Children's Explicit and Intuitive Understandings of Audience in Argumentation

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: Advances in Reading and Writing Research

Abstract

Argumentative writing is a critical but challenging skill to master, largely due to the difficulty of tailoring arguments to specific audiences. The present study investigated children’s understanding of the role of audience in argumentative content selection at both the intuitive and conscious/explicit levels, and whether these understandings predicted argumentative writing quality. 147 third- and fifth- graders were assessed on their explicit and intuitive understanding of audience and composed two independent arguments. Results indicate that students have a strong intuitive, but weak explicit understanding of audience in argumentation. Greater explicit audience understanding also predicted higher written argument persuasiveness. This sheds light on the gaps in understanding that instruction can target to improve the persuasiveness of children’s written arguments.

Authors

• Preeti Ganesh Samudra, New York University

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