Intervención para el enriquecimiento del discurso argumentativo: el impacto de una propuesta didáctica en el empleo de los marcadores textuales en alumnado de Secundaria y Bachillerato

Abstract

This study is based on the hypothesis that when students write argumentative texts, they do not include connectors that allow them to create well-structured written expressions with proper cohesion and organization of ideas. Therefore, this research aims to examine the use of discourse markers in 1,500 written compositions produced by 250 fourth-year secondary education students and 250 second-year high school students from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at three different points during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years. The objective is to analyze the patterns of each academic level separately in terms of both the quantity and variety of these discourse markers. Additionally, the study seeks to compare the results from both educational levels to determine whether students at a higher academic stage demonstrate greater proficiency in using these cohesive elements. Furthermore, this research incorporates two instructional interventions prior to the writing of texts 2 and 3, aiming to assess, on the one hand, students' initial knowledge of discourse markers and, on the other, the impact of specific activities designed to enhance their use. By analyzing the results, we can also identify the level of difficulty posed by different activities. In this regard, the study will compare the discourse markers included in the exercises and their increased frequency in students’ written texts to determine whether certain types of exercises are more effective than others. The findings may provide valuable insights, not only into the challenges students face but also for the development of effective teaching strategies to improve their written expression. Before addressing the practical aspect of the study, the research outlines the current approach to teaching written expression in the classroom. This includes an overview of various text composition processes, along with their corresponding strategies. Finally, it offers a brief discussion on the theory of discourse markers and argumentative texts.