How to get people to change

Reading and listening to Severn Suzuki's speech and thinking about the questions in our new English Persuasive Language resource got me thinking about how we persuade people to change their behaviour. 

Severns speech is very emotive and impressive from a 12 year old but it left me just feeling a bit guilty and inadequate.  Yes I know about all these problems (yes in 1992 not everyone did and also it was at the Rio Earth Summit so aimed at big decision makers) but HEr speech didn't really give me a sense of what I should do the change things.  It gave me the impression that the whole system is against me and that as an individual I wouldn't make much difference.  The problems come across as overwhelming (as indeed they are but feeling this doesn't help action).

I think that emphasising what people can do, the sum of small steps by everyone is a more powerful message.  Yes people must be aware of the problems to want to act but once they are then we need a more empowering message.

I hope that this is what we are doing with our School sustainability programs, giving teachers and students the knowledge of what they can do as well as the hands on experience of how easy and enjoyable it can be too.    If students and the wider community feel the personal benefits of their work (friendships, support, health etc) in their organic gardens, collaborative learning in the classroom, recycling and energy saving campaigns etc. and understand the cumulative positive environmental effect of doing this then hopefully that knowledge and action will spread out. 

We'll see.  What do you think?

Persuasive Language for English 2A

We have a fantastic new English resource on our website written by new resource developer Georgia.  ITs been designed for use in English 2A but the ideas could easily be adapted to lower school as the speech by Severn Suzuki would appeal to all ages (she was just 12 when she made it).  Here's the link to this Persuasive Language Resource on our website.

You can use this resource with your students to examine and analyse how environmental activists use persuasive language to appeal to audiences about environmental issues and encourage social action and change. It includes a glossary of terms for persuasive language techniques, a speech by Severn Suzuki (daughter of David Suzuki) at the 1992 Earth Summit and an accompanying worksheet in which students identify and analyse the persuasive techniques she used to such effect. Students will also analyse the concepts of context, purpose, audience, values, and attitudes, and consider how powerful language can be used to encourage action and change.

Students then consolidate and demonstrate their knowledge by researching an environmental issue of their choice and writing a speech to inform and persuade audiences to change their habits. They choose a context, purpose & audience for their speech and demonstrate their understanding of how language can be shaped for particular purposes. The final part of the assessment involves students presenting their speeches to demonstrate their comprehension of how verbal and non verbal language is used to enhance persuasive speaking techniques. The accompanying task sheet includes a rubric for assessment.

You could also play the speech students.  Here is a link to it on Youtube  Severn Suzuki Speech

This one has some graphics added in but there are other versions on there too.

All this got me thinking about the best way to persuade people to change their behaviour, as that afterall is the whole point of what we are doing.  Severn's speech is very emotional but is it really the best way to get people to change how they live?  See my next post for what I think.