Help Students Build ARGUMENTS with DOCUMENTS
TLDRThe video script outlines a method for teaching students to construct historical arguments using documents. The presenter, Laurence, emphasizes the importance of breaking down the process into manageable steps: first understanding and interpreting a document, then using it to form a premise and draw conclusions, and finally combining multiple documents to build complex arguments. This approach helps students develop the skills needed to confidently address prompts in exams like the AP exam.
Takeaways
- π The video focuses on teaching students to build historical arguments using documents, highlighting the challenges educators face in this task.
- π Importance is emphasized on mastering the skill of teaching argumentation to students, as it significantly improves their class performance.
- π The foundation of any argument consists of two main components: premises and a conclusion, which was discussed in a previous video.
- π Students often struggle with argumentation not just in history, but in general, which necessitates a more structured approach to teaching.
- π The first step in document analysis is to understand and interpret the document separately from the pressure of a prompt, focusing on observation.
- π Encouraging students to 'point out' elements in a document, like in a political cartoon, builds their confidence and slows down their interpretive process.
- π Once the document is understood, students are guided to draw conclusions about its intent, such as identifying the critical stance of a political cartoon on American Imperialism.
- π€ By familiarizing students with the basics of constructing arguments, they can gradually develop the skills needed for more complex historical arguments.
- π The process of building an argument with one document is practiced until it becomes second nature, before moving on to using multiple documents.
- π’ The use of conflicting documents helps students to categorize and interpret different sources, enabling them to make more nuanced historical arguments.
- π Introducing a prompt into the practice allows students to apply their newly developed argumentation skills in a more exam-like setting, preparing them for assessments.
Q & A
What is the main challenge teachers face when teaching students to build historical arguments?
-The main challenge is that students often struggle with building arguments in general, not just historical arguments. They have difficulty understanding the basic structure of an argument, which consists of premises and a conclusion.
What did the speaker discover about students' difficulty with argumentation?
-The speaker discovered that students' primary difficulty was not with building historical arguments specifically, but with building arguments at all. They often skipped the crucial step of observing and interpreting the document before trying to use it to answer a prompt.
How does the speaker suggest breaking down the process of historical argumentation for students?
-The speaker suggests breaking down the process into discrete steps: first, having students understand and interpret a document on its own, then exploring what conclusions could be drawn from that document, and finally, building an argument with multiple documents.
What is the purpose of the first step in the speaker's method, where students observe and interpret a document?
-The purpose of this step is to build students' confidence and slow down their interpretive process, allowing them to carefully observe the document and understand its content without the pressure of a prompt.
How does the speaker help students transition from interpreting a document to building an argument?
-The speaker asks students to consider what conclusion could be supported by the document they've interpreted, without introducing a prompt. This helps students practice reverse engineering an argument and develop the skills needed for more complex historical arguments.
What is the significance of using multiple documents in building an argument?
-Using multiple documents allows students to interpret and group documents into categories, which helps them build more complex arguments and understand the nuances of historical events by considering different perspectives.
How does the speaker incorporate prompts into the argumentation process?
-The speaker introduces prompts in the final step, after students have practiced building arguments with documents. This helps them apply their skills to respond to prompts in a structured and supported way.
What is the ultimate goal of the speaker's method for teaching historical argumentation?
-The ultimate goal is to help students develop the skills and confidence to construct well-supported arguments using historical documents, which will improve their performance on exams like the AP exam.
What additional resources does the speaker recommend for teachers and students?
-The speaker recommends watching part one of the series and checking the links in the description for teacher resource packs specifically geared toward the types of questions students will encounter on the AP exam.
How does the speaker's method aim to change students' approach to historical argumentation?
-The speaker's method aims to change students' approach by breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps, gradually building their skills and confidence, and encouraging them to think like historians when constructing arguments.
Outlines
π Building Historical Arguments with Documents
This paragraph discusses the challenges teachers face in teaching students to construct historical arguments and introduces a method to overcome these difficulties. The speaker shares their realization that students struggle with argumentation in general, not just historical arguments. They emphasize the importance of breaking down the argumentation process into two fundamental components: premises and conclusions. The speaker then suggests a step-by-step approach to help students understand and interpret documents independently of any prompts, which can cause anxiety. This involves observing the document and explaining its content, and then interpreting its meaning. The goal is to enhance students' confidence and slow down their interpretive process, which ultimately aids in building a solid foundation for historical argumentation.
π― Teaching Argumentation with Multiple Documents
In this paragraph, the speaker extends the argumentation process to include the use of multiple documents. They explain that after familiarizing students with constructing arguments based on a single document, teachers should progress to using conflicting documents. This requires students to interpret documents, group them into categories, and build separate arguments based on each one. The speaker provides an example using two documents with differing views on the causes of the English Civil War. The objective is to help students make more complex historical arguments by choosing between these documents based on their prior knowledge and then synthesizing this information into a cohesive argument. The paragraph concludes with the speaker encouraging repetition of this process until it becomes second nature for students.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Historical Arguments
π‘Premises and Conclusion
π‘Interpretation
π‘Prompt
π‘Reverse Engineering
π‘Critical Thinking
π‘American Imperialism
π‘Historical Documents
π‘Argumentation
π‘AP Exam
π‘Teaching Strategy
Highlights
The video is a continuation on teaching students to build historical arguments, aiming to help teachers struggling with this task.
The speaker found that students have difficulty building arguments in general, not just historical arguments.
The basics of argumentation involve premises and a conclusion, which were covered in a previous video.
Students often skip the observation of a document, which is a crucial step in building an argument.
The speaker suggests breaking down the argument-building process into discrete steps for clarity.
The first step is to understand and interpret a document without the pressure of a prompt.
Students should describe what a document says and means, which helps build their confidence and slows down their interpretive process.
The example of a political cartoon is used to illustrate how students should observe and interpret a document.
Once students understand what a document says and means, they can explore what conclusion it could support.
The process of reverse engineering an argument helps students develop skills needed for exam situations.
Building an argument with more than one document requires categorizing and interpreting documents.
Students learn to make complex historical arguments by breaking down the process into manageable steps.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of practicing argumentation skills without a prompt until it becomes second nature.
Introducing a prompt in the final step helps students apply their skills to exam-like situations, such as DBQs or stimulus-based SAQs.
The video concludes by encouraging teachers to use the outlined method to help students build the necessary argumentation skills for exams.
Transcripts
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