Teaching Argumentation to University Students

Analysis of the Academic Reading and Writing Stream 3 (ARW3) syllabus in the English for Liberal Arts (ELA) programme at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan, reveals three shortcomings in how argumentation is taught. First, the syllabus needs to distinguish between two main types of argumentation: formal and informal. Second, constructing and evaluating arguments should be treated as a set of skills rather than as a specific topic. Third, the syllabus needs to acknowledge the importance of counter-arguments. To address these specific issues, a Critical Questions Framework is proposed. Students should apply the framework to develop critical thinking dispositions towards what they read and what they write.