Title: Creating argumentative statements in accordance with the principles of logic and rhetoric

Lesson plan elaborated by: Katarzyna Maciejak

Topic:

Creating argumentative statements in accordance with the principles of logic and rhetoric.

Target group:

2nd‑grade students of a high school.

Core curriculum

I. Literary and cultural education.

2. Receipt of cultural texts. Student:

2) analyses the structure of the text: it reads its meaning, main thought, way of leading the argument and argumentation;

II. Language education.

1. Grammar of the Polish language. Student:

3) recognises the argumentative nature of various syntactic constructions and their functions in the text; uses them to build your own statements;

2. Differentiation of language. Student:

7) recognise the valuing vocabulary; distinguishes neutral vocabulary from the vocabulary with an emotional color, official from colloquial.

3. Language communication and language culture. Student:

3) recognises and defines text functions (informative, poetic, meta‑linguistic, expressive, impressionistic - including persuasive);

III. Creating statements.

1. Elements of rhetoric. Student:

1) formulates theses and arguments in oral and written speech using appropriate syntax structures;

2) indicates and distinguishes persuasive goals in literary and non‑literary speech;

3) understands and applies the compositional principle in rhetorical texts (eg thesis, arguments, appeal, point);

4) explains how the rhetorical means used (eg rhetorical questions, calculations, exclamations, parallelisms, repetitions, apostrophes, metadases, inversions) affect the recipient;

2. Speaking and writing. Student:

1) agrees with other people's views or polemicizes with them, substantively justifying their own opinion;

2) builds a statement in a conscious manner, with knowledge of its language function, taking into account the purpose and the addressee, keeping the principles of rhetoric;

6) creates consistent statements in the following species forms: an argumentative statement, a paper, an interpretative sketch, a critical sketch, a definition, an encyclopaedic entry, a synthesizing note;

8) creates a composition and decompositional plan of argumentative texts;

9) uses rhetorical compositional principles in creating its own text; speaks with non‑linguistic means;

IV. Self‑study. Student:

1. develops the ability of independent work, inter alia, by preparing various forms of presenting their own position;

2. organises information into the problematic whole by valuing it; synthesizes the learned content around the problem, topic, topic and uses it in your statements.

General aim of education

Students consolidate and broaden their knowledge about the pattern of argumentative expression.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Learning outcomes

Student:

• composes an argumentative statement using arguments and counterarguments;

• formulates theses;

• applies rhetorical resources;

• searches in the text for metatext expressions that cement the statement and signal the subjectivism.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

The course of the lesson

Introduction

1. The teacher determines the purpose of the lesson: the students will consolidate and broaden their knowledge about creating effective argumentative statements.

2. The teacher gives the students the criteria for success.

Realization

1. The teacher asks students whether the ability to persuade is today and if so, why. He asks for examples of the situation to confirm the thesis. Then he asks, so you can achieve the goal, wanting to convince others. Invites students to play. The participants of the classes work in pairs: one person aims to convince the other that smoking is bad. After the appointed time, students share their insights: how they tried to convince the other person to their reasons. They should emphasize that they succeeded (or attempted to do so) using arguments.

2. Students perform interactive exercise No. 1 - they create a mind map „How to construct an effective statement.” During the lesson, they will add further points and insights.

3. Continuation of the conversation about the schematic of the argumentative statement. The teacher asks what to remember about the thesis. Students should indicate that one should not put forward a thesis that can not be justified. The students, working in pairs, form two opposition theses for the given issues (eg Should adopted children be notified that they are adopted? Should death be carried out in Poland? Should euthanasia be allowed? Will traditional lists be supplanted by e‑mails?).

4. Students perform interactive exercise No. 3, which consists in formulating the topics of texts that could be represented by images.

5. Composition of argumentative expression. The students give the features of a good introduction (eg it should be intriguing, introducing them to the topic), and then look for quotes that they could start with on the subjects given in the third subject.

6. Developing the argumentative statement. The teacher asks what the arguments may refer to (eg to authority, reason, feelings, experiences and experiences). Students discuss the types of arguments, referring to their observations of fun at the beginning of the lesson. Then, working in groups, they develop arguments for given theses (the teacher makes sure that the issues are evenly divided among the groups). At the end, the representatives of the groups present the results on the class forum and the students jointly evaluate the ideas of colleagues.

7. Exercise number 5 in the abstract.

Summary

1. The student indicated by the teacher sums up the lesson, telling what he has learned and what skills he/she has been practicing.

Homework

1. Write an argumentative text on one of the following topics: Why should you plant trees along roads? Why should I care for language correctness? Breakfast - the most important meal of the day. Why is it worth visiting ... (enter a country here)? Why is it worth studying? Why care for monuments and cultural goods?.

2. Listen to the abstract recordings at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Prepare your own recordings of the listened words.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Creating argumentative statements in accordance with the principles of logic and rhetoric

People who can speak eloquently, interestingly and correctly have been valued for centuries. Also of great importance, especially today, is speaking effectively. However, a lot of success in life depends on the ability of the speaker to be convincing. Research shows that we more often attain a goal when we can justify our view, than when we limit ourselves to purely stating facts.

One of the first stages in constructing an argumentative text is to formulate the topic. A successful title will answer one of seven questions: who, what, where, when, with what, how, why.

In itself, the subject should send a message to the recipient as to what position the sender has. In this sense, we can say that the subject of a speech or a written text is also its thesis. It should be formulated in an attractive manner to capture the attention of the recipient and interest them and get them intrigued about the issue.

In the introduction to an argumentative text, you should try to introduce the audience to your topic. Ensure that your speech attracts their attention: you can use words of wisdom, quotes, wordplay. Listeners will also be intrigued if you use paradox, so give some surprising information, point out something to shock them.

The sender, after presenting their thesis, that is, after acquainting the audience with their position, should support this with appropriate arguments. These can appeal to reason, knowledge, experience or the emotions of the audience.

Arguments must be adapted both to the theme of the speech and to the audience (e.g. their age and level of education). We decide on argumentation when we are presenting ideas that differ from those of our recipients. Our actions will only make sense where there are concepts that are accepted by both sides of an argument. One very important characteristic of argumentation is that the sender has to realise that the recipient is free to choose the position that is most convincing for them.

Organising statements and emphasising the logic in them are served by metatextual expressions, which not only link the text, but also allow the receiver to see the intention of the sender. It is thanks to such vocabulary that the audience knows what part of a speech they are listening to - the body or the end, arguments or conclusions.

Here are some examples: in summary, I come to the conclusion, firstly (...), secondly (...), then, this leads to the following, etc

Metatext is also a sign of subjectivism: I think that...in my opinion, in my view, and also allows the introduction of polemics Eg. I cannot agree with the previous speaker, because..., I respect the views of X, but...I hold a different view, which is....