(2025) Raising the Bar: Supporting Teachers in Engaging Students in Rigorous Argumentation

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2025

Journal / Book Title

Handbook on the Science of Literacy in Grades

Abstract

This chapter examines how classroom dialogue can be structured to support intellectually rigorous argumentation and deep disciplinary understanding in grades 3–8. Drawing on research in dialogic pedagogy, epistemic cognition, and Philosophy for Children, the authors argue that productive classroom talk must move beyond the sharing of opinions toward the critical evaluation of ideas. The chapter advances a normative framework grounded in inquiry dialogue and the concept of a community of inquiry, emphasizing freedom of expression, diversity of perspectives, and disciplined critique as conditions for sound judgment. Using evidence from a multiyear professional development project with elementary language arts teachers, the authors describe instructional tools, evaluation criteria, and facilitation practices designed to raise the quality of student argumentation. Findings highlight shifts in teachers’ epistemic stances and discussion practices, as well as corresponding improvements in students’ ability to justify, challenge, and revise claims. The chapter concludes by identifying ongoing challenges in teacher facilitation, the need for greater attention to reasoned opposition, and promising directions for future research and scalable professional development models.

Book Publisher

Guilford Press

Journal ISSN / Book ISBN

9781462558018

Book Editor(s)

Susan B. Neuman and Melanie R. Kuhn

Published Citation

Reznitskaya, Alina, Ian Wilkinson, and Maughn Rollins Gregory (2025) Raising the Bar: Supporting Teachers in Engaging Students in Rigorous Argumentation. In Susan B. Neuman and Melanie R. Kuhn (Eds.) Handbook on the Science of Literacy in Grades 3-8, pp. 11-28. New York: The Guilford Press.

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