WRITE FOR RIGHTS

SECONDARY TEACHING RESOURCE

October 2014

CONTENTS USING THIS

Using this resource............................................................. 1 RESOURCE
Materials........................................................................... 2
The following lesson plan
Lesson plan process and time.............................................. 3
has been created with the
Write for Rights cases vocabulary......................................... 4 NAPLAN persuasive text
Write for Rights crossword................................................... 5 type in mind.
Your signature is more powerful than you think...................... 6 It would be most
Annotated letter................................................................. 7 appropriate for a literacy
Sample letter..................................................................... 8 lesson or as part of a
SOSE/HSIE lesson about
Letter writing tips............................................................... 9 human rights, non-
Letter writing scaffold......................................................... 10 governmental organisations
Self assessment................................................................. 11 or global citizenship.
It is designed to be
implemented in two 45
Links to the quality teaching framework 50 minute class sessions
This resource supports students to: or one 75minute session,
Develop deep knowledge and understanding of the language of but there are many ways
discussion, exposition, persuasive writing, argument and opinion. it can be expanded and
Use the meta-language associated with argument and persuasive made into a more in-depth
writing. lesson, depending on the
Integrate knowledge by making meaningful connections between texts. needs and time available
in your classroom.
Inquiry questions
How can our role as a writer help others?
How can persuasive letters be most effective?

Objectives
Expose students to a real-life application of effective letter writing.
Provide students with the opportunity to write letters that contribute to
a desired impact.
Review parts of a letter and their purpose.

Students will be able to

Analyse a sample letter and identify the key components of a letter.
Develop and support a position on a particular human rights case and
write a persuasive letter of support.
Organise ideas in a clear, logical sequence that is easy for the reader
to follow.
Publish their letter and mail it to the appropriate entity.

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 MATERIALS

PROVIDED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

A4 case sheets for all six Write for Rights cases www.amnesty.org.au/write
You may choose to focus on a particular case for the whole class if one is more appropriate or
convenient for your class.
Links to additional learning resources, including video clips.
Sample letters www.amnesty.org.au/write
Students can use the sample letters to acquire basic information and supportive evidence. Also,
depending on time and teacher permission, they may choose to use sentences/phrases and incorporate
these into their own letters.

PROVIDED BY TEACHER OR STUDENTS

Computer with internet access and projector/smartboard.
Printed set of learning resources in this pack.
Downloaded and printed resources from www.amnesty.org.au/write
An envelope / postage satchel.*
*Teachers can collect letters and mail them in one package to Schools Write for Rights, Locked Bag 7,
Collingwood VIC 3066 for delivery to their final destination. Please include in your package a completed
action return form, found at the end of this resource.

Sutherland Shire group 'Write for Rights' with a special lunch and letterwriting session. Sydney, November 2012. Amanda Atlee/AI

Acknowledgement
This resource was prepared as a voluntary contribution to Amnesty International Australia by Tegan Hinchey,
BA, DipEd and Dan Wardle.

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 LESSON PLAN PROCESS AND TIME

PROCESS TIME
(approx)
To introduce students to the idea of the Write for Rights campaign, watch When a letter is 10 mins
all that is needed http://ow.ly/pOEXj

Distribute and read through the Write for Rights vocabulary on page 4 and complete the 15 mins
Write for Rights crossword on page 5 to familiarise students with the vocabulary required
for the task.

Read through the case sheets www.amnesty.org.au/write as a class or individually. 10 mins

Discuss the concept of prisoners of conscience http://ow.ly/pOFSQ and explain to students 5 mins
that this is what many of the people in the cases are.

Then watch Ink at http://ow.ly/pOGw5 5 mins

Students to complete a Think, Ink, Pair, Share activity about the purpose, symbolism and 10 mins
persuasiveness of the Ink clip.

Read 'Your signature is more powerful than you think' on page 6. 10 mins

Read through the annotated letter on page 7 and make note of the persuasive devices and 10 mins
techniques present. Students can then annotate the sample letter on page 8 themselves.

