Smartphones: A Student’s Best Friend Mrs. Wallwork Period 1,2,3 Argumentative Essay   Smartphones: A Student’s Best Friend Look around and it seems like every kid has a smartphone in their hand these days. Many parents and teachers worry that kids are spending too much time on their phones, wasting their lives and their minds away. They think kids only use their phones for texting and other social media. However, having a smartphone can actually help kids be better students, by increasing their neurological agility, and providing more engaging and interesting material and activities for learning. Name Period Assignment (Double Space from here) Title: Should make your position clear Center and Capitalize Paragraph 1: Introduction Start with a hook . Grab their attention. Describe the problem…..the topic. State your claim—include the points you will argue.

Start with a topic sentence. It should refer back to your claim. Paragraph 2 Argument #1 Research shows that today’s teens have better neurological agility than previous generations. Neurological agility is the ability to think quickly and change thinking direction easily. It is an important skill for any student to have. Today's kids being more able to quickly adapt their thinking is something that "many attribute to heavy use of technology, including smartphones”, says Nikki Katz. in her article Kids and Smartphones, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. If smartphones are helping kids be better, more agile thinkers, they are definitely helping them be better students. Start with a topic sentence. It should refer back to your claim. Back up argument with evidence from the article Quotation: “ Blah blah,blah”punctuation after quotations. Sum it up, review.

Another way that smartphones can help today's kids be better students is by providing limitless resources for material and activities to which kids can connect. Today's students are used to interacting with technology, and that is what they enjoy. Students are more likely to learn if they can interact and engage with the material in a way they find fun and challenging. Katz mentions some effective teaching apps in her article. "For example, the free NASA app offers videos, images, and interactive displays that bring space to life in a way that a lecture never could," and "math-phobic students can practice their multiplication tables via games and puzzles." Teachers who use smartphones and apps in their classrooms have a very large and valuable teaching resource available.   Paragraph 3 Argument 2 Start with a topic sentence. It should refer back to your claim. Transition words! Back up argument with evidence from the article Quotation: “ Blah blah,blah”punctuation after quotations. Sum it up, review.

Paragraph 4 Counterclaim/Rebuttal Many parents and educators believe that using smartphones in class is a waste of time, and that students will be distracted and unable to stay on task if they have access to texting and social media while in the classroom. However, the answer to this dilemma is simple. If teachers locate and use apps and online resources that are interesting and challenging enough to keep the students' attention, distraction will not be an issue. Kids can spend hours playing a game they are interested in and if the educational app or activity is good enough, they won't be distracted by some silly text. They will be focused on learning and enjoying every minute of it. Begin with “Opponents of….say……” “Some disagree and argue that…” “There are those who feel ….” Make clear, accurate statement of other side’s argument. Transition: However, …… Make your argument for why they are wrong Sum it up

Call to action….leave them with something to think about! Paragraph 5 Conclusion Kids and their smartphones are here to stay. Every year the percentage of kids owning smartphones goes up. Knowing that everyday use of smartphones and other technology is effecting kids' thinking ability in a positive way, adults could easily conclude that using technology in education would be a good thing. Rather than fighting against kids' love for technology, parents and teachers should be embrace it and use it as a tool. Teaching with appropriate apps and online activities, educators can keep students interested in learning and help them become better thinkers, better problem solvers. and better students overall. Restate problem Restate claim Call to action….leave them with something to think about!