Debate Activities | globalclassrooms

Below is a general template of the steps I took to introduce my students to debate and several of the most helpful activities

Class 1: Introducing your students to Debate

Introduce students to the general structure and format of debate. Provide students with handouts regarding formal vocabulary and how to express your opinion. Introduce them to useful phrases "like on one hand...but on the other hand." Detailed formation about the format and structure of the debate can be found here.

Possibly provide students with the "Debating: A Brief Introduction for Beginners" packet (click the image), "Useful Phrases for Debating" handout and/or "Useful Debating Vocabulary" handouts. These can be found by clicking the links or images below.

Classes 2, 3, and 4: Four Corners Activity

Provides students the opportunity to start developing their own opinions on controversial topics as well as help them practice formal debate vocabulary.

Four Corners Activity Lesson Plan

Prep work: Create four posters/signs printed in large letters with the following labels, one label per sign: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree and place each poster in a different corner of the classroom.

Make sure you have a copy of the pre-generated list of statements for discussion (provided below)

Background: The four corners debate strategy gets students thinking and moving. The goals of Activity 1 are to introduce students to a variety of the ways that globalization effects society today and to get them to think about the complex issues currently facing our world. Guide students towards recognizing the importance of cultural diversity.

Part 1: Students decide their stance on a given statement

Instructions: Select a statement appropriate for your students, read aloud the statement, and give students 1 minutes to collect their thoughts about the topic and then move to a corner of the room. Students should decide between one of four options: 1) strongly agree, 2) agree, 3) disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement.

Direct those who strongly agree to move to the corner of the classroom where the Strongly Agree sign is posted, those who agree to move to the corner of the classroom where the Agree sign is posted, and so on...

Part 2: Group Discussion in the four corners

Instructions: Hopefully, four groups have gathered in different corners of the classroom. Give students 5-10 minutes to discuss with the other students in their corner the reasons they strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. Tell students to appoint one student in each corner to be the presenter.

At the end of the discussion period, ask the one student from each group that was appointed to present to share with the class some of the ideas they discussed in their group. The presenter is allowed to take notes during this discussion time.

Part 3: Give students the option to switch corners

Instructions: Perhaps one of the four groups made such a strong case that some students have changed their minds about their reaction to the statement. If that is the case, at this point in the activity give students an opportunity to change corners. Have any students that move explain why they changed corners.

Part 4: REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR THE REST OF THE STATEMENTS ON THE LIST.

List of possible Four Corner Debate Statements

Students should wear uniforms to school.
Kids should be able to have TVs in their bedrooms.
Beauty is only skin deep.
Wearing a helmet when riding a bike should be mandatory.
The Pledge of Allegiance should be recited in school each day.
Because many kids need more sleep, school should start two hours later than it does now.
Chewing gum should be banned from schools.
Scientists should be allowed to use animals to test new medicines.
Kids should be able to spend their allowance any way they want to.
Kids younger than 18 should be able to make their own decisions about whether to get a body piercing.
Humankind is better off because of globalization.
Solving homelessness in our country is more important then helping refugees. (Maybe tell students they can’t say they are equally important)
The media influences the way I dress.
Cultural diversity is a weakness in a nation.
Racism is common in Spain.
The news is biased.
It would be best to have a one-world government.
English should be the official language of Earth.
There should be an international standard of laws with only one system of courts.
Globalization has had only a minimal effect on Spain the past 10 years.
It is possible to be color blind in today’s global society. That is, someone’s race does not influence the way they are treated.
Nuclear power should not be pursued because it is too risky.
Global warming is a very serious problem
Real Madrid is the best soccer team.

Source: Lesson plan was adapted from Education World.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp304-04.shtml

IMAGE SOURCE:

https://ontarioteachers.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/4-corners-debate.jpg

Classes 5 and 6: Student Research on topic

Divide Students into teams of 4 and have them research their topic. Tell them to prepare a 3-5 minute presentation of their findings. Suggest googling background information as well as the pros and cons of the controversy.

Classes 7 and 8: Deciding Arguments For or Against Positions

Before Students can being drafting their Introductions and Conclusions, they must decide on 3 arguments to use for both the For and Against Positions. Ideally students would select topics that are easy to defend and allow them to look up statistics and evidence to support their argument.

Classes 9 and 10: Students draft introductions, rebuttal arguments and conclusions

Image source:

http://wgssgnn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/debate.jpg

Classes 11 and 12: Mock Mini-Debate on Topic

PREPARATION:

Choose a debate theme and create a set of debate topics related to the theme. Select topics that people are likely to have strong but differing opinions about. Each topic set should contain three to five related topics.

Example Topic Sets can be found to the right

PROCEDURE:

1. Ask students if they have ever participated in a debate or if they have seen a debate in person or on television. Ask volunteers to share their opinions about what makes someone a good debater. (Answers may include “uses examples/evidence/facts to support an argument”; “is polite to debate opponents”; “listens to opponents and makes counterarguments”; “stays calm”; etc.) Write students’ contributions on the board and elicit or suggest other qualities to include in the list.

