AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY ON TEACHING ORAL ENGLISH ARGUMENTATION TO HIGH SCHOOL EFL LEARNERS IN TAIWAN

The study employed action research as a method to devise a pedagogical model and approach for teaching oral English argumentation to Taiwanese EFL learners. Twelve students from a municipal high school volunteered to participate in a ten-session oral English argumentation course offered by the researcher. With the help of a dyadic argumentation pre- and posttest, weekly feedback sheets, after-class discussions with the students. English instructor, and the researcher's reflections, a five-component argumentation model (i.e., position, justification, challenge/refutation, defense and concession) and a five-phase instructional approach (i.e., overview, component coaching, modeling, guided practice, and independent practice) were conceived.