“Really?” “Yeah; Here’s Why”: Argumentative Critical Thinking and Composition, Grades 5-6
8 class sessions, 1.5 hours per class (12 hours of instruction)
October 16th - December 11th
October 16, 23, 30; November 6, 13, 20; December 4, 11
Wednesday, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. PST
No class during Thanksgiving week
Course Description:
Wouldn’t it be helpful for youth to learn how to navigate misunderstandings and to communicate more clearly? Argumentative skills that balance logic, ethics, and emotions are worth looking into—for their social, writing, and speaking selves!
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the kinds of argument patterns that they may encounter, recognizing the traits and techniques in verbal and visual texts that portray themselves, their peers, the adult world, and the media—topics that relate to popular experiences.
Students will practice how to recognize persuasive tactics in expressions and images (e.g. stereotyping, simplifying, etc.) and consider how to shape more effectively the student-selected topics that they care about and want to explore.
Students will learn about online research techniques and AI tools that expand their understanding of logic, and they will experiment with organizational approaches that help them acquire a more flexible understanding of audience. Additionally, students will get to practice collaborative work with multiple perspectives using online platforms (Mural).
Students will generate a self-selected argument project that includes a written effort (outline, draft, and essay) and visual presentation (Power Point/Prezi).
Students might come away with better ways to handle the traps of:
“We should all just. . .I told you so!. . .You never. . .That’s not. . .” that get in the way of more informed reactions and decisions.
Instructor Biography:
Ilona Missakian has taught both high school and college English classes in Southern California, specializing in composition and rhetoric. Missakian infuses all courses with the strategies from the UCI Writing Project that promote students’ skills in reading and writing and incorporates pedagogy informed by SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) and CLAD (authorization in Crosscultural Language and Academic Development). Her recent activity in projects like i3 (Invention and Inclusive Innovation)--which embraces technology--and the Puente Project from U.C. Berkeley--which embraces culturally relevant content--have informed her approach to helping students shape their voices and craft effective communication. With a background in dance arts, Missakian also appreciates the creative expression that students can integrate into their academic plans. She currently teaches English at Palo Verde College, edits content for The Journal of Learning through the Arts, and teaches dance.
Wouldn’t it be helpful for youth to learn how to navigate misunderstandings and to communicate more clearly? Argumentative skills that balance logic, ethics, and emotions are worth looking into—for their social, writing, and speaking selves!
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the kinds of argument patterns that they may encounter, recognizing the traits and techniques in verbal and visual texts that portray themselves, their peers, the adult world, and the media—topics that relate to popular experiences.
Students will practice how to recognize persuasive tactics in expressions and images (e.g. stereotyping, simplifying, etc.) and consider how to shape more effectively the student-selected topics that they care about and want to explore.
Students will learn about online research techniques and AI tools that expand their understanding of logic, and they will experiment with organizational approaches that help them acquire a more flexible understanding of audience. Additionally, students will get to practice collaborative work with multiple perspectives using online platforms (Mural).
Students will generate a self-selected argument project that includes a written effort (outline, draft, and essay) and visual presentation (Power Point/Prezi).
Students might come away with better ways to handle the traps of:
“We should all just. . .I told you so!. . .You never. . .That’s not. . .” that get in the way of more informed reactions and decisions.
Instructor Biography:
Ilona Missakian has taught both high school and college English classes in Southern California, specializing in composition and rhetoric. Missakian infuses all courses with the strategies from the UCI Writing Project that promote students’ skills in reading and writing and incorporates pedagogy informed by SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) and CLAD (authorization in Crosscultural Language and Academic Development). Her recent activity in projects like i3 (Invention and Inclusive Innovation)--which embraces technology--and the Puente Project from U.C. Berkeley--which embraces culturally relevant content--have informed her approach to helping students shape their voices and craft effective communication. With a background in dance arts, Missakian also appreciates the creative expression that students can integrate into their academic plans. She currently teaches English at Palo Verde College, edits content for The Journal of Learning through the Arts, and teaches dance.