We teach students how to argue. But are we teaching them how to listen?
English classrooms help prepare young people to take part in democracy. But we’re teaching them to prioritise their own views rather than understanding differences of opinion
Published 7 September 2026
Picture a senior English classroom.
A student is tasked with writing a persuasive speech about whether women’s sport should receive equal coverage to men’s sport.
As their teacher, it’s my role to give them feedback about how to strengthen their arguments. I suggest they might want to respectfully acknowledge the opposing viewpoint.
“Why would I do that?” they ask.
They have a point. There is nothing in the assessment criteria that requires a genuine engagement with a difference of opinion. So, why should students try to be more conciliatory in presenting a point of view?
This question formed the basis of my research into how we can teach students to listen, not just argue.
The state of disagreement in our democracy
Our secondary students aren't entering a society that models respectful engagement with difference.
The Strengthening Democracy Taskforce report by Australia’s Albanese government identified a “worrying trend” of Australia being on “a path to polarisation”
The annual Edelman Trust Survey found that more than three-quarters of Australians would refuse to help someone who strongly disagreed with their views.
In her book Bright shining: how grace changes everything, Award-winning journalist Julia Baird writes:
“The silos in which we consume information dot the media landscape like skyscrapers, and the growing distrust of the press, politicians and public figures has in some ways choked our ability to cut each other slack.”
Education is crucial in turning this around.
Persuasion and assertion
Persuasion plays a prominent role in the English curriculum.
In Australia’s annual NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy) test, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are required to write either a persuasive (opinion) or narrative (story) text.
These persuasive writing tests ask students to ‘write your opinion on the topic’ to convince readers to agree with their viewpoint.
Research into NAPLAN has found that narrative writing receives the most attention in the early years of school, but the focus shifts increasingly towards persuasive writing as students progress.
By Year 10, more than two-thirds of English-related tasks involve developing persuasive language skills.
This emphasis continues in Years 11 and 12 VCE English, where my research shows that between one-third and two-thirds of the curriculum teaches young people to assert their own opinions.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this. But it is not the only skill young people need to develop.
The problem with one-sided arguments
In my research, I work with critical theory that considers the difference between monologue and dialogue in approaching an argument.
For the Russian philosopher and literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, a monologue is organised around a single authoritative voice, while dialogue involves many coexisting perspectives.
Bakhtin argues that all language responds to other voices and perspectives, even when only one person is speaking.
Seen this way, a good argument isn’t just about stating your position; it’s also about engaging with other perspectives
That doesn't mean students have to agree with everyone or resolve every argument.
But it does mean that they should learn to recognise that other perspectives exist, understand why others hold different opinions, and then consider how they might respond to those differences.
English classrooms as democratic spaces
English education has always had an ethical dimension as well as an academic one.
When students write, they position themselves in relation to other people, communities and ideas. They decide which voices to acknowledge, which to challenge and which to leave unheard.
There’s a difference between teaching students to ‘win’ an argument and teaching them to listen, reflect, negotiate and respond.
The importance of assessment
That Year 11 student who asked, ‘Why would I do that?’ was right to ask.
If our assessment system does not value engaging with another perspective, why would a student spend their time considering others’ perspectives?
In our modern education system, it’s not enough to say that being open to different views matters. Our assessment criteria need to reward it, especially in high-stakes tests like Year 12 exams and NAPLAN.
My research does not suggest that we should abandon persuasive writing or point-of-view essays. Knowing how to construct a position and communicate it effectively remains an important skill.
But if we want English classrooms to develop young people who can participate thoughtfully in a democracy, then the curriculum and assessment need to make that purpose visible.
Assessment criteria should reward writers for acknowledging other perspectives, recognising the limits of their own position and responding thoughtfully to disagreement.
This teaches students that making an argument isn’t just about convincing others. It’s also about listening and taking part in a conversation we all share.