Participants in this course will use a range of practical tools for gathering and analyzing language samples that show how students currently construct claims supported by evidence and/or reasoning, as well as identifying next steps in students' development. These tools support formative assessment and instructional planning. Focal topics include: articulating claims; linking evidence and/or reasoning to claims; and evaluating evidence and/or reasoning. We will also explore similarities and differences in argumentation across content areas and grade levels. This course will enable teachers to collaborate with other educators and build professional relationships that result in an online community focused on improving students' abilities to engage in argumentation across content areas. This course is offered jointly by Stanford University and Oregon State University.
The main objectives of this course are for participants to:
- Recognize and engage in the essential components of formative assessment
- Develop a practical understanding of argumentation
- Use the entire formative assessment process to focus on language to help ELLs develop argumentation skills
- Use Argumentation Analysis Tool to analyze student arguments, focusing on structure and language us
- Learn and implement teaching strategies for building students' capacities for argumentation
- Collaborate with other educators and build professional relationships