Features of practical argument engagement

Comprehending teachers' intentions and reasons for what they are doing in their teaching practice is one way to interpret what they know. Unless we understand their intentions and reasons we do not even know what sort of actions occur in their work. Practical argument engagement is one way to understand why teachers do what they do. A practical argument is concerned with choices and decisions resulting in daily activity, yet, for the most part, it is tacit making it difficult to examine. However, articulating and reconstructing teachers' arguments can be done in a deliberate, systematic, and caring way. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.