1. Teaching Debate in the EFL Classroom

2. Why would teaching debate in an EFL classroom be beneficial?
Brainstorm
Why would teaching debate in an EFL classroom be beneficial?

3. Why teach debate? Debating ability is a valuable skill
Debate utilizes useful English
It is a unique way to teach the same grammar

4. Why…continued Develops critical thinking skills
Introduces global issues
Develops research skills

5. Class Objectives
Students should understand how and be able to share their opinions
Students should become more aware of global and cross-cultural issues
Students should gain critical thinking skills

6. Objectives continued…
Students should gain experience in research
Students should increase there knowledge and comprehension of written and spoken English

7. How we teach - Baby Steps
Unit 1 - Opinions
What is an opinion
How do you express your opinion
How do you express agreement of disagreement
Resolutions: fact, policy, value
Debate in the news
Unit 2 - Expressing Your Opinion
Giving reasons
Strong reasons: logical, specific, convincing
Types of reasons: comparison, contrast, cause-and-effect
Brainstorming

8. Baby steps continued… Unit 3 - Supporting Your Opinion
Opinion - Reason - Support
Types of support: explanation, example, statistic, expert
Intro to research
Unit 4 - Organizing Your Opinion
Signposts: label your arguments
Organizing an affirmative speech
Simple debate introductions
Simple debate conclusions

9. Baby steps continued… Unit 6 - Challenging Supports
Unit 5 - Refutation
Refuting opinions
Types of refutation:
Not True: never, not always, not necessarily
True but Not Important: not relevant, not significant, easy to solve
Stating a refutation
Unit 6 - Challenging Supports
Testing supports: no source, not enough explanation, out-of-date, questionable statistic, questionable source, biased
Stating refutation of a source

10. Baby steps continued… Unit 7 - Organizing Your Refutation
Organizing the negative case
Listen, Attack, Rebuild
Negative introduction
Refutation format
Unit 8 - Debating Your Opinion
Debate formats (we recommend three on three debates)
Responding to attacks
Rebuttal speeches
Taking notes
Debate delivery

11. Our Success

12. So, you don’t have the ideal situation
Incorporating debate into the regular EFL classroom
Mini Debates
Four Corners
Talking Cards
Brainstorming
Reading Critically (newspapers)
Sharing Opinions - strong reasons
Merry-Go-Round

13. Brainstorm
How can you incorporate debate into your classroom?

14. Basketball Or Baseball Males Teachers Or Female Teachers
Which is more … / …..er?
Superman Or Spiderman
Basketball Or Baseball
Money Or Intelligence
Males Teachers Or Female Teachers

15. _________ Or _____________
Which is more … / …..er?
Hammer Or Pen
Mother Or Father
A pet Or A TV
_________ Or _____________

16. Useful Links… http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krieger-Debate.html
debates/index.html

17.
EFL
CLASSROOM

18. Adapted from a presentation by
Mandy Manning
&
Tomoko Nakamura