The Effect of Collaborative Group Work on Language Production in Children's Argumentative Talk

• In Event: Oral and Written Argumentation

Abstract

Instructional influences on language production in argumentative talk regarding a controversial policy issue were investigated among 223 fifth-grade African American or Hispanic American children. Participants either received a 6-week socio-scientific unit involving collaborative group work or direct instruction, or were in control classes that continued regular instruction. Students studied the topic of wolf management and reintroduction in the unit. Students then individually presented their answer to an analogous question, whether whaling should be allowed, in an oral interview after the intervention. Analysis of interview transcripts indicated longer talk and greater syntactic complexity in the argumentative talk produced by students who had participated in collaborative groups. Results were attributed to increases in quantity and quality of talk during collaborative group work.

Authors

• Shufeng Ma, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Richard C. Anderson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign