Learning to Argue: How Debate, Planning and Strategy Can Build Better Writers

What happens between having an opinion and writing a convincing argument? For many teenagers, the distance is surprisingly large. A student may argue energetically with friends, spot weaknesses in someone else’s reasoning, and explain why a rule seems unfair, yet struggle when asked to turn those abilities into a formal essay. On the page, there is no opponent waiting to respond and no immediate question demanding clarification. The writer has to create that dialogue alone.