Improving Arguments

Writing frames are OK and of some help to students. But merely providing boxes for them to fill in somehow misses the point.  How do they get the material in the first place? Frames assume the process will take care of itself.

While working with primary schools in the Coastal Ed partnership in Essex last year, Model Learning came up with a number of practical solutions to this problem. Today’s is about a process, and structure, for writing an argument.

It starts with a Single Bubble— always a good way to start the thinking process. Although at this stage, it’s really all about collecting as many ideas as possible. Organising them —the real task of thinking— comes later.

Next, students have to decide which of those ideas are useful and relevant. And for that task, we recommend a Target Map. By using criteria as references, students can make judgements on the relevance of the collected ideas. As you can see, relevant ideas are grouped in the centre and the unwanted ones on the outside. This process is termed the Cull.
Finally, the relevant ideas are arranged in the order that suits the flow of the argument. This process, called Chain, uses a Flow Bubble. Developing of a Flow Chart, students add extra thoughts to each node. On one side positive reasons or supporting evidence are attached. And on the other side, to create a balanced argument, the negatives are linked.

This final structure also serves as a the writing plan, guiding students to present their arguments in a logical sequence and balanced fashion.

A little extra would be the availability of connectives to help the writing process. Because the students have gone through this thinking process, their choice of connectives will be more appropriate and considered than usual.
You can download a free Powerpoint of this process from www.modellearning.com  These Powerpoints are called iDEAS and you’ll need to click on that sign on the home page. There’s an accompanying poster too, also free. While you’re there investigate the other 20 or so topics.