The Most Reasonable Answer: Helping Students Build Better Arguments Together

Synopsis

The Most Reasonable Answer Is An Innovative And Comprehensive Guide To Using Inquiry Dialogue--a Type Of Text-based Classroom Discussion Featuring Big, Contested Questions That Has Been Shown To Improve Higher-order Thinking And Argument Literacy. Based On Years Of Research And Work In Nearly Fifty Classrooms, The Book Supports Teachers In Facilitating This Type Of Classroom Talk In Upper-elementary Grades, When Children Are Developmentally Ready To Practice Making Rigorous, Reasoned Arguments Based On Evidence--a Critical Life Skill. Reznitskaya And Wilkinson Introduce A Robust Argumentation Rating Tool, A Rubric Highlighting Eleven Strategies And Corresponding Talk Moves That Can Be Used By Teachers And Students To Improve The Quality Of Their Arguments By Clarifying Meaning, Considering Alternative Perspectives, And Connecting Ideas. The Authors Also Include Annotated Transcripts That Illustrate How Teachers Can Effectively Facilitate Whole-group And Small-group Discussions Using Fiction, Nonfiction, And Multimodal Texts.-- Foreword By Catherine E. Snow -- Preface -- Understanding Essential Concepts -- Why Inquiry Dialogue? -- What Is An Argument? -- How To Facilitate Collaborative And Rigorous Argumentation? -- What Happens Before, During, And After Discussion? -- Planning And Conducting Discussions -- Discussing What Should Kelly Do? -- Discussing Ovatniah -- Discussing Hunting A Killer -- Discussing A Text Set About Sugary Drinks -- Moving Forward -- Choosing A Text For Inquiry Dialogue -- Moving Toward Student Independence -- Self-study: How To Improve My Practice -- Frequently Asked Questions -- Appendices -- Appendix A. Argumentation Rating Tool (art) -- Appendix B. Art During Inquiry -- Appendix C. Art For Kids -- Appendix D. Discussion Planning Tool: Template -- Appendix E. Argument House: Template -- Appendix F. Writing Arguments: Scoring Rubric. Alina Reznitskaya, Ian A.g. Wilkinson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.