Teachers Link to Deconstructing Argument

 

English is a subject that has the capacity to quickly build on foundation levels of creativity and critical thinking in order to produce strong, independent learners. In order for students to successfully communicate their own ideas and beliefs they must first learn how an argument is made. In teaching our students how to deconstruct another’s argument we not only teach them how to make their own but also how to evaluate the effect of persuasive texts on the unsuspecting audience. Students must be taught to think critically about the information they are being presented with and the persuasive devices therein.

 

The following AUSVELS Year Ten Content Descriptions are addressed in the preceding activities.

Evaluate the social, moral and ethical positions represented in texts (ACELT1812)

 

• Activity: Identify one social, moral or ethical issue in current news. Ask students to research (online, in a paper or in a creative text) and come up with an example of a text that positions itself one way or another in regards to that issue. Ask them to identify the key points of the argument and have them explain whether they think the article is effective or not.

• Difficulty: A student’s personal interest in a subject is directly related to their motivation for that task (Snowman, 2009, p432).

• Rationale: By encouraging students to select an issue of their own choosing they are more likely to engage with the task on a personal level and stay motivated.

• Analyse and explain how text structures, language features and visual features of texts and the context in which texts are experienced may influence audience response (ACELT1641)

• Activity: Read and identify features in an opinion article from a women’s website and to predict reader response.

• Difficulty: It is important to gather evidence in a debate. Research can be both casual or formal but it’s necessary to the development of a successfully argument (Erhardt, 2011, p22)

• Rationale: Students are being directed to consider the persuasive value of including links to evidence in an online opinion piece. Quality of evidence to be discussed in later lessons.

• Compare and evaluate how ‘voice’ as a literary device can be used in a range of different types of texts such as poetry to evoke particular emotional responses (ACELT1643)

• Activity: Read a persuasive poem on the topic of Australian Identity and highlight the emotive language and techniques that aim to persuade. Discuss the students’ answers as a class after they have gone over it in their pairs. Ask students to create a short 6-10 line poem on a topic they feel strongly about.

• Difficulty: Argumentative writing is often not enjoyed by students due to its set formulae that inhibits their expressiveness (Andrews, 1995, p5).

• Rationale: By asking students to experiment with a different format for argumentative writing they are being asked to engage with the conventions in a different way. Some students will find a poem easier to engage with than a long essay.

 

The achievement standard this teaching resource particularly addresses is as follows:

Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)

By the end of Year 10, students evaluate how text structures can be used in innovative ways by different authors. They explain how the choice of language features, images and vocabulary contributes to the development of individual style.

They develop and justify their own interpretations of texts. They evaluate other interpretations, analysing the evidence used to support them. They listen for ways features within texts can be manipulated to achieve particular effects.

 

 

Teachers Link to Constructing Argument

 

The outcome for this activity is for students to write an argumentative essay confidently. Students are provided with questions help design their own stance on the issues provided. Students will become critical thinkers and consider different point of views. They will refute and support different ideas. You will notice a criteria and a sample paragraph which should help guide students to writing confidently.

What makes this activity different from others is that students act as investigators. They will gather and analyse information and consider a variety of issues, rather than simply creating a restricted response centred on a newspaper article which may restrict students to minimal information.

Be aware that these activities can be manipulated to your individual classes needs. You might notice that students are more interested in some areas than others, so you can control the time space to your own needs. You may even like to watch some of these videos and have a class discussion rather than writing down responses.

 

Teacher Resource Class Activity: 1.1

 

Students are to conduct research on being a vegetarian. Student will be divided into two groups for a debate.

One will argue that being a vegetarian or a vegan is beneficial to animals and society, as the other group will argue that being a Vegetarian is hypocritical and is not beneficial to society.

Distribute two butcher poster papers for students to brainstorm ideas of their previous knowledge and the sectors they wish to explore. Students will then need to research evidence to support their teams argument with references. They must record who said what to support their claims.

Here are potential areas in which students can explore:

• Economics

• Social Justice and rights.

• Health sector

• History of justice

• Culture

• Morals

• Ethics

 

Links to the year 10 Australian curriculum

 

• Reflect on, extend, endorse or refute others’ interpretations of and responses to literature (ACELT1640)

• Students engage in active listening when not only working in their groups but when debating. This will then involve continuing to extend an argument or refuting it.

• Compare and evaluate a range of representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1639)

• Students may like to explore a historical component and link in animal rights to a larger context or culture.

• Evaluate the social, moral and ethical positions represented in texts (ACELT1812)

• Students may engage in the exploration of the social, moral and ethical domains  of what it means to be a vegetarian or vegan.

• Achievement standards – work in progress

• Students create a wide range of texts to articulate complex ideas. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, building on others' ideas, solving problems, justifying opinions and developing and expanding arguments.

• This standard can be achieved through a discussion based activity provided above. In which students will justify their opinions not only in spoken language but in written language when they write up their essay.

 

Links to the year 10 Australian curriculum .

 

• Reflect on, extend, endorse or refute others’ interpretations of and responses to literature (ACELT1640)

• In learning activity 1.3, students create their own arguments by either extending on or refuting another writers/scientists views. This is supported with the questions given in the activities. It promotes a critical mindset.

• In activity 1.3, students not only reflect on attitudes but they become involved in writing an argument.

• In activity 1.4, students are to explore Pamela Andersons argument as controversial and must think critically and refute her statement.

• understand that people’s evaluations of texts are influenced by their value systems, the context and the purpose and mode of communication (ACELA1565)

• In activity 1.3, students consider their own views about issues and how this impacts their take on the issue.

• In learning activity 1.3, students analyse how viewing rather than reading a text can impact their interpretation.

• Refine vocabulary choices to discriminate between shades of meaning, with deliberate attention to the effect on audiences (ACELA1571)

• Students are introduced to the concept that language selection is crucial in making an argument. In activity 1.15 students will understand how particular word choices can either reduce or enhance the quality of an argument.