Teaching scientific argumentation to secondary education students

What is it about?

This study investigated how teaching scientific argumentation affects secondary school students’ writing in a Basque-language science class. A total of 105 students took part, with all completing written tasks before and after a unit on energy. However, only the experimental group of 61 students received three extra one-hour sessions focused on argumentation strategies, using a method called Cognitive Discourse Functions. The control group of 44 students went through the same science unit without the extra instruction. Researchers analyzed 210 student texts using Toulmin’s Argumentation Pattern and found that the experimental group significantly improved their use of argumentation, while the control group did not. These results show that specific instruction in argument writing helps students produce better argumentative texts and supports academic language development in bilingual education contexts. The study also considers how this approach can be applied in classrooms and suggests areas for further research.

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Why is it important?

This study matters because arguing with evidence is an important part of learning science and other school subjects. Helping students learn to do this in Basque, a second and minority language, supports both their subject learning and their language skills. It also shows how bilingual education can help students use academic language to think and communicate clearly.