Teaching Argument for Critical Thinking and Writing
Hillocks
“Literacy
education lies at the center of achieving our stated
goals of fostering critical thought, critical dia-
logue, and a circumspect and vigilant American
citizenry . . . [and] has particular value and potential in a culture increasingly unable to distinguish
fact from fiction, truth from lies”
Critical thinking and making arguments in writing was definitely let out of my education growing up. I was able to relate to this article when it stated most schools settle for persuasive wiring and leave it at that. Once I was in college I realized that the styles and mechanics of writing I was taught wasn't going to cut it anymore.
The idea from the quote above, "distinguishing fact from fiction, truth from lies" really stood out to me because if we do not foster critical thinking and argument at the heart of writing it does not do anything else other than make a claim. So, as teachers we need to teach our students to write with logic by creating arguments that are backed by evidence. We have all heard that before, add supporting evidence but by providing evidence with data that allows the audience to create new questions. The outside research and data that one puts into their writing allows for warrants and backings to be made on the overall claim.
My key take away from this reading is that our writing is based on arguments of probability. By teaching our students to critical thinking and argue with logic, it will lead to successfully distinguishing a truth from a lie.
I liked the idea from the text about the activity relating to solving a crime to implement critical thinking. From the picture, students argued their thoughts with logical reasoning for their reasoning. It made it like it's own mystery to create a claim and provide backings, while arguing your point. Those are all aspects of our writing but how it was taught was a new, fun and interactive way for the students.
How would you teach this style of writing in your class?
Do you believe that argument writing should be taught this way?
Critical thinking and making arguments in writing was definitely let out of my education growing up. I was able to relate to this article when it stated most schools settle for persuasive wiring and leave it at that. Once I was in college I realized that the styles and mechanics of writing I was taught wasn't going to cut it anymore.
The idea from the quote above, "distinguishing fact from fiction, truth from lies" really stood out to me because if we do not foster critical thinking and argument at the heart of writing it does not do anything else other than make a claim. So, as teachers we need to teach our students to write with logic by creating arguments that are backed by evidence. We have all heard that before, add supporting evidence but by providing evidence with data that allows the audience to create new questions. The outside research and data that one puts into their writing allows for warrants and backings to be made on the overall claim.
My key take away from this reading is that our writing is based on arguments of probability. By teaching our students to critical thinking and argue with logic, it will lead to successfully distinguishing a truth from a lie.
I liked the idea from the text about the activity relating to solving a crime to implement critical thinking. From the picture, students argued their thoughts with logical reasoning for their reasoning. It made it like it's own mystery to create a claim and provide backings, while arguing your point. Those are all aspects of our writing but how it was taught was a new, fun and interactive way for the students.
How would you teach this style of writing in your class?
Do you believe that argument writing should be taught this way?
Hey Becca!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post! In my education, I remember talking about argumentative essays and actually writing them. We would be given a scenario and we would have to either agree or disagree with it. Then, we would have to support our answer with reasons we agree or disagree. I do like the way that the article talked about teaching argumentative essays. It is a different way and more engaging. It is not the typical here is the criteria of an argumentative essay. I think that there is not one way that it can be taught. Every class and student learns differently, so one way may work for one group and another way might work better for another group. As of right now, I do not know how I would teach the students how to write an argumentative essay. I would have to think about it.
Thanks,
Tina Skukan
Thanks Tina! I agree that I also liked the engagement activity in class but I don't know how my writing teaching would look like quite yet.
DeleteHi Becca,
ReplyDeleteVery nice post! I remember argumentative essays being a major aspect of my high school writing. I also believe they are very important in helping students think critically, while learning to support evidence for their claims. To teach argumentative writing to future students, I would incorporate debates into the classroom. I feel like debates occur naturally throughout the day, so students will be able to relate to argumentative writing when they can write arguments for debates. Debates will also allow students to learn the process of supporting evidence to provide counter arguments.
