The Explicit Teaching of Argumentation in the Approach of a Socio-Scientific Issue About the Use of Face Masks

Abstract

In this article, we present, as an educational product, a teaching sequence based on a socio-scientific issue about the use of face masks in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at teaching science to II elementary level of compulsory education. The teaching sequence was formulated based on the following methodology – articulation of the conceptual, procedural, and attitudinal contents in the approach of socio-scientific issues (SSI) (NUNES-NETO; CONRADO, 2018) and the explicit teaching of argumentation (JIMÉNEZ-ALEIXANDRE, 2010). We highlight how the explicit teaching of argumentation can be promoted depending on the characteristics of the activities and the role of the teacher. We aim to provide subsidies to the science teacher on teaching actions involving the explicit teaching of argumentation that can be transferred to the teaching of other curriculum topics and other educational approaches. In addition, we argue that the approach of SSI, specifically because of its dialogic and controversial nature, promotes an effective formative space for the development of students' argumentative skills. Keywords: Socio-scientific issues. Argumentation. Covid-19. Masks. Science teaching.