Fallacy Detective quizzes etc Classroom

[Guest tlipot]

I am teaching Fallacy Detective at my homeschool co op for high schoolers. Any quizzes, study guides, help on teaching this in a classroom? I have gone to their website, but there is limited information. I was hoping someone who had previously taught this class could share their wisdom with me.

Thanks!

[Teachin'Mine]

:lurk5: I'm all ears, but the popcorn looked good. :D

[Photo Ninja]

I would incorporate current events, using newspaper and magazine articles, letters to the editor, speeches, or whatever else you see that contains fallacies your students have studied up to that point. This way they get a review of what you are teaching, and they can see a practical use for what they are learning. It is very important that students be able to recognize fallacies as they are used in everyday life. If they can name them, so much the better. Many adults end up believing things that are not true simply because they don't understand the use of logical fallacies.

 

I would use at least one article per class meeting, perhaps more, depending on the depth of discussion and analysis generated. Either print a copy for each student or use an overhead because this type of article needs to be seen, not read aloud, for most students to be able to identify fallacies. Many articles contain several fallacies.

 

Another idea would be to have students bring in articles, etc. that contain fallacies and share them with the class, identifying the fallacy and why identifying it is important. Ask questions: Is this a true statement? Why? Why does it matter? Why might the speaker/writer use this fallacy? What is the speaker/writer trying to communicate or get the hearer/reader to believe? Is the use of a fallacy in this case a useful technique? Will people believe it? How can you argue against this fallacy?

 

It was easiest for my dc to find fallacies in Letters to the Editor in our newspaper. One ds once found one letter to the editor that used six fallacies. One ds used to take our neighborhood HOA newsletter and analyze it for fallacies, and usually found many. He is the son who made a chart of fallacies with columns for each gubernatorial candidate (4) participating in a debate on tv and marked each time each candidate used each different fallacy. All used them, but a couple used nearly all the fallacies listed in the book. He thought it was fun.

 

When I used the book with my dc, I had them find one piece of writing each week that contained a fallacy we had learned, identify the fallacy, and explain why it is a fallacious statement. My kids enjoyed it and found that it was easy to find examples - a rather sad statement about our newspaper and political speeches.

 

You could also find examples of fallacies in your newspaper and use them as quizzes by asking the students to read the articles/letters to the editor and identify the fallacy.

Edited September 17, 2010 by Photo Ninja
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