Create a word bank of persuasive and emotive terms that students might use in their own 5 mins
letters and read through 'Letter writing tips' on page 9.

Students use the letter writing scaffold on page 10 to create their own letters based on a 20 mins
case of their own choosing, or one chosen by you, and share their letter with a peer.

Students complete the self-assessment on page 11. 5 mins

FOLLOW UP
Students to complete final copies of the letter in the next lesson or for homework. Teachers then collect the
lettes and mail them in an envelope with a completed action return form (found at the back of this resource)
to:

Schools Write for Rights

Locked Bag 7
Collingwood VIC 3066

Amnesty International will deliver the letters to their final destination.

Some of the letters could be published in the schools newsletter or read at an assembly.

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 WRITE FOR RIGHTS CASES VOCABULARY
DANIEL QUINTERO, VENEZUELA
Impartially: doing something fairly, without bias.
Violate: to break or ignore a law, rule or right.
Detainees: a person held in custody, especially for
political reasons.
Reprisal: an act of revenge.
ERKIN MUSAEV, UZBEKISTAN
Interrogation: to ask questions of a person,
sometimes to seek information that the person
considers personal or secret.
Allegations: a claim that someone has done
something illegal or wrong, typically one made
without proof.
Solidarity: unity; support for others and their
actions.
LIU PING, CHINA
Activist: someone who is an especially active or
vigorous promoter of a cause, especially a political
cause.
Crackdown: the severe or stern enforcement of
regulations or laws.
Persecute: to pursue with harassing or oppressive
treatment.
Arbitrary: without a reason for doing something.
RAIF BADAWI, SAUDI ARABIA
Apostasy: a total departure from one's religion,
principles, party or cause.
Unconditionally: not limited by conditions or subject
to exceptions. Synonyms: Completely, totally.
Incommunicado: not being able or allowed to
communicate with others.
Dissent: to hold or express opinions at variance with
those commonly or officially held.
PETER GRESTE, EGYPT
Prisoner of conscience: anyone imprisoned because
of their race, sexual orientation, religion or political
views.
Appeal: a formal question as to the correctness of a
ruling in the hope that the ruling will be overturned.
Sanction: a penalty for disobeying a law, rule or
authority.
JERRYME CORRE, THE PHILIPPINES
Perpetrator: Somebody who does something wrong.
Impunity: the avoidance of punishment or
consequences that stem from an action.
Complicit: involved with others in an activity that is
unlawful or morally wrong.
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WRITE FOR RIGHTS CROSSWORD
Across
4. To pursue with harassing or oppressive
treatment.
5. To break or ignore a law, rule or right.
6. Not being able or allowed to communicate
with others.
7. A total departure from one's religion,
principles, party or cause.
8. Doing something fairly, without bias.
9. The severe or stern enforcement of regulations
or laws.
Down
1. Not limited by conditions or subject to
exceptions. Synonyms: Completely, totally.
2. Someone who is an especially active or
vigorous promoter of a cause, especially a
political cause.
3. Anyone imprisoned because of their race,
sexual orientation, religion, or political views.
4. Somebody who does something wrong.
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 YOUR SIGNATURE IS MORE POWERFUL
THAN YOU THINK ....
Right now, there's someone being targeted by AI
their government, though they've committed no
crime.
Their freedom and safety are in danger, but you
can help just by writing a letter and putting your
signature on it.
Last year, Amnesty activists from 143 countries,
including Australia, stood together for freedom,
equality and justice. We picked up our pens, wrote
letters and stood together for human rights.
We shone a light on those locked away by
governments, those targeted simply for who they
are, and those standing up for the rights of their
people.
We and others like us from almost every corner of
the globe wrote more than 2 million actions.
We were powerful. And our voices were heard.
Here are three lives we changed through Write for I was so happy. It showed that other
Rights 2013. Cambodians and I were not in it alone.
1. Dr Tun Aung Yorm Bopha
In June we received some great news about Dr
Tun Aung, a Muslim community leader in Burma 2. Yorm Bopha
who had been sentenced to 17 years in prison. Yorm Bophas life changed when she
Dr Tun Aung has now been granted several was released from prison in December
reductions to his sentence, and now has less than 2013. Cambodias Minister of Justice
one year left to serve in prison. received 90,000 appeals asking for
Yorm Bophas release.
Thousands of people wrote letters for Dr Tun Aung.
An Amnesty member in France received a letter Yorm Bopha, a Cambodian housing rights
back from the Myanmar National Human Rights activist, had been imprisoned for demanding the
Commission (MNHRC).. rights of families facing forced evictions. Yorm
Bopha can now continue her work for Cambodian
The letter states that Letters from various chapters communities.
of Amnesty International requesting, among others,
the immediate release of Dr Tun Aung without Yorm was extremely grateful for the letters, cards
conditions were received ... The Commission and photos she received, saying they had given her
after proper examination of these letters strength.
conveyed them to the authorities in order that the 3. Vladimir Akimenkov
concerns expressed in the letters receive careful
consideration. Vladimir was released on 19 December under a
prisoner amnesty, after the Russian authorities
The MNHRC also asserts that Dr Tun Aung is received thousands of letters calling for his release.
receiving proper medical attention and that his
family can visit him in prison calls from your Write Vladimir was one of the Bolotnaya three
for Rights letters. imprisoned for peacefully protesting. After his
release Vladimir spoke about the importance
of international support for him and the other
Bolotnaya detainees.

