AFOREST -

1. AFOREST - • A = anecdotes/ alliteration • F = facts • O = opinions • R = rhetorical questions/ repetition • E = emotive language • S = statistics • T = triples (or ‘rule of three’)

2. AFOREST – advanced version! • A = anecdotes/ alliteration • F = facts/ figurative language (metaphor/ personification) • O = opinions/ onomatopoeia • R = rhetorical questions/ repetition • E = exaggeration/ emotive language/ exclamation marks • S = statistics/ similes • T = triples (or ‘rule of three’)

3. Try these questions: ARGUE Write a speech for a school’s careers conference in which you argue that a career in the music industry is a totally acceptable choice for someone about to leave school. PERSUADE Write the text of a speech to be given to your year in assembly. in which you try to persuade them that classes in self-defence is something they should participate in, if they wish to cope with the violence in our society. ADVISE Write a letter to a friend giving them some advice about smoking.

4. How many of these rhetorical devices do you know? Learn as many as you can to help you write effectively and convincingly in the exam • 1. Rhetorical question Can we really expect the school to keep paying from its limited resources? • 2. Emotive language Imagine being cast out into the street, cold, lonely and frightened. • 3. Parallel structures To show kindness is praiseworthy; to show hatred is evil. • 4. Sound patterns Alliteration: Callous, calculating cruelty – is this what we must expect? Assonance: A fine time we all had, too. • 5. Contrast Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind. • 6. Description and Imagery (i.e. using metaphor, simile and personification) While we wait and do nothing, we must not forget that the fuse is already burning. • 7. The ‘rule of three’ I ask you, is this fair, is it right, is it just? • 8. Repetition Evil minds will use evil means. • 9.Hyperbole (using exaggeration for effect) While we await your decision, the whole school holds its breath. • 10. Quotes from professionals Mrs Smith from Cancer Research said… • 11. Anecdotes ‘I remember years ago when I worked with the homeless in a shelter, I discovered then that…’ • 13. words to unite We, us, our, together

5. Advice writing needs to: • Be controlled, clear and focussed; • Be structured and ordered (deal with one issue at a time and do not return to it once dealt with – this will make your piece look unstructured) • Offer specific solutions to the problem presented to you – more than one option; • Be calm and reassure the reader, who may be upset or in need of help; • Use modal verbs - ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘should’ to deliver options and alternatives to the reader; • Be considerate to the reader (and offer phrases which support this, where relevant, such as ‘I understand it must be difficult to… but you must try to…’); • Offer your own opinion where relevant (even if this ‘opinion’ is fabricated for the sake of the exam). ADVISE 1. Write an advice sheet for teenagers on how to be healthier. 2. Write a letter to a friend giving them some advice about smoking.

6. Possible questions: advise • School trips need to be carefully supervised. You have been asked to offer advice to teachers from a student’s perspective, on how best to supervise such trips and what to look out for. Write your advice, which will be included in a pack to be sent out to schools. • Write an article for a careers magazine in which you give advice to students on what to look out for when applying for a part time job. • Write an article in which you advise a young celebrity about how to deal with fame.

7. QUESTION Write the text of a newspaper article for a teen magazine in which you persuade teenagers to lead a healthy lifestyle. PARAGRAPH PLAN • 1 – Headline/ what I am writing about/ my own opinion • 2 – The problem with teenagers these days/ some health risks– use AFOREST • 3 – What the causes are • 4 – How they should change and why they should change – use AFOREST • 5 – The kind of future they could be looking forward to and more on the benefits • 6 – Conclude Annotate the following pupil answer – what grade would it get?

8. UNHEALTHY YOUTH OF TODAY! Look around you. What do you see? All we seem to see and hear on the television and in the media these days is how the youth of today are fat, lazy and unhealthy. Apparently, we are the most ‘at risk’ generation there has ever been and in my opinion something needs to be done about it! Ever hear your parents droning on about how ‘in their day’ there was no such thing as obesity because they were all outside playing football and delightful things such as playstations had not yet been invented? Well, they may just have a point. Did you know that 21% of teenagers are clinically obese? Oh, and that a further 10% are in danger of becoming obese over the next five years of their lives? More and more of us are finding sports a struggle, are turning to food to comfort us or are simply not getting out there and being active enough. People in the medical profession blame this recent trend on the fact that kids like us have nothing to do these days. This is a very good point. Over the last five years 75% of youth clubs in the West Midlands have closed down; over the same period, sales of games consoles has risen by 40%. This explains it all. We really do have no motivation to get out there and enjoy activities when we can have all the excitement we need from our living room armchairs. As well as nowhere to go, it is a known fact that the streets are becoming more dangerous than ever. Parents just aren’t comfortable allowing their children to have a ‘kick-around’ on the street outside their house anymore. Additionally, teenage girls are struggling with weight issues even more than ever as we are all constantly bombarded with pictures of skinny ‘celebrities’ in every newspaper and on every channel. Label the devices being used

9. It is time to prove our parents wrong and show them that we do have the spirit to change our futures. We do not want to become known as the generation that let obesity get the better of them! So what can we do? Well, in my opinion we need to try to organise more school sports activities where we can get fit in the safety of our school watched over by teachers or coaches. We will get fit and learn so much about ourselves. Organising tournaments and events should become much more of a big deal. A friend of mine who used to live in America never stops talking about how sports are so important to the school and each game of basket ball or football is made into a huge event which is celebrated and everyone learns how to have school spirit. This is what we need. Let’s show our parents that we have a future that is worth looking forward to. If we start to care about our health we can be rest assured that we will not become obese couch potatoes obsessed with games consoles. Exercise improves the concentration, stamina and general well-being. Some medical experts even say it releases ‘happy hormones’ which makes us feel good about ourselves! So, whether its changing the food you eat, taking up a new sport, stopping smoking or organising school activities, let’s all do our bit to make our futures more inviting.

10. Try these questions: ARGUE Write an article for a magazine aimed at parents. Argue the case either for or against teenagers being allowed to have a television in their bedrooms. PERSUADE Write an article for a website aimed at middle-aged audience. In the article you must persuade them to take up sporting activities. ADVISE Write an advice sheet for 16 year olds on how to be healthier.

11. Advice writing • Write an advice sheet for people who are newcomers to your area. • Write an article advising teachers how to get pupils to read more. • Write an advice sheet for someone who has to survive several days alone. • Write a speech advising your peers on how to live a healthy, active life.