Using the Argumentation Rating Tool to Support Teacher Facilitation of Inquiry Dialogue in Elementary Language Arts Classrooms

• In Event: Toward a More Dialogic Pedagogy: Improving Student Learning in Science, Mathematics, and Language Arts Education

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the development and use of the Argumentation Rating Tool (ART), an observational scale designed to help elementary school teachers engage their students in inquiry dialogue about texts they read. Inquiry dialogue is initiated by a contestable question and its main goal is to collectively formulate the most reasonable judgment in response to this question (Walton & Macagno, 2007). In our research, inquiry dialogue is used to support the development of students’ argumentation skills. Our use of inquiry dialogue is consistent with social-constructivist theory that views learning as a process of internalization of cultural tools, or ways of acting, speaking, and thinking (Vygotsky, 1968; Wells, 1999).

To effectively facilitate inquiry dialogue, teachers need to understand the criteria for quality argumentation and have a repertoire of practices to model and support good reasoning. Unfortunately, many practitioners lack such expertise (Alexander, 2008; Windschitl, 2002). The ART is designed to help teachers acquire theoretical and practical knowledge required for effective facilitation. It is organized around four standards of quality argumentation based on normative models proposed by argumentation scholars (Toulmin, 1958; Walton, 1996). These standards are: consideration of multiple perspectives, clarity of language and argument structure, acceptability of premises, and validity of inferences. Each standard is linked to a set of facilitation moves that help to promote argumentation during inquiry dialogue. These moves were identified through a comprehensive review of literature on the use of discussions to support argumentation (e.g., (Nystrand et al., 1997; Reznitskaya & Gregory, 2013; Soter et al., 2008).

In a year-long professional development program involving workshops, study group meetings, and coaching sessions, we used the ART with 13 Grade 5 language arts teachers. With the help of the ART, teachers observed short segments of their classroom discussions and rated the quality of argumentation on a 6-point scale. We audiotaped and transcribed workshops, study group meetings, and coaching sessions. We then used NVivo software to conduct a thematic analysis of teacher comments related to their use of the ART. We also compared the quality of argumentation during baseline and post-intervention discussions.

Our results indicate that the ART fostered teacher development in several ways. First, it operationalized the construct of argumentation, connecting it to specific facilitation moves to be used during inquiry dialogue. Thus, it helped teachers to develop better knowledge of the intended pedagogy and to link that knowledge to verbal and participatory practices that support classroom application. The ART also helped to structure coaching sessions around specific argumentation standards, thus helping teachers to ‘develop an ear’ for reasoning moves used during a discussion. Assigning and comparing numeric ratings for each facilitation move identified in the ART engaged practitioners in critical evaluation of their teaching, inviting them to reflect on progress made and to identify areas for improvement. Thus, we view the ART as a promising assessment and instructional tool that can help to distill research-based practices of inquiry dialogue for teachers, support systematic evaluation of classroom interactions, and inform the process of change.

Authors

• Alina Reznitskaya, Montclair State University

• Ian A. G. Wilkinson, Ohio State University

• Joe Oyler, Montclair State University

• Kristin Bourdage Reninger, Otterbein College