Page 301 - Gabrijela Kišiček and Igor Ž. Žagar (eds.), What do we know about the world? Rhetorical and argumentative perspectives, Digital Library, Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana 2013
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ching the Writing 301
of Argumentative Genre
through Imitatio: A Solid Basis
for the “Beginner” Writers
Fotini Egglezou, Athens
Summary
This paper concerns the contribution of imitatio to the argumentative writing of
twenty three 11-years old students of an elementary school (case-study) in the context
of a socially constructed classroom. Through the lecture, listening, analysis and ex-
plicit teaching of the argumentative topics and stylistic figures found in a hybrid lit-
erary-argumentative text, students were conduced to the mimesis and genesis of multi-
ple persuasive arguments. Imitatio seemed to influence positively the student’s argu-
mentative writing. The qualitative analysis of the final written argumentative texts
showed a better awareness of the argumentative genre. Also, the quantification of
data revealed an increased use of the argumentative topics of relations (cause-effect,
antithesis) and of the figure of rhetorical questions.
Key words: imitation, argumentative writing, genre, elementary school
D1. Introduction
iachronically and interdisciplinarily the act of mimeisthai
[μιμεῑσθαι /mimisthe], the notion of imitation, consists of a
pivotal but, also, diversified, disputed or “elusive’ term (Fan-
ner and Arrington, 1993: 13) in many cognitive fields. Either as the
representation of the real world in art and literature or as the deliber-
ate imitation of various social behaviours and even more as pedagogic-
al practice, imitatio or mimesis obtained fervent theoretical supporters
as well as bitter enemies who tried either to reveal or to underestimate
its value.
of Argumentative Genre
through Imitatio: A Solid Basis
for the “Beginner” Writers
Fotini Egglezou, Athens
Summary
This paper concerns the contribution of imitatio to the argumentative writing of
twenty three 11-years old students of an elementary school (case-study) in the context
of a socially constructed classroom. Through the lecture, listening, analysis and ex-
plicit teaching of the argumentative topics and stylistic figures found in a hybrid lit-
erary-argumentative text, students were conduced to the mimesis and genesis of multi-
ple persuasive arguments. Imitatio seemed to influence positively the student’s argu-
mentative writing. The qualitative analysis of the final written argumentative texts
showed a better awareness of the argumentative genre. Also, the quantification of
data revealed an increased use of the argumentative topics of relations (cause-effect,
antithesis) and of the figure of rhetorical questions.
Key words: imitation, argumentative writing, genre, elementary school
D1. Introduction
iachronically and interdisciplinarily the act of mimeisthai
[μιμεῑσθαι /mimisthe], the notion of imitation, consists of a
pivotal but, also, diversified, disputed or “elusive’ term (Fan-
ner and Arrington, 1993: 13) in many cognitive fields. Either as the
representation of the real world in art and literature or as the deliber-
ate imitation of various social behaviours and even more as pedagogic-
al practice, imitatio or mimesis obtained fervent theoretical supporters
as well as bitter enemies who tried either to reveal or to underestimate
its value.
