Dialogic Teaching for Argument Literacy in Elementary Language Arts Classrooms

• In Event: 67.066 - Teaching and Learning of Argumentation and Argumentative Reading and Writing in the Academic Disciplines

Abstract

In this paper, Drs. Ian Wilkinson and Alina Reznitskaya will report findings from a three-year research and professional development program designed to help elementary school teachers engage in dialogic teaching (Alexander, 2017) to support the development of students’ argument literacy. They define argument literacy as the ability to comprehend and formulate arguments through speaking, listening, reading, and writing (cf. Graff. 2003). Predicated on a view that argumentation skills and practices are best developed through participation in dialogue, the professional development program focused on promoting teachers’ use of ‘inquiry dialogue’ (Walton, 1998) to foster students’ argument literacy. Using a design-based methodology, they assessed the impact of the professional development on teachers’ enactment of inquiry dialogue in text-based discussions and, ultimately, on students’ argumentative reading and writing. Analyses of videotaped discussions showed that there were substantial improvements in teachers’ facilitation of inquiry dialogue and in the quality of students’ argumentation. Multilevel analysis on posttest measures showed effects on students’ argumentative reading and writing. The affordances, and constraints, of dialogic teaching for fostering argumentative reading and writing are discussed.

Authors

• Ian A. G. Wilkinson, University of Auckland

• Alina Reznitskaya, Montclair State University