After reading the book Teaching Argument Writing by George Hillcocks, Jr. I have compiled certain information he provides (along with my own personal comments) which I think can be helpful in creating meaningful argument writing lessons for our students in Secondary English education.
- If a student dares to ask the daunting question, “Why do we need to learn this?” there may be a huge problem in connections. We use arguments in some shape or form daily. We may not always participate in it as we instruct it, but it is there, “In science, in policy making, in courtrooms, and so forth” (xv).
- Yes, pictures are considered text, and evidence can be drawn from an image.
- In conducting arguments of policy, students should be engaged in some type of original research with students’ real concerns, and a real investigation. If this isn’t happening, students don’t learn to interpret data for themselves and thus never actually participate in inquiry driven arguments. They should be able to question research itself (68-69).
- Write collaboratively with your students as part of a whole class discussion. It helps especially when, “Students are learning a genre that is relatively new to them” (96). While it may seem that these strategies take up too much time, take it from me, they are worth it in the end. Students need to be able to see it with you and know that you’ll work through the writing alongside with them.
- Teach your students what sound arguments look like and provide criterion for certain writing topics so that students know how to define their evidence or reasoning (109).
- “Definitions clearly provide the warrants and their backing for arguments […] Criteria developed in extended definitions are the warrants for arguments in nearly all fields of endeavor– medicine, law, literary criticism, philosophy. Ignoring definition is a serious mistake in teaching argument” (112). And again I state, arguments are used in the real world in many ways.
- Want another example of how we use argument everyday? It is when we defend a set of criteria we use in making various decisions such as voting, purchases, granting admission to college, and granting scholarships (114).
- They say instead of giving a man a fish, you should teach him how to fish. This saying is true in every aspect of teaching and the saying was brought back into my mind as I read chapter seven of this book when it regards the teaching of interpretation of literary works. We do not realize that it takes more than just teaching background knowledge of the piece, it takes teaching students how to look for clues within the text to make those inferences (178-79).
- Overall, it appears that I thought the teaching of argument very different than what Mr. Hillcocks proposes it to be. So, I encourage every teacher that has not read this book, to do so, or at least research some of the points I’ve made.
Dinazti.Edu 