Chapter 7: A Tpack Perspective On Learning To Engage In Dialogic Argument Through Participation In Online Role-Play In The English Classroom

Learning to develop effective arguments in English language arts classes involves multiple practices. To begin, one must have the ability to clearly formulate convincing arguments, provide supporting evidence, and challenge weaknesses in an opponent’s arguments. It also ultimately involves convincing others to agree that problems are worth addressing leading to change through collaborative actions.

Traditional persuasive writing assignments as well as practices associated with school debate often foster a competitive approach that reifies an individualistic perspective of argument, undermining collaboration. An alternative approach involves collaborative argument in which students collectively posit, test out, and revise alternative positions within a larger context of engaging in community rhetorical action leading to change (Flower, 2008). Engaging in collaborative argument requires recognizing how alternative audiences’ perspectives shape opposing positions, perspective-taking students are most likely to acquire through active participation in arguing with others (Kuhn & Udell, 2003).