Virginia SOL 9.W.2.A.v
The Standard
Identifying and addressing counterarguments and providing a rebuttal where appropriate.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students plan for objections their audience may raise. They draft a fair counterargument, answer it with evidence and reasoning, then revise and edit for clear organization.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A strong response presents the opposing view fairly and answers it with relevant evidence and reasoning. The placement, details, and tone fit the audience and support the writer’s purpose.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may invent a weak opposing view that no reasonable person would hold. They may repeat their claim, dismiss the opposition, or use unrelated evidence instead of answering it. Some think acknowledging another view weakens their position.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Write a claim about school phone rules for a principal, then add one fair counterargument and a two-sentence evidence-based rebuttal.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups claim, counterargument, evidence, and rebuttal cards; have them build a logical paragraph and explain their order.
Ask: Which objection would a skeptical parent raise, and what evidence would answer it fairly?
Play Rebuttal Relay: teams draw a school-policy claim, write the strongest opposing view, then add an evidence-based response.
Have students revise a real product review to address one likely buyer objection without changing the recommendation.
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Related Standards
- 12.C.2.A.iv
Anticipating and addressing alternative or opposing perspectives and counterclaims and rebuttals, as appropriate.
- 10.W.1.B.iii
Address and refute counterclaims.
- 8.W.2.A.iii
Stating and defending conclusions or positions with reasons and precise, relevant evidence and complete explanation of how evidence and details support a positi...
- 11.C.2.A.v
Anticipating and addressing alternative or opposing perspectives and counterclaims using counter arguments and rebuttals, as appropriate.
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