Analysing persuasive speeches: Malala Yousafzai's Nobel Peace Prize speech
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Empower students with an analysis of this consequential speech, made by Malala Yousafzai for the Nobel Peace Prize. Explore the depth and detail of the speech, including persuasive and rhetorical techniques to fuel students' own persuasive work.
What's included
Get everything you need to support students in their understanding of rhetorical and persuasive devices, their definitions and use:
- Free printable PDF worksheet and PowerPoint presentation for students to expand their understanding of rhetorical devices and learn how to use them in their own written work.
- For subscribers only, an adaptable and customisable worksheet and PowerPoint presentation.
Analysing persuasive speeches
This resource is ideal for expanding students' knowledge of the art of rhetoric, its origins in Aristotle's work and the concepts of logos, pathos and ethos. The resource contains a PowerPoint presentation that guides students through a variety of activities and an accompanying worksheet.
Students read Malala's speech, learn about a range of rhetorical and persuasive techniques, then identify these in the speech to deepen their rhetorical understanding. This is important as it lays the groundwork at KS3 for the studying of argument and persuasive writing for GCSE at KS4.
Key features of this resource
This resource contains a diverse number of activities based around Malala's persuasive speech. Students are introduced to a persuasive technique acronym: A RED FOREST, which includes relevant techniques used in this speech and other persuasive texts. Students are also exposed to the importance of logos, pathos and ethos in persuasive speaking, linking back to the work of Aristotle.
Once students have read and analysed Malala's speech, there are a range of targeted activities for them to complete. The final activity guides students to analyse a model response to the speech, considering how to improve an analytical paragraph to make the response more detailed and perceptive.
How to use this resource
This resource is perfect for:
- Building understanding of rhetorical devices, their definitions and how to use them flexibly in writing
- Supporting variety and versatility in written work
- KS3 assessment preparation
- Reinforcing writing skills ahead of GCSE English Language Paper 2 work
Additional persuasive writing resources
- Speech analysis practice: Greta Thunberg
- Effective introductions
- Resource booklet
- Campaigning for farm animals - persuasive/powerful language
- A formal letter of complaint
Browse additional resources in our KS3 persuasive writing section.
A sample extract from this resource:
Read the speech and discuss your first responses, either as a whole class, in pairs or groups.
You could talk about:
- What points really stand out for you? Explain your reasons.
- Which phrases had an immediate impact and why?
- Do you think the speech will make people stop and think about protecting vulnerable children in war-torn countries? Give reasons and evidence from the speech to support your ideas.
Answer the following questions:
- Find and write down two short quotations which show Malala’s love of learning. What do these quotations tell the reader about her passion for knowledge?
- What does the speech reveal about the children in Malala’s school? Give two quotations and a brief explanation for each one, focusing on how the children felt about their education.
- Focus on the part that begins ‘But things did not remain the same…’ to ‘our voices have grown louder and louder.’
How does Malala use language and sentence structure to emphasise the conflict and struggles at the time and how she overcame them?
**Think about Malala’s use of contrasts and emotive language. Consider the length of sentences and what impact these have on the reader.
