Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Teaching Debate Skills to Develop Critical Thinking
and Enhance Motivation Pham Tien Hung
Foundation Studies DepartmentHanoi University
February 2009Email: [email protected]
1
5th CamTESOL Conference on English Language Teaching
What is debate? Why debate? What skills are needed? How to design a syllabus that suits your
students?
2
Main Points
A formal method of presenting arguments in support and against a given issue in which debaters present reasons and evidence to persuade an audience or a group of judges
Governed by some explicit rules
3
What is Debate?
A game or mental gymnastics: participants sharpen their thinking and speaking skills, find best way to win
A lab: one team tests its arguments against the ones of another
A way of finding truth: winning arguments should be truest arguments
4
Perspectives on Debate
Common terms Resolution: a simple statement that is subjected to critical
analysis. Affirmative team: supporting the resolution (‘pro’ side); speak
first Negative team: opposing the arguments offered by the
affirmative team and offering arguments against the resolution (‘con’ side)
Rebuttal: explaining why one team disagrees with the other team
Judge: neutral third party, decides which side is most persuasive
5
What is Debate?
Resolution
6
Sample format for a class
Affirmative team Negative team
Present arguments
Listen & take notesPrepare rebuttal
Present arguments Listen & take notesPrepare rebuttal
BreakPresent rebuttal Present rebuttal
1
2
43
7
One Debate Structure Speech 1: first affirmative speaker introduces the topic and states the
affirmative team's first argument. Speech 2: first negative speaker states their first argument. Speech 3: second affirmative speaker states their second argument. Speech 4: second negative speaker states their second argument. Give a 5-10 minute break for each team to prepare their rebuttal
speech. Speech 5: negative team states two rebuttals for the affirmative
team's two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons. Speech 6: affirmative team states two rebuttals for the negative
team's two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons.
Do your best to argue your side of the debate, rather than relying on your personal opinions
-> Sometimes argue something that is
against your personal views
8
What is Debate?
“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress”
Mahatma Gandhi
9
Why Debate?
To provide meaningful listening, speaking, writing practice
To develop argumentation skills for persuasive speech and writing
To increase social skills and conflict resolution abilities
To enhance self-esteem and academic confidence
To lead to competitive success in the future
10
Why Debate?
11
What Skills are Needed?
Public speaking Critical thinking Note taking Organizing
Researching Writing Listening Teamwork and
people skills
Identify goals, length of the course Determine needed skills Compile input materials Select resolutions, suggested ideas for both
sides Brainstorm classroom activities Design test and assessment criteria
12
Debate Syllabus
Support consists of evidence. There’re four kinds of evidence
Examples Common sense Expert opinions Statistics
13
Giving Support for Your Reasons
Repeat the argument you’re going to refute
Refute – explain what is wrong with other team’s argument
Replace the argument with your argument
14
Rebuttal/ Refutation
thinking about how you think
process of asking, answering questions and trying to understand how and why you come to the conclusions
in debate: plan what to say, anticipate other team’s response, think of an argument to counter other team’s arguments
15
Critical Thinking
Compare viewpoints of other people to your own ones
Find ways to ask questions that apply to many perspectives
Understand why some statements are correct, others are not
Understand how problem solving works Establish criteria for making judgments Present arguments in a constructive way…
16
Skills to Become a Better Critical Thinker
Select a topic Choose a side: affirmative >< negative Discuss in your team:
arguments, possible counter-arguments and find a way to refute them
Start the debate Listen to the other team’s arguments Take notes Prepare to refute their arguments
17
Sample Practice
http://idebate.org
http://wiki.idebate.org
http://www.conservapedia.com/Debate_topics
ttp://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krieger-Debate.html
http://teachingdebate.typepad.com
http://www.educationworld.com/18
Online resources
Rybold, G (2006). Speaking, Listening and Understanding Debate. International Debate Education Association.
Ziegelmuellerm, G., Harris, S., & Bloomingdale, D. (1995). Advancing in Debates – Skills and Concepts. Clark Publishing Company.
Ruth Sunda, “Debate and Persuasive Writing” http://thepeoplespeak.org http://www.aracorporation.org/files/
ARA_debates_Handbook.pdf
19
References
20
Q&A
