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Class poll

This workshop introduces students to the importance of debates and arguments, and the skills they develop through engaging in debates. It provides guidance on choosing topics, preparing students, accessing resources, monitoring progress, and encouraging reflection. The workshop also includes fun debating games like speed debating and rebuttal tennis.

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Class poll

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  1. Class poll • Go to www.menti.com and use the code 19 17 8

  2. Harriet.Scott@insearch.edu.au Classroom Debates

  3. FAE001 Advanced English 1 Workshop 4A Introduction to debates and arguments

  4. Why debate? Debates encourage skills in • Developing effective arguments • Research • Critical thinking • Communication • Collaboration • Students build disciplinary knowledge while preparing for debates • Debating skills are highly valued at university, in politics, in professional fields • Debates are fun!

  5. Decide on learning objectives • What do you want your students to learn from the task? • How to assess students? • What weightings to give each criteria? • Sample debate grading criteria:

  6. Choose your topics Topics should be • Relevant to the field of study • Contemporary • Controversial • Have clear negative and affirmative sides • Presented as statements that are contestable, for example: Driverless cars should replace human drivers Nursing homes are the best place for the elderly Money buys happiness Australia should introduce a sugar tax

  7. Prepare your students • Pre –teach: • what makes a good argument • the rules of debate, and the roles of each speaker. • target language – introductions, rebuttal, conclusions. • Have students watch debates and read transcripts • Provide opportunities for practice to build confidence. Include fun, low-stakes practice. • Allow time for team research, reading and note-making • Have students draft their speeches

  8. Convince your students • Tell your students why they are debating • Let them know how they will benefit • It might change their lives! • Debating can change your life: Lucinda David at TEDx Lund University

  9. Access resources There are some excellent resources available online to assist you and your students • Video: University debates, NSW Premier’s Debating Challenge • New York Times Room for Debate • New York Times Learning Network ’Great Debate: Developing Argumentation Skills’ • Debaters Association of Victoria • Debating SA • University websites

  10. Monitor progress • In class you can check and provide feedback on written evidence of work, including • Notes and references • Team plan: list of key arguments and evidence • Draft speeches • Give students opportunities to practice in teams, allowing you to give feedback on • Verbal and non-verbal communication, including pauses, gesture, eye contact • Team work • Be aware of any potential cases of performance anxiety, and have a back up plan.

  11. Plan the logistics Decisions include: • How many topics, how to allocate topics • Number of teams, number of students on each side • Timing – how long for each speaker? Should you include a pause for rebuttal? • Who is acting as judiciary? Who is keeping time? • How will the classroom furniture be arranged? • Will a winning team be determined? By whom? • Communicate these logistics with students – flow charts are helpful.

  12. Encourage reflection • I learned to initiate a debate. I learned how to prepare for a good debate. I built up my confidence level to speak in front of the audience. Also, I learned how to cooperate in a group and make good team. I have also developed some writing skills and to make notes. It also helped to do the referencing which follows the UTS Harvard Style. I also learned some computer skills such as putting the voice recordings in e-portfolio. • I struggled with writing 1000 words essay because I could not easily think of my opinions and arguments about the given topic. I think organizing my opinions with appropriate evidences is also very important challenge to me.

  13. debate and argument essay has been great task for me as I got the opportunity to work in team and do researches. This subject has been a vast subject not only based on English but also on the technologies as well as health. Debate built my self-confident and now I can deal with any presentation and can talk on any topic with pause and pace.

  14. Play debating games • Class polls using mentimeter.com • Speed debating • Rebuttal tennis • Choose topics/statements that don’t require research

  15. Speed debating • Class forms two lines facing each other • Each person reads their statement • Pairs debate for two minutes • Rows move in opposite direction, so that everyone has a new statement and a new partner.

  16. Questions?

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