Expressing Opinions and Debate

Debate Time!

Educational Contexts

Spring 2024

Open Ended

What is the purpose of debating? What are their advantages for your training as an EFL Teacher?

Agenda

• Why debating?

• Reviewing some terms

• Debate Organization

• Speakers

• Building solid arguments​

• Debate practice

• Schedule​

Debating is good for...

• Providing an engaging, active, learner-centered activity; and promoting teamwork

• Improving rigorous higher-order and critical thinking skills.

• Enhancing the ability to structure and organize thoughts.

• Improving learners’ ability to form balanced, informed arguments and to use reasoning and evidence.

• Developing effective speech composition and delivery in the L2

Multiple Choice

Reviewing terms: The opinion with which you must agree or disagree is called

• statement

• resolution

• affirmation

Multiple Choice

The team that agrees with the resolution is called

• affirmative

• favorable

• proposition

Multiple Choice

The team that disagrees with the resolution is called

• opposition

• negative

• opponent

Multiple Choice

The final speaker must present a...

• closing speech

• summary speech

• counterargument speech

Debate Organization

1st Speaker

• The introduction in a debate gives information about the team and the position of the team in relation to the resolution.

• “Ladies and gentlemen we are debating the resolution……………….. We, on the proposition (opposition) team strongly support (oppose) this resolution. We have ……….reasons……………………….”

2nd and 3rd Speaker

• Speakers present their opinions, reasons and supporting evidence  alternatively refuting the opponent’s team motions in not more than 3  minutes.

• Recess: Once the third speaker of each team has concluded his/her  presentation, both teams have a 5 minutes recess. During this time  the students are allowed to discuss their final summary presentation as a group.

Summary Speaker

• You are expected to summarize  your team's position in relation to the resolution, and the rebuttals made to the opponent team.  You are not allowed to introduce new opinions, reasons or  evidence in this part of the debate.

• The speakers explain the judges  and the audience which team has won the debate and why. “… Overall, we won our key points, and have refuted the  proposition (or opposition) team. Therefore, we win this debate and ask you to choose dogs instead of cats! Thank you!"

Building solid arguments

• A strong reason must logically support the opinion, it must be specific, and state the idea clearly, needs to be based on evidence and it needs to be convincing.

• Refutation (deny or negate something) is used in debate to tell why the opposing team's point is either not true or not always true.

Multiple Select

Check all the aspects that make an argument solid

• Base arguments on evidence from reputable sources

• Give personal opinions that support your points

• Provide statistics, facts, studies or experts' opinions

• Agree with part of the other teams' opinions, as it shows you are reasonable

• Ask questions that challenge your oponents to prove their points

• “The first point was…But the example is not relevant because... The opposing team said that…But it is not necessarily true that…” They didn´t explain why Dr. Peters is an expert in this area…”

• We can still defend our point by re  starting, re-phrasing or responding to attacks. Sentences as the following would be useful: “Let me refute the affirmative (negative) reasons by…” “I´d like to refute their point, then I will present…”

​Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

• direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.

• indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

​Reported Speech

(to support your arguments and citing evidence and experts that back up your claims)

Fill in the Blank

Complete the following debate expression (referring to the duality of views):

There are _ _to this question

Multiple Select

Cristóbal thinks that what Francisco said was completely out of context and he strongly disagrees. Which expressions would he use?

• That's no excuse...

• Our team is sorry to not agree quite agree there.

• Think about what you said.

Multiple Choice

Aylin finished her argument.Which expression would suit best her closing statement?

• Our team don't really understand...

• I couldn't agree more.

• Our team is absolutely convinced that...

Multiple Choice

Fernando doesn't agree with Sebastián's point of view. What's the best way to express his disagreement in a polite way?

• That's no excuse.

• First of all...

• My team must (strongly) protest.

Multiple Select

Valentina wants to express her support for Constanza's ideas because they are in the same team. How do you think she will express her unconditional support? You can select more than 1 option

• An argument in favor... an argument against...

• There can be no doubt that...

• I think a very important point is...

Use the worksheets (Phrases for Debate + Classroom Debate Planner) to organize a mini practice debate​.

Resolution: "​It is important to wear uniforms at school"

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​Practice Time

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Schedule

​Debate Dates

• Lab Tuesday 10 - Debate Group 1 (3 debates)

• Lab Thursday 12 - Debate Group 2 (2 debates)

• Use your own autonomous time to complete your research​

• Group Making + topic distribution

• Rubric in ULagos Virtual

• Next week: Seminar (compulsory attendance + written assignment: check ULagos Virtual)

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