Ticking Mind Bulletin #6 2011

Over our last few bulletins we have been focusing on Web 2.0 tools to use in teaching writing. In our last post, we talked about using online Word Magnets as a tool for developing sentence structure as well as an online Folding Story as a fun tool to get students doing creative writing. If you haven't read our last bulletin, or have only just signed up to our mailing list, you can see all our previous bulletins at our blog here. 

This week we're focusing on Web 2.0 tools to use to help students engage in debates and write persuasive essays. One of the easiest tools to use is Read, Write and Think's essay planner. I know many of you out there are already using it. For those who aren't, this is a simple graphic organising tool to help students plan argumentative essays. Students can map out a contention, three arguments and the details for each argument. Afterwards, they can print off their essay map and it will provide a good visual diagram to help them write it out. It works well for Years 7&8s. The tool can be found here.

Moving on. The Web 2.0 is at its best when it allows students to collaborate and share knowledge. Create Debate is a good tool to allow students to do this on a debating topic. Users need to create an account to use this site, but this is quick and free. Once logged on, a user can create a new debate. Other users can log in and add for and against arguments, or respond to arguments that have already been listed. This is an effective tool for brainstorming for and against arguments as a class, and getting students to think more deeply about arguments through having to write and respond to others. The tool can be found here.

One more tool is A Map - short for argument map. This is visually more interesting than Create Debate, and is also collaborative. A user can log on (no need for an account) and create a debate topic and then add arguments and evidence. These are represented in visual concept chart form. Other users can then log on and respond to different parts of the argument map. Every time someone responds to part of the map, the map is updated. It's a fun and effective tool for mapping out arguments. Both this and Create Debate are suitable for use from Years 7 through to 12. Find A Map here.