6
 ANNOTATED LETTER

Formal title Lic. Felipe Caldern

and address
President of the Republic
of recipient
Residencia Official de 'Los Pinos'
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec
Mexico D.F., C.P. 11850
MEXICO

Introductory
statement
that outlines
Formal Dear President Caldern: purpose of
greeting to the letter
recipient
I am writing to express my grave concern over the treatment of Ins Fernndez
Ortega and Valentina Rosendo Cant, Indigenous women who were mistreated
by Mexican soldiers in 2002. Although they were brave enough to report the
attacks to the authorities, no one has been brought to justice.
I respectfully urge you to investigate this case and do what you were asked to do
Statement of by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
the desired
outcome of I call on you to ensure there is a swift investigation into the mistreatment of
the letter Ins Fernndez Ortega and Valentina Rosendo Cant. I urge you to acknowledge
the state's responsibility for identifying the people who committed the crimes, to
apologise to the victims and their families and to grant adequate compensation
to the victims. Finally, I ask you to transfer all cases of human rights violations
committed by members of the military to courts of law.
Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters.
Description of
the specific
Formal sign Sincerely action required to
off to the meet the desired
letter outcome
Your signature
Alex Citizen remember, it is
more powerful
than you think

Key
= Strong emotive language
President = Formal respectful language

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 SAMPLE LETTER

Sr. Nicols Maduro Moros

President of Venezuela
Final Avenida Urdaneta
Esq. De Bolero
Palacio de Miraflores,
Caracas, Distrito Capital,
Venezuela

Seor Presidente / Dear President

Re: Daniel Quintero

I am very concerned for Daniel Quintero, a 21-year-old who was beaten, intimidated and threatened with
rape by members of Venezuelas national guard, after he was arrested on the way home from an anti-
government demonstration in February 2014.
I call on you to investigate thoroughly, independently and impartially Daniel Quinteros complaint of being
subject to torture and ill-treatment and ensure all those responsible are brought to justice.
I also call on you to ensure all complaints of human rights violations and abuses are investigated thoroughly,
independently and impartially. Identify all those responsible and bring them to justice.
Finally, please guarantee that people can exercise their right to freedom of expression and assembly without
fear of reprisals.

