---
title: "Building persuasive arguments"
course: "SPCH 100 · Speak with confidence"
unit: "Speaking to inform, persuade, connect"
lesson: 12 of 18
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/speak-with-confidence/building-persuasive-arguments
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Building persuasive arguments

Lesson 12 of 18 in **Speak with confidence** (SPCH 100), unit "Speaking to inform, persuade, connect". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Construct a persuasive position on a debatable issue with a clear claim, credible evidence, and explicit reasoning that connects them, using storytelling or narrative as one framing strategy when it fits.
- Adapt the argument's framing, evidence, and language to a specific audience (given by the tutor) without abandoning the position.
- Evaluate whether the reasoning is stated (not just assumed) in tutor provided speech notes and identify one gap.
- Improve a persuasive speech (given by the tutor) by implementing story framing

## Teaching notes
The primary course learning outcomes that should be focused on are:
MO3 — Design Audience-Centered Messages (focused central idea, credible support, organized content, adaptation of content/language/structure/visual)

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 12 complete: Building persuasive arguments."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Evidence, reasoning, and counterarguments" (lesson 13 of 18), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/speak-with-confidence/evidence-reasoning-and-counterarguments.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Explaining complex topics clearly
Next lesson: Evidence, reasoning, and counterarguments