ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the effects of participation in oral argumentation on the development of individual reasoning as expressed in persuasive essays. A premise of this method is that reasoning is fundamentally dialogical and, hence, the development of reasoning is best nurtured in supportive dialogical settings such as group discussion. The development of reasoning has been a historic ambition of American schools. Collaborative reasoning (CR) is an approach to discussion that aims to provide elementary school children with an opportunity to become skilled in the discourse of reasoned argumentation. Texts are chosen to embody themes that are engaging for young students and that can stimulate thoughtful and lively dialog. Students in CR discussions decide when to talk and what to discuss. The teacher's role is to promote reflective thinking and collaboration among the students.