Yours sincerely,

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 LETTER WRITING TIPS

A FEW SIMPLE RULES

1. Always be polite. You want to stop human rights abuse by persuading the government involved to take
immediate action.
2. It is important to show respect for a country's legal processes and an understanding of its current
difficulties. This will make it easier to point out how the human rights situation could be improved.
3. Take care to follow Amnesty International's instructions on a case because it has carefully researched
the situation and developed an appropriate and respectful course of action.
4. Use plain language rather than technical terms. You will be more effective if you say that your concern
for human rights is about equality and the principles of international law, not about the countrys
politics.
5. It is good to give them an idea of who and what you are. Tell them your age, your interests, a bit about
the place you live. It will prove your letter is genuine and show the government that different people
from across the world are watching their country.
6. If you have a special interest or link with the country, it is good to mention this in your letter. For
instance, you may have been on holiday there, or studied its history, or been a member of a local
friendship association.
7. Be brief. Sometimes a simple, one-line letter is adequate. Try to write one page at the most, as long
letters are less likely to be read.
8. Emphasise how the person you are writing to has the power to make a difference.

SIGNING OFF
To end your letter, you can say Yours truly or Yours sincerely. However, many people prefer to use the
more formal Yours respectfully or Yours faithfully.

9
LETTER WRITING SCAFFOLD

Formal title and

address of recipient

Formal greeting to
recipient

Introductory statement
that outlines the
purpose of the letter

Statement of the
desired outcome of the
letter

Description of the
specific action required
to meet the desired
outcome

Formal sign off to the

letter

Your signature

10
 SELF ASSESSMENT FOR MY LETTER

Student name:........................................................................ Date: .....................................

Expected quality Indicators of student performance
High Medium Low

Relevant and detailed I argued a clear point I argued a generally I argued a point of
content organised to support of view about my chosen clear point of view about view.
a point of view topic. my chosen topic.

I supported my point I supported my I supported my

point of view with some
of view effectively with point of view with
information.
appropriately-selected some relevant factual
and highly relevant information.
factual information.
Structure and organisation I demonstrated I demonstrated My exposition had a
logic, coherence and logic and controlled number of ideas.
controlled development development of ideas to
of ideas. some extent.

I used a highly I had a clear and I had an introduction

engaging introduction consistent introduction and/or conclusion.
and highly effective and conclusion.
conclusion.

Style appropriate for I consistently I employed some I used one of

intended audience and employed language language styles the language styles
purpose styles appropriate appropriate to appropriate to
to expositions eg expositions and the expositions.
emotive and persuasive intended audience and
language, in an effective purpose, but I did not
manner, and for the do so consistenly.
intended audience and
purpose.
Control of written language I used effective My choice of I occasionally used
vocabulary and vocabulary was generally accurate language,
accurate and persuasive effective and I used including spelling and
language. accurate language. punctuation.

I used accurate My spelling and

paragraphing, spelling punctuation was
and punctuation. generally accurate.

Adapted from NSW DEET 2009

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Please photocopy and post this form back every time you send letters, cards and RETUR
other actions to Amnesty.
NING
YOUR
ACTIO
NS

THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL ______________________________________________________________________________________

TYPE OF ACTION (EG PETITION, LETTER) ____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ARE YOU AN AMNESTY SCHOOL GROUP? ____________________________________________________________________________

BEST CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE SCHOOL __________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOW MANY ACTIONS?______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail to: Amnesty International, Locked Bag 7, Collingwood VIC 3066 Australia

Please photocopy and post this form back every time you send letters, cards and RETUR
other actions to Amnesty.
NING
YOUR
ACTIO
NS

THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL ______________________________________________________________________________________

TYPE OF ACTION (EG PETITION, LETTER) ____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ARE YOU AN AMNESTY SCHOOL GROUP? ____________________________________________________________________________

BEST CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE SCHOOL __________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOW MANY ACTIONS?______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail to: Amnesty International, Locked Bag 7, Collingwood VIC 3066 Australia