International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE) Vol. 12, No. 2, June 2023, pp. 798~808 ISSN: 2252-8822, DOI: 10.11591/ijere.v12i2.23786  798 Journal homepage: http://ijere.iaescore.com Efficacy of the elementary, middle, and high school students’ persuasive speech: Evidence from South Korea Yune Jung Kim 1 , Inhye Heo 2 1 Cha Mirisa College of Liberal Arts, Duksung Women’s University, Seoul, South Korea 2 College of Education, Department of Ethics Education, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: Received Jan 21, 2022 Revised Feb 2, 2023 Accepted Feb 28, 2023 This paper aims to analyze the efficacy of elementary, middle, and high school students with respect to using persuasive speech and establish a direction for the development of relevant education. It examines the case of South Korea, where the government has presented the importance of persuasive speech education and implemented considerable measures since 2015. It utilizes the survey results on the perception around persuasive speech, based on the achievement standard set within the Korean language curriculum for elementary, middle, and high school students. The research offers several recommendations. First, it is necessary to specify educational content so that it applies differentially, according to the conditions of students. Second, educational content that addresses students’ attitudes, self- awareness, and participation in community issues must be reinforced. Third, educational content related to persuasion preparation, content organization methods, strategies, and meta-cognitive aspects must be presented sequentially in terms of beginning, development, and application, as suited to each level of education. Fourth, it is necessary to review the teaching- learning methods to increase the effectiveness of persuasive speech education. Fifth, it is necessary to especially consider the disadvantages of middle school students, who have huge gaps in efficacy with respect to their knowledge of persuasive speech. Keywords: Communication competence Educational content Efficacy of persuasive speech Persuasive competence Persuasive speech This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license. Corresponding Author: Inhye Heo College of Education, Department of Ethics Education, Jeonbuk National University 315 Jinsudang, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do 54896, South Korea Email: inhyeheo@jbnu.ac.kr 1. INTRODUCTION At present, most countries face multiple social conflicts due to growing divisions and disunities. To resolve such conflicts, many countries emphasize the cultivation of their citizens’ democratic virtues. These virtues are summarized as tolerance, reconciliation, magnanimity, and understanding [1]. In order to exert such virtues and resolve social conflicts, moderating and mitigating differential opinions through conversations and deliberations are required. This process cannot be carried out unless there is “persuasion” of others, as persuasion is a fundamental and vital function of discourse for the members of a modern society [2], [3]. The perspective on the influence of persuasion has been expanded from an individual’s internal cognitive change to the formation of a social opinion or attitude change [4]. In particular, in recent years, various methods of persuasion through social media have affected exposure to political opinions and political views [5]. In the age of social media, opinion leaders also try to change other people’s political or social attitudes and behaviors through various media [6].