Introduction

The acquisition of a foreign language includes not only knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, but also the ability to use the language effectively in spoken and written communication. Productive skills remain the most difficult for many students, as they require not only a language base but also a high degree of automaticity of skills, logical thinking and general knowledge (Nation & Newton, 2009). This in particular is important when students write essays where they have to develop their ideas by providing examples and details.

Interactive methods aimed at developing written argumentation are becoming increasingly popular in pedagogical practice. Among them are debates and discussions, which create conditions for communication, form critical thinking and develop the ability to express their opinions in a reasoned manner (Alasmari & Ahmed, 2013; Krieger, 2005). These forms of learning are especially important for 11th graders, as they develop their argumentation skills and correspond to their age and cognitive characteristics in the period of exam preparation.

The aim of the study is to analyse the effectiveness of using discussion methods (such as debates, Hot Seating, Philosophical Chairs, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) in developing writing skills of 11th grade students in English classes.

Research Questions:

1.         What changes in written argumentation are observed in students after participating in debates and discussions?

2.         What conditions are necessary for successful implementation of these strategies in classroom to develop students’ written argumentation?

The theoretical basis of the study is based on the communicative approach in foreign language teaching (Littlewood, 2004), as well as on the principles of L. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, which emphasizes joint activity and language interaction as a means of thinking development.

This Action Research study followed the standard Action Research Cycle of observing, planning, acting and reflecting (Wilson E. & Abibulayeva A). The study involved 12 students from 11th grade where the implementation of discussion-based learning is practiced. Data collection was done before and after the action stage. This made it possible to trace the dynamics of the development of students’ written argumentation skills. Pre-action At the first stage, students' written works (essays, articles) completed before the introduction of discussion methods were collected and analysed. The aim of the analysis was to identify the initial level: structure, reasoning logic, command of thematic vocabulary and basic elements of argumentation (Nation & Newton, 2009). Action Discussion strategies such as Hot Seating, Philosophical Chairs, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) were systematically introduced into the classroom throughout the school year. To improve the effectiveness of their implementation, I invited colleagues to lessons for observation with follow-up consultations, during which I received valuable recommendations and methodological advice. Post - action The final stage involved a comparative analysis of written work before and after the integration of the discussions. The assessment criteria were the logic and structure of the text and the presence and strength of argument.

Findings The results of the conducted research confirmed the effectiveness of using discussion strategies for the development of written argumentation among 11th grade students at English classes. During the observation and analysis of students' written work, improvement was recorded in several key aspects. Students began to demonstrate a clearer structure of argumentative essays: their texts included a clearly formulated position, logically organized arguments supported by examples and explanations. This demonstrates the development of skills of logical presentation of their thoughts and use of the writing language in a more purposeful way. According to the results of the state examination, 92% of students received the highest mark for their written work, which, in turn, confirms the effectiveness of using discussion methods.

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