Instructional discourse and argumentative writing. (2018) - Morris, Joshua A.
Highlights: Students in collaboration engage in relational reasoning and elaborated talk. Written arguments reflect participatory role of the student in the classroom. Written arguments of collaborating students show sensitivity to potential audience. Abstract: Fifth-grade students from two urban school districts completed an integrated unit on wolves. Classes received either direct instruction (DI) or collaborative group work (CG). Analysis of reasoning in classroom talk indicated that CG students more often used connective and contrastive words and the performative verb phrases I think and I know than DI students. Analysis of written arguments about a controversial question raised by the unit indicated that, compared to DI students, CG students included more logical connectives, contrastives, and performative verbs, produced fewer unelaborated arguments, more frequently asked rhetorical questions, and more often considered both sides of the policy issue. The study provides fresh insight into how instructional frameworks can affect how students view themselves as writers in relation to a prospective audience.