AFOREST Explained: The Ultimate Teacher Resource for Persuasive Writing

Helping students master persuasive writing can feel like unlocking a superpower — once they know how to use it, there’s no stopping them!

Whether they’re writing about why school should start later, or campaigning for more playground time, the key to powerful arguments lies in a clear structure and the right tools.

That’s where the AFOREST Persuasive Devices resource comes in — your go-to teacher resource for breaking down persuasive writing into simple, effective strategies your students will actually remember.

With engaging visuals and a tried-and-true framework, AFOREST turns persuasive writing into something students not only understand — but love using.

What Is AFOREST? AFOREST is a handy acronym that helps students remember 7 of the most powerful persuasive devices:

• A – Alliteration
• F – Facts
• O – Opinions
• R – Rhetorical Questions
• E – Emotive Language
• S – Statistics
• T – Triplets (Rule of Three)

These are the ingredients of every strong argument — and the building blocks of confident, impactful writing.

3 Tips for Teaching AFOREST in the Classroom

1. Introduce One Device at a Time: Avoid overwhelm by introducing one persuasive device per day or week. Use the posters to anchor your mini-lessons and model each device in action.

2. Anchor With Mentor Texts: Find high-quality persuasive texts and highlight where each device is used. Your students will start spotting them everywhere — from ads to speeches!

3. Use Colour-Coding: Have students underline or highlight different devices in their writing using colour. It’s a simple way to visualise which strategies they’re using (and which ones are missing!).

Teaching persuasive devices doesn’t have to be dry or repetitive. With the AFOREST Persuasive Devices resource, you’re giving students the tools to write with clarity, impact, and confidence.

It’s time to persuade with purpose.