The Argument Staircase: Building Opinion into Academic Writing Power (Grades 3-12)

The Argument Staircase: Building Opinion into Academic Writing Power (Grades 3-12)

Stop hoping ML students will leap from personal opinion to complex arguments with just a graphic organizer! Argumentative writing is a linguistic challenge that demands a shift in academic register. This full-day workshop provides a concrete, scaffolded sequence for teaching the three genres of persuasive writing, focusing on the structural differences required at each level. You’ll leave with a clear roadmap for instructional moves to build your students’ rhetorical skills.

• Examine mentor texts to teach the explicit differences between opinion (personal belief), persuasion (call to action), and argument (establishing validity).
• Master explicit instruction techniques for moving students from simple opinion or persuasive statements to nuanced claim-counterclaim structures and formal conclusions.
• Explore customizable templates and graphic organizers that scaffold the collection and integration of evidence for ML writers.

Audience: All Educators