2. Tell students that a debate participant’s goal is to make a convincing yet respectful argument. Explain that debaters must be skillful at agreeing, disagreeing, and contrasting opinions. Draw a chart on the board and elicit examples of the language used in each of the three categories; the Functional Language Chart is an example of what a completed chart might look like.

3. Tell students they are going to complete an exercise to prepare for two debates and that everyone will participate in the debates. Divide the class in half to make Group 1 and Group 2. (If you have a class with more than 50 students, consider creating four groups instead of two, and then adapt the procedure accordingly.) Select a student—or ask for a volunteer— in each group to serve as the group leader.

4. Write the debate theme and associated topics on the board from the topic set that you selected or developed. Ask each group to vote on the topic they most want to debate; the two groups should choose different topics from the set. Give the groups two minutes to vote; ask the group leaders to count the votes and report the outcome. If both groups voted for the same topic, Group 2 can use its second choice.

5. Designate the left side of the classroom as “I agree completely” and the right side of the room as “I don’t agree at all.” Have both groups stand up and each form a line in which students place themselves according to how strongly they agree or disagree with their group’s debate prompt.

6. Divide each group’s line in half to form debate teams of equal size (it is okay to have an extra person on one team if you have an odd number of students). For each topic, the side on the left is the “For” team, and the side on the right is the “Against” team.

7. Have teams sit together in different areas of the room to prepare for the debate. Direct students’ attention to the list of “good debater” qualities on the board and remind them that good debaters use evidence and examples, not just opinions, to support their arguments.

Tell teams, “You will have 20 minutes to work together as a team to prepare for the debate. The time will be divided into three distinct segments:

• Ten minutes to brainstorm evidence (information, facts, examples, and anecdotes) to support your debate position

• Five minutes to discuss your brainstormed list and identify the strongest pieces of evidence

• Five minutes to discuss possible arguments the opposing team might make and how to counter those arguments.

Team leaders will guide the brainstorming session and discussions, making sure that everyone has a chance to share his or her thoughts.”

As you explain the process, write the allocated time and goal for each stage of the team discussions on the board. Tell all students to make notes during the team discussions for use later in the activity because everyone will have to argue the team’s position.

8. Let teams begin working. Monitor teams as they work, keep time for each phase, and make sure teams focus their discussions on the appropriate goal for each phase.

9. Ask all students to stand up and bring their notes with them. Tell the opposing teams for each topic to form two lines facing each other. There will be four lines in all: Topic 1 Team “For” faces Topic 1 Team “Against,” and Topic 2 Team “For” faces Topic 2 Team “Against.” Explain that these are “debate lines,” and ask students to stand so they directly face one person from the opposing side.

10. Tell students they will debate by using the evidence and counterarguments they developed during the team discussions. Explain that, at your signal, everyone will individually debate with the opponent across the line for one minute. (Advanced classes could debate for two minutes.) The person in the “For” line speaks first. After a minute, you will tell students to “Switch!” The “For” line will move one position to the left, with the person in the first position moving around to the end of the line, to align with a new opponent in the “Against” line, and another one-minute debate will begin. In the second mini-debate round, the “Against” team member speaks first. (Notes: 1. If one student has no partner, have the last two students in a line work as partners who move in the line together. 2. The class might get quite noisy— students are engaged and practicing speaking! Remind students to use “inside voices” if the volume becomes too loud.)

11. If you feel it is necessary, model the one-minute debate process with a student. Remind students to take turns speaking during the debates. Tell students they can refer to the Functional Language Chart as well as their team discussion notes, if needed.

12. Begin the one-on-one debates. Have the “For” team members speak first. Keep time and monitor student progress.

13. After several rounds, bring the class back together. Ask teams to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of each other’s arguments. Review any problematic or challenging language points, such as grammar and pragmatics topics, based on observed student performance. You can also ask students whether they found the debate easier after the first round (possibly because they had a chance to practice making their arguments) or whether it became more difficult (possibly because their opponents had a chance to practice making their arguments, too).

Below is a general template of the steps I took to introduce my students to debate and several of the most helpful activities

Class 1: Introducing your students to Debate

​

List of possible Four Corner Debate Statements

​

Students should wear uniforms to school.

Kids should be able to have TVs in their bedrooms.

Beauty is only skin deep.

Wearing a helmet when riding a bike should be mandatory.

The Pledge of Allegiance should be recited in school each day.

Because many kids need more sleep, school should start two hours later than it does now.

Chewing gum should be banned from schools.

Scientists should be allowed to use animals to test new medicines.

Kids should be able to spend their allowance any way they want to.

Kids younger than 18 should be able to make their own decisions about whether to get a body piercing.

Humankind is better off because of globalization.

Solving homelessness in our country is more important then helping refugees. (Maybe tell students they can’t say they are equally important)

The media influences the way I dress.

Cultural diversity is a weakness in a nation.

Racism is common in Spain.

The news is biased.

It would be best to have a one-world government.

English should be the official language of Earth.

There should be an international standard of laws with only one system of courts.

Globalization has had only a minimal effect on Spain the past 10 years.

It is possible to be color blind in today’s global society. That is, someone’s race does not influence the way they are treated.

Nuclear power should not be pursued because it is too risky.

Global warming is a very serious problem

Real Madrid is the best soccer team.