A step –by- step plan for Teaching Argumentative Writing STEP 1: WATCH HOW IT IS DONE Give students samples of writings. Make them read these texts, compare them, and find places where the authors used evidence to back up their assertion . step 2: informal argument, freestyle Make students do some informal debate on easy, high-interest topics . This will look a little bit like a debate, as students from either side tend to defend their position to those on the other side. step 3: informal argument, not so freestyle Set up a second debate; this time with more structure and more time to research ahead of time . Before leaving this step, have students transfer their thoughts from teh discussion they just had into something that looks like the opening paragraph of a written argment. step 4: introduction of THE PERFORMANCE assessment Show them a model of a piece of writing that meets the requirements of the assignment . step 5: building the base Devote...