Opening, deepening, and widening dialogic space in argument classrooms

ABSTRACT

Given the importance of teaching and learning argumentation, across disciplines for participation in academic and civil discourse, this article examines how dialogic space is created and sustained in classrooms where argument is taught and learned and, when it is created, what affordances it brings to learning argumentation. Dialogic space is a shared space of mutual resonance where we see, feel, or think things from at least 2 points of view at once. While any instructional setting has the potential to create dialogic space, this potential is not always realized. Using data from previously published research on classroom discourse around argumentation in secondary English language arts classrooms, I present how dialogic space can be opened, deepened, and widened as well as how teachers can engage students in argumentation within this space. I conclude by briefly discussing the contexts and affordances of creating dialogic space in argument classrooms.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional resources

1. Seymour, M., Thanos, T., Newell, G., & Bloome, D. (2020). Teaching literature using dialogic literary argumentation. Routledge.

This book presents a new framework for teaching and learning literature through argumentation, termed, “dialogic literary argumentation.” It provides examples of dialogic literary argumentation in various argument classrooms. Some of the characteristics of dialogic literary argumentation are aligned with the concept of dialogic space, such as listening to the perspectives of others and acquiring knowledge through an inquiry stance.

2. Reznitskaya, A. & Wilkinson, I.A.G. (2017). The most reasonable answer: Helping students build better arguments together. Harvard Education Press.

This book investigates how to effectively engage students in collaborative arguments in order to arrive at the most reasonable answer. While it provides tactics, procedures, and examples of planning and conducting discussions from elementary school settings, the ideas presented in this book are readily applicable to secondary and high school settings. The book suggests how dialogic space might be created in collaborative arguments and what it entails.

3. Shanahan, E., & Kim, M.-Y. (2021). Looking inward and outward: Fostering introspective argumentation. English Journal, 110, 100–107.

This article, written for teachers and teacher educators, illustrates the use of argumentation in a high school English classroom as a means of reading literature and reflecting on personal values. It does so in particular through the concept of “introspective argumentation,” an approach that requires students to examine both their own perspective and the perspective of others. The article offers steps and strategies for implementing introspective argumentation in the classroom.