Arguments That Make a Difference Collaborative Critical Thinking

Arguments That Make a Difference: Collaborative Critical Thinking in a Year-Long Plan for Writing Instruction

Who We Are • Dr. Jenny Martin: Teacher Education Department • Dr. Alice Trupe: English Department • jmmartin@bridgewater. edu atrupe@bridgewater. edu

Developing Effective Argumentative Writing • Takes time • Requires development of critical reading and evaluative skills • Requires development of research skills • Involves practice in developing arguments that show audience awareness, acknowledge complexity, and exhibit logical reasoning and fluency

Overview: A Year-Long Process • Develop an understanding of real-world argumentation: teacher models and students practice analysis of a range of texts. • Create an issue board, posting issues that affect the class community. • Form collaborative groups based on interest in issues. • Research a variety of perspectives on a chosen issue. Teacher models how to identify intended audience, purpose, use of evidence, genre features, etc.

…in 4 - to 6 -week Units • Practice civil public discourse: direct instruction in listening skills, suggestions for framing disagreement in respectful ways, etc. , facilitates small-group collaboration in discussing differing perspectives. • Develop a position as an individual, consider the audience desired to reach, and choose a suitable genre. • Students create multiple issue-oriented texts during the year, including written, oral, and multimodal genres to produce a final portfolio of multiple genres of argumentative writing.

Planning Your Unit

The Power of Active Listening

Sample Issue Board

Issue Board: Practice • Read a set of related texts. • Brainstorm the issues. • Identify a potential audience and text genre for making an argument. • List possible arguments. • Identify what you might need to research.

Modeling: Analyzing an Argument

Modeling: Analyzing Visual Argument

Modeling: Analyzing a Visual Argument

Modeling Writing A Paragraph • • • Introductory Claim Context & Background Evidence Analysis Implications Concluding Claim From Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, 2 nd ed. , by Elizabeth Losh, Jonathan Alexander, Kevin Cannon, and Zander Cannon (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017)

Potential Focal Points for Other Units • Analyzing and addressing a counterargument • Arguments in fiction or movies • Arguments about interpreting literature • Visual arguments: advertisements, posters and billboards, historical posters and ads, graphic novels • Arguments in poems (including spokenword poetry) and songs • Targeting different audiences

Handouts • Characteristics of Active Listening • Tips for Talking about Issues When There’s Disagreement • Lesson Plan for Analyzing Arguments Against Citizenship • Lesson Plan for Modeling Argumentative Writing • Rubric for Argumentative Text • Self-Assessment of Argumentative Essay • End-of-Unit Reflective Writing • Resources

Contact Information • Dr. Jenny M. Martin, jmmartin@bridgewater. edu, 540 -8285662 • Dr. Alice L. Trupe, atrupe@bridgewater. edu, 540 -8285604 • Bridgewater College • 402 E. College St. • Bridgewater, VA 22812

References • Argano, T. (2018, Jan. 25). California Today: Two Immigration Ads, One Dark, the Other Sunny. New York Times. Census Citizenship question: 5 Arguments against it—And why they’re all bogus. (2018, April 5). Investor’s Business Daily. • C 3 WP Secondary Resources Friedrich, L. , Bear, R. & Fox. T. (2018). For the sake of argument: An approach to teaching evidence-based writing. American Educator, 42(1), 18 -22.

References 2 • Gallagher, K. (2011). Write like this: Teaching real-world writing through modeling and mentor texts. Stenhouse. • Hillocks, G. , Jr. (2011). Teaching argument writing, grades 6 -12: Supporting claims with relevant evidence and clear reasoning. Heinemann. • Kittle, P. (2008). Write beside them: Risk, voice, and clarity in high school writing. Heinemann. • Losh, E. , Alexander, J. , Cannon, K. , & Cannon, Z. (2017). Understanding rhetoric: A graphic guide to writing, 2 nd ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s. • Smagorinsky, P. (2007). Teaching English by design: How to create and carry out instructional units. Heinemann.

References 3 • Smagorinsky, P. , Kahn, E. A. , Johannessen, L. , & Mc. Cann, T. M. (2010). The dynamics of writing instruction: A structured approach for middle and high school. Heinemann. • Teaching Students to Write Argument. (2011). Teaching Students to Write Series. Heinemann. • Turner, K. H. , & Hicks, T. (2016). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts. Heinemann. • Weimer, M. E. (2013). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice. , 2 nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. • Wilhelm, J. D. , Smith, M. W. , & Fredricksen, J. E. Get it done: Writing and analyzing informational texts to make things happen.

Disclaimer • Reference within this presentation to any specific commercial or non-commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Department of Education.