I think this is important work, teaching students to think critically and more importantly being able to back up there answers with facts. Schools don't teach students these things and I think that it is on purpose. But to teach for social justice means to teach students to think critically with evidence and in doing so evaluate their world and the worlds around them, ask question, and make an impact. There is so much you can do with that. And i can nots tree enough the importance of students having evidence because in this day an age people like to dismiss struggles, oppressions, youth voices and experiences, with evidence it makes these argument a lot stronger.
ReplyDeleteHi Becca,
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I really liked this style of writing. I liked the comparison of distinguishing the truth from a lie. I think it is very important to expose students and teach them the skills to think critically and use evidence to support their claims. It is a skill that deepens the students knowledge in regards to the aspect of thinking critically. I really like Whitney's point as well about teaching for social justice and using the world in relation the writing. I think that would be really active, effective, and engaging for students.
Thanks for sharing!
Resilda
Becca,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I love the visuals you gave as well. I think that argument writing should be taught this way because it is true. When we entered in college, there were so many different types of styles when it came to writing and it was hard for us to get used to the new ones and not only use the old ones we knew from high school. I think it would be beneficial if we were able to teach argument writing in this way because it gives a rundown of how it should be used and it specifically writes that one needs to have evidence and it'll help the students out with writing their essays and etc.
Hi Becca! I love he visuals you incorporated in your post, it made it easy to make connections on what the article was about and what you are looking for in our responses. As far as how I would go about teaching this in my class, I would want to incorporate current events as much as possible, because I feel that many students would benefit from having information that effects them that they might not even realize. Also, this will help prepare them to defend their points in real-life situations. This is also teaching them how to understand peoples ideas whom they might not agree with, but see how they back up their points that they made.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a lot better of a way than just the typical choose a side and make sure you have 3 points to it. I think the way that is described actually makes the kids develop an argument and the skills to develop those arguments. Being taught the way I was is no where to be found once you get away from elementary standardized testing.
ReplyDeleteHi Becca!
ReplyDeleteI thought your post was very interesting. I liked the way you described teaching critical reasoning and logical reasoning. I think students would find this way of instruction a lot more engaging than the standard way of teaching writing. As a result, their essays will be more powerful and insightful. I also feel like they will be better prepared for essays/short responses they will have to complete on standardized tests.
Great job Becca! I totally agree with you. I think students need to be able to think critically and use evidence to suppory their thinking. This helps them not only in school, but also everyday in the real world. I think so many people get their opinions dismissed because they do not have the "proof" they need. I personally think that it is because there has been a decrease in the education of this in schools. Those at the "top" stay at the top if nobody else is taught that they can also be "at the top". As much as teachers do not want to have their classroom norms to be debated by students in order to maintain some structure, students need to have these skills.
ReplyDeleteVery nice post!
ReplyDeleteI definatly agree with you and would totally teach this way in my classroom.
Growing up, I was also always told to add supporting evidence. But the evidence always had to be from the text. I could never add my own ideas or reasoning as to why I thought what I thought. That always bothered me. I always wanted to put my own thoughts into the process or problem I was working on.
From that experience, I would definitely teach my students to bring their own thoughts and ideas into their work and explain why they thought what they thought. I think student input is critical to their work because they have to relate to it in order for it to mean something to them.
Hey Heidy!
ReplyDeleteYour posts remind me of the book that we read in Kristine's class last year Other People's Words. When the Mom in the book tried to learned to read and wirte she struggled so much because she thought reading and writing was just something you did in school and it should be practicing the same things over and over again. Her perception of learning to write and read actually made it more difficult to learn. However, once she was taught reading and writing through things that were necessary and relevant to her life then she was able to learn. I think it's important that we introduce writing in a way that students not only understand the writing is a necessary tool in their lives, but also see themselves as writers.
Hi Becca,
ReplyDeleteWhat I think is so impportant about this approach to writing an argument is that it teaches students not only to use evidence to construct an argument but to also think about those sources and whether the information they are taking in is to be trusted. Students are often taught "read this and look for the answer" and they end up regurgitating whatever it is the text says and they don't develop their own independent thoughts.However, if we teach them to be critical then they musst begin to construct their own insights and ideas.