Teaching Debate Teaching Debate in thein the

EFL Classroom EFL Classroom

Adapted: Mandy Manning & Tomoko NakamuraAdapted: Mandy Manning & Tomoko Nakamura

BrainstormBrainstormWhy would Why would

teaching teaching debate in debate in an EFL an EFL classroom classroom be be beneficial?beneficial?

Why teach debate?Why teach debate?

Debating ability Debating ability is a valuable skillis a valuable skill

Debate utilizes Debate utilizes useful Englishuseful English

It is a unique way It is a unique way to teach the same to teach the same grammargrammar

Why…continuedWhy…continued

Develops Develops critical thinking critical thinking skillsskills

Introduces Introduces global issuesglobal issues

Develops Develops research skillsresearch skills

Class ObjectivesClass Objectives

Students should Students should understand how and understand how and be able to share be able to share their opinionstheir opinions

Students should Students should become more aware become more aware of global and cross-of global and cross-cultural issuescultural issues

Students should Students should gain critical thinking gain critical thinking skillsskills

Objectives continued…Objectives continued…

Students should Students should gain experience gain experience in researchin research

Students should Students should increase there increase there knowledge and knowledge and comprehension comprehension of written and of written and spoken Englishspoken English

How we teach - Baby StepsHow we teach - Baby Steps

1.1. Unit 1 - OpinionsUnit 1 - Opinions What is an opinionWhat is an opinion How do you express How do you express

your opinionyour opinion How do you express How do you express

agreement of agreement of disagreementdisagreement

Resolutions: fact, Resolutions: fact, policy, valuepolicy, value

Debate in the newsDebate in the news

2.2. Unit 2 - Expressing Unit 2 - Expressing Your OpinionYour Opinion

Giving reasonsGiving reasons Strong reasons: Strong reasons:

logical, specific, logical, specific, convincingconvincing

Types of reasons: Types of reasons: comparison, comparison, contrast, cause-contrast, cause-and-effectand-effect

BrainstormingBrainstorming

Baby steps continued…Baby steps continued…

3.3. Unit 3 - Supporting Unit 3 - Supporting Your OpinionYour Opinion

Opinion - Reason Opinion - Reason - Support- Support

Types of support: Types of support: explanation, explanation, example, statistic, example, statistic, expert expert

Intro to researchIntro to research

4.4. Unit 4 - Organizing Unit 4 - Organizing Your OpinionYour Opinion

Signposts: label Signposts: label your argumentsyour arguments

Organizing an Organizing an affirmative speechaffirmative speech

Simple debate Simple debate introductionsintroductions

Simple debate Simple debate conclusionsconclusions

Baby steps continued…Baby steps continued…

5.5. Unit 5 - RefutationUnit 5 - Refutation Refuting opinionsRefuting opinions Types of refutation:Types of refutation:

o Not True: never, not Not True: never, not always, not always, not necessarilynecessarily

o True but Not True but Not Important: not Important: not relevant, not relevant, not significant, easy to significant, easy to solvesolve

Stating a refutationStating a refutation

6.6. Unit 6 - Challenging Unit 6 - Challenging SupportsSupports

Testing supports: no Testing supports: no source, not enough source, not enough explanation, out-of-explanation, out-of-date, questionable date, questionable statistic, questionable statistic, questionable source, biasedsource, biased

Stating refutation of a Stating refutation of a sourcesource

Baby steps continued…Baby steps continued…

7.7. Unit 7 - Organizing Unit 7 - Organizing Your RefutationYour Refutation

Organizing the Organizing the negative casenegative case

Listen, Attack, Listen, Attack, RebuildRebuild

Negative Negative introductionintroduction

Refutation Refutation formatformat

8.8. Unit 8 - Debating Unit 8 - Debating Your OpinionYour Opinion

Debate formats Debate formats (we recommend (we recommend three on three three on three debates)debates)

Responding to Responding to attacksattacks

Rebuttal speechesRebuttal speeches Taking notesTaking notes Debate deliveryDebate delivery

Our SuccessOur Success

0 20 40 60 80

TestScores

ListeningScore

Group 3 - Cross-CulturalCommunicationGroup 2 - 6 hours ofEnglish per week

Group 1 - 3 hours ofEnglish per week

So, you don’t have the ideal So, you don’t have the ideal situationsituation

Incorporating debate into Incorporating debate into the regular EFL classroomthe regular EFL classroom

1.1. Mini DebatesMini Debates

2.2. Four CornersFour Corners

3.3. Talking CardsTalking Cards

4.4. BrainstormingBrainstorming

5.5. Reading Critically Reading Critically (newspapers)(newspapers)

6.6. Sharing Opinions - Sharing Opinions - strong reasonsstrong reasons

7.7. Merry-Go-RoundMerry-Go-Round

BrainstormBrainstorm

How can you How can you incorporate incorporate debate into debate into your your classroom?classroom?

Which is more … / …..er?Which is more … / …..er?

Superman Or SpidermanSuperman Or Spiderman

Basketball Or BaseballBasketball Or Baseball

Money Or Intelligence Money Or Intelligence

Males Teachers Or Female TeachersMales Teachers Or Female Teachers

Which is more … / …..er?Which is more … / …..er?

Hammer Or PenHammer Or Pen

Mother Or Father Mother Or Father

A pet Or A TVA pet Or A TV

_________ Or ______________________ Or _____________

Useful Links…Useful Links…

www.ideadebate.org (full and detailed links and lessons about debates)

www.truetube.uk (a great site with videos to use in the classroom for debate.

http://www.lessonplans4teachers.com/debate.php (full list of debate links and resources).

www.fora.tv (pfizer debate www.fora.tv (pfizer debate competition videos)competition videos)

Useful Links…Useful Links…

http://http://esl.about.com/

http://www.eslflow.com/debateanddiscussionlessons.html

http://42explore.com/debate.htm

http://www.lessonplans4teachers.com/debate.php

http://www.efl-esl.com/debates/index.html

http://eflclassroom.ning.com

Adapted from a presentation byAdapted from a presentation by

Mandy ManningMandy Manning

&&

Tomoko NakamuraTomoko Nakamura