Utilizing Four corners to amplify claims, refutations and Accommodations

1. Utilizing Four corners to amplify claims, refutations and Accommodations Heidi Jones MWP July 26, 2010

2. Context(s) • Freshman Composition • Required Course to graduate • Small class sizes (25 or less) • Varying abilities • AP-level students who did not test out • “Typical” freshman student • PSEO students • Upper level or non-traditional students

3. Context(s) • University Writing at U of M (3 credits) • Course Overview • Through frequent practice and study of writing, WRIT 1301 introduces students to typical university writing practices, including an emphasis on developing well-researched, properly cited papers. WRIT 1301 fulfills the first-year composition requirement

4. University Writing Outcomes • Develop a Process of Writing • • control prewriting and planning strategies to arrive at a focused topic • • produce an outline or prospectus for a researched paper • • craft thesis statements that indicate a clear position on a topic and tie the paper together • • develop a topic through clearly structured paragraphs and the whole paper so that ideas are fully explained, assertions are backed up, supporting evidence is sufficient and claim sare credible • • through the sequence of assignments, develop a body of knowledge and growing perspective on a topic

5. Sequence of Modes (Example One)

6. Sequence of Modes (Example Two)

7. Practical Purpose • In my experience, student papers often lack a counterargument • This activity will force them to VISUALIZE an argument as it’s happening • Class will debate a topic that is relevant to college community • Students will eventually write an Op Ed piece for school newspaper • As a reply to an Editor, a classmate or another student’s piece

8. Lesson Set Up: The Day Before • Students will brainstorm debatable local issues (campus, MN, etc) and bring the list to class • Criteria: topic should be of interest to college community for possible publication in school newspaper • Class votes on topic • Students contemplate the topic and their position (strongly agree, agree, strongly disagree, disagree) before next class

9. The Big Day Students arrive for 80 minute class period having thought of the topic and their position. Class begins with a freewrite.

10. Freewrite Smoking Should be Banned on Campus • Do you agree or disagree? How strongly do you feel about your position? What kind of evidence can you use to support your claim? What would you say to those who differ in opinion?

11. The Learning Curve • After a 5-7 minute freewrite, students randomly draw their assignment for the debate • Why not let them choose their corner? • Arguing for “the other side” can help students improve their thinking and writing skills (and help them establish a better of idea of the views of the counterargument)

12. Review of Vocabulary • Claim: an assertion of something as a fact • Acknowledging the Counterargument (responding to opposing views) • Accommodation: conceding; reconciliation • Refutation: finding error; proving to be false

13. Consider your Audience • U of M Campus Community • Who does this include? • What types of appeals can you use? • Is your audience Supportive? Neutral? Hostile?

14. Organization of Debate • 12 of you will be debating • 3 at each of the four corners • 8 of you will be moderators/sign holders • 2 Moderators • 2 Claim sign holders • 2 Refutation sign holders • 2 Accommodation sign holders

15. Debaters • Each of you needs to speak during the debate • This may mean that you have to split one of the sections in half • In order to be effective, be sure to listen to the other side and take notes if applicable • Pay attention to the sign holders. They are providing you with key aspects of the debate.

16. Moderators • Take turns keeping time • Take notes about the strengths and weaknesses of one side’s arguments (you decide which side) • Decide who “wins”

17. Sign Holders • Each of you should pay close attention to the debate and hold up your sign when what is on the sign is happening • For example, if someone is making a claim that smoking is bad for your health, the CLAIM person(s) would hold up his/her sign • Or, if someone is conceding that the other side has a point, the ACCOMMODATION person(s) would hold up his/her sign

18. Planning Time • Each corner will get 4- 5 minutes of planning time to organize a coherent opening statement • Moderators/Sign holders join groups to listen

19. Continuation of Planning Time • Move to closely-linked corner (strongly agree + agree) 4- 5 more minutes of planning time • You will be debating TOGETHER

20. Debate Outline • Round One • Agree: Opening Statement (2 minutes) • Rebuttal: (1 minute) • Round Two • Disagree: (Opening Statement (2 minutes) • Rebuttal: (1 minute) • Round Three • Disagree (3 minutes) • Rebuttal (3 minutes) • Round Four/Closing Statement • Agree (3 minutes) • Disagree (3 minutes)

21. Reflect on the Experience

22. Reflection • Listen to moderators • Return to seat and reflect on your freewrite and on the activity • How did the debate affect your opinion? What did you learn about the organization of an effective argument? What can you take away from this activity that will help you as a thinker and writer?

23. Follow Up • Students will begin to craft their OpEd pieces • We will talk about how to state position and refute/accommodate in an OpEd piece • Students will eventually use their knowledge of argument formation to write a persuasive research essay