In this unit, you have examined representations of a number of contemporary social issues in the literary text of the film, Lion, and how they are represented in the media. You have also examined strategies for persuasive argument. You have also analysed the ways different texts construct perspectives of the same issue.
You have been invited to deliver a persuasive speech to an Australian conference on global issues. The topic of this year’s conference is: Lion Eyes – Looking at the World with Courage to Change. The conference speeches will all be concerned with an issue derived from Garth Davis’s film, Lion.
You are to construct, script and pre-record a persuasive speech on a contentious issue represented or alluded to in the film, such as: human trafficking, international adoption, child welfare, child labour or mental illness. The issue may be drawn from a narrow focus or from a more general topic such as migration or privilege.
Construct a persuasive argument of your own that adds to the public conversation about the issue.
In your speech, invite listeners to reconsider their own position on the issue, persuade them to accept your stance, and influence them to take action.
To complete this task, you must:
establish a thesis in relation to the chosen issue
develop your argument to persuade others on this issue, making use of the ways cultural assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs underpin perspectives and representations on the issue
select and synthesise subject matter to support your argument
use rhetorical and persuasive strategies to position your chosen audience to accept your thesis.

Your persuasive speech should show an understanding of the relationship between language, argument and speaker presence. Your script and delivery should show clear awareness of the audience, purpose and context of the speech.
It should include the following:
a clear thesis on the issue
a series of points to support the contention, employing logical reasoning
engagement with an ongoing public conversation about an issue
reference to (or critique of) other perspectives proposed in media texts (if appropriate to the development of your argument)
incorporation of a range of rhetorical strategies to influence your audience, e.g. emotive language and appeals, figurative language, rhetorical questions, repetition, anaphora, antistrophe, antithesis, identifying with the audience, statistics, evidence, case studies
verbal and nonverbal features appropriate to the context that complement what you are saying and influence your audience to take action
a call to action appropriate to the audience and context.