. claim' sorting task embedded in their ad design. Have them highlight any vague phrases like 'helps' or 'up to' and discuss what these words might hide.

• During the brand recognition game, listen for students who say they are not influenced by ads.

  Use the game’s results to show how many logos or jingles they recognized instantly. Ask them to reflect on why these stuck in their minds, linking repetition and visual branding to their own experiences.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share