The Development of Oral and Written Argumentation in Upper Elementary School

• In Event: 69.058 - Poster Session 16
  In Poster Session: 69.058-7 - Understanding Instruction, Learning, and Motivation in Literacy

Abstract

Argumentative writing is important but challenging for children to learn. Can studying argumentative speaking in relation to writing illuminate ways to improve student writing? In this study, 30 third and 30 fifth grade students composed oral and written arguments on the same topic, and then revised their writing. Results indicate that some aspects of argumentation improved between the third and fifth grade. Students also produced longer spoken than written arguments, and for fifth graders, this difference involved providing more elaborations when speaking. Additionally, when students provided their spoken arguments after their written ones, they made more substantive content revisions to their writing. This sheds light on ways to improve the argumentative writing abilities of students at different grade levels.

Authors

• Preeti Ganesh Samudra, University of Michigan

• Kevin F. Miller, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor