CLS: Renee Shea | Educator & Author

Intended for middle and high school students, this workshop focuses on writing effective arguments whether it is a college admissions essay, a speech for a specific occasion, a blog post or an opinion for a school assignment. Participants will learn how to identify the elements that make a persuasive argument, then discuss how the audience affects the writer’s choice of language and structure, with emphasis on what constitutes civil discourse on a topic. Next, participants will free-write for 10-15 minutes about an issue of their choice tailored to appeal to a specific audience. Individuals will share with the larger group, who will speculate on who the intended audience is and what “evidence” led them to that conclusion. Finally, participants will discuss how they might revise their drafts to strengthen the appeal to the intended audience.