Persuasive Communication - Contributing to a Social Cause

Workshop Summary:

In this 2-day workshop, students will be developing their persuasive skills while engaging with a wide range of media in both visual and written forms. We have partnered with Doggie Rescue, a registered charity based in Sydney that supports rescue animals, so students will have the opportunity to assist and contribute to a genuine and worthwhile cause.

Students will develop skills in informing and persuading others for a meaningful cause. Through analysing real promotional media, they will discover what makes communication effective before redesigning existing and creating original texts for the shelter. The activities will be fun, wide-ranging and hands-on with the aim of generating products that could be implemented in real life to make positive changes in the world.

This workshop is designed for gifted students in grades 3-6, who want to improve their communication skills, enjoy creating and have a strong sense of empathy and social justice. A love for animals is a great match but not necessary.

*Students will NOT be in contact with any animals during this workshop.

The workshop will be led by Ms Wong and co-hosted by Dr Kwok.

Ms Wong was a high school English teacher and is a tutor and mentor for gifted students worldwide from countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and the UK. More than a quarter of her current students are twice-exceptional students with either ADHD/ autism, or both. Ms Wong achieved first-class honours in her studies of English literature and linguistics in her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hong Kong, and graduated with a Masters Degree in Gifted Education from UNSW with excellence, as well as a Masters of Education (Research). Her research interests include twice-exceptionality and socio-emotional development of gifted students and has published her research in the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education. She is a regular volunteer at Monika’s Doggie Rescue and specialises in building confidence in dogs with anxiety. She has since adopted and rehabilitated a husky who has been a severely traumatised hoarding survivor. 

Dr Kwok is both an experienced educator and a gifted individual himself. He has a Phd from UNSW, is a member of Mensa and achieved an ATAR equivalent of 99+.  He is an adjunct university lecturer in marketing and business. He has also completed a Mini-Certificate in Gifted Education (Mini-COGE) from UNSW and has been invited as a speaker at Mensa events.