Britannica White Paper – Argumentation and Reading for Evidence

There is a noticeable shift occurring in K-12 instructional settings that promises to upend the curriculum across every subject area – from English/Language Arts to science. This shift is changing the traditional emphasis on narrative reading and writing in every grade to one which focuses on argumentation paired with evidence-based reading and writing. A variety of aspects of teaching and learning are being affected, from professional development and lesson preparation to the types of curriculum materials being used and assessment being administered.

This white paper will review current thinking on this topic, with an initial look at the factors bringing it to the forefront and the reasons why. Sample activities using Britannica’s online resources1 are then presented as ways to motivate and help students acquire the key skills they need to read for evidence, think critically about what they have read, and convey solid arguments.