Argumentation Skills as Prerequisites for Collaborative Learning among Finnish, French, and English Secondary School Students

Abstract

Argumentation skills of secondary school students were evaluated in Finland (n = 290), France (n = 54), and England (n = 41). The data were collected from 4 tasks comprising 7 variables. The results indicated that most of the students had correctly justified arguments and conclusions, and composed clear claims and relevant arguments. However, many students had difficulties in recognising the main claim and arguments for it in an expository text, and in commenting analytically on an argumentative text. Thus the students possessed the prerequisites for argumentative reasoning and writing but need further practice in analytical and critical reading.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the teachers and students of the secondary schools in Finland, France, and England for their collaboration during the data collection and Pekka Penttinen for his valuable help in statistics.

This study was carried out within the SCALE project funded by the European Community.