5 Lessons to help Build Children’s Debating Skills
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
To identify and
understand the skills
involved in the
debating process.
Success Criteria
Ability to identify and comment on good
practise in the four areas of point scoring in
debates:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Delivery
Structure
Content
Points of information
Context
Unit on debating
building up to
Linklaters’
debating
competition.
Organisation
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15
Teacher input and key questions.
Read through the points scoring process for debating
Discuss words not understood.
Watch one presentation from the DVD.
Pupils to raise their arms to identify different parts of the structure.
Watch a second presentation from the DVD.
Pupils to rate the content.
Watch a third presentation from the DVD.
Pupils to rate how they deal with the 3 points of order.
Watch a fourth presentation from the DVD.
Pupils to rate their presentation techniques.
Pupil’s Task:
I liked that her content was…
I would score her…
I think the overall theme of her content was…
I think he dealt with the first/second/third point of order the best because…
I thought their presentation technique was…because….
Plenary
What would be your number Top Tip for each of the four techniques?
Learning Outcome [Reading]
Learning Outcome [Writing]
How to structure arguments.
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
Success
Criteria
Context
Organisation
To make an
appropriate point of
information.
Pupils can make
a point of
information
(point of order)
that is
appropriate to
the proposition
they are arguing
against.
Unit on
debating
building up to
Linklaters’
debating
competition.
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15
minutes) Teacher input and key questions
Share the learning intention.
Share the success criteria.
We have looked at what a debate looks like.
We will be debating against other schools. The aim is to be the best
at debating.
The skills you will be marked upon are:




Style/delivery
Content
Rebuttals
Structure
We are going to work on each of these individually then see how well we can debate
(though we will have some mini-debates along the way, it will be fun).
1. If the proposition was: keeping pets is cruel.
My point: How would you like it to be locked up in a cage all day?
Which is an appropriate rebuttal?

Most animals are allowed out for exercise by the owners
for large portions of the day.

But they get fed really well.
Notes for Future
Planning

But the moon is made out of cheese!
Repeate with pupils to vote for, then suggest appropriate rebuttals.
Play ‘I couldn’t disagree more…’ where pupils must disagree with
whatever their partner says.
Whose partner was good?
____________________________________________
Introduce ‘Rebuttal Tennis’
Explain the game to the pupils.
How long can you keep a rally going for?
Independent work
In mixed ability pairs
‘I coulnd’t disagree more’ using envelops on the table of discussion topics.
Pupils to divide between A and B.
Play I couldn’t disagree more and discussing whether their partner’s argument was relevant.
___________________________________________________________
‘Rebuttal Tennis’
How long can you keep a rally going for?
Plenary
TENNIS TOURNAMENT – which partnership can keep a rally going the longest?
HOW LONG A ‘COULDN’T DISAGREE MORE’ CHAIN CAN WE MAKE?
What is an appropriate rebuttal?
Learning Outcome [Reading]
Pupils are able to identify a specific point being made in a
wider argument.
Learning Outcome [Writing]
Pupils are able to generate an argument that is relevant to that which they are
arguing against.
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
How to
research an
argument.
(skill-content)
Success
Criteria
Context
Organisation
Pupils can come
up with 6 strong
arguments for a
proposition
between them
and their
partner.
Unit on
debating
building up to
Linklaters’
debating
competition.
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15
minutes) Teacher input and key questions 20
What were the 4 things you will be marked on whilst debating?
Style/delivery
Content
Rebuttals
Structure
Today we are going to concentrate on having good quality content.
Why is this important?
What would happen if the content was bad?
Can anyone give an example of what would be poor quality content
for the argument that keeping pets is cruel (T gives example).
Read a discussion text.
Can we identify the points made on either side of the argument?
Look at scans of resources being used to help construct the
arguments/how to find websites with relevant information.
Outline task.
Independent and guided work
Half of the class
In MA pairs, can you find and memorise 3 arguments each for proposition: we should not eat meat.
Half of the class
Notes for Future
Planning
In MA pairs, can you find and memorise 3 arguments each for proposition: we should not eat meat.
Extension:
How would you deliver/expand on these points?
Plenary
Mini-debate
PEER ASSESSMENT of content of arguments
Learning Outcome [Reading]
Learning Outcome [Writing]
Skimming and Scanning
Researching points to back-up an argument.
Follow on sentences, developing an idea.
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
Building up arguments
(skill-content)
Success Criteria
The ability to
decide whether a
specific point if
for or against a
proposition.
Context
Unit on debating
building up to
Linklaters’
debating
competition.
Organisation
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15 minutes) Teacher
input and key questions
Split the class into 4 groups.
Children can help the environment FOR
Children can help the environment AGAINST
We should only eat food produced in Britain FOR
We should only eat food produced in Britain AGAINST.
Read through the sheets raising questions.
Pupils to make notes of useful comments made by their classmates.
Add in any points of you own.
Teacher to show the websites where they will be researching and model making notes.
Independent and guided work
Ch. In MA pairs pupils research their issues using the websites given making notes on the appropriate pages.
Plenary
How would you group these 9 arguments into 3 groups .
Learning Outcome [Reading]
Researching arguments
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
Work on the
skills of:
Structure
leading to a
debate.
Learning Outcome [Writing]
Taking and collating notes.
Organisation
Success Criteria
Ability to structure a
presentation
Introduce
Preview (3 points)
Rebuttal
1st point
Context
Unit on debating building
up to Linklaters’ debating
competition.
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15
minutes) Teacher input and key questions
Present pupils with the proposition to be debated.
Divide the class into 4 and split between opposition and proposition.
2nd point
3rd point
Reminder (3 points)
Vote for us!
You don’t know who your debaters are going to be!
Provide the pupils with 9 arguments for each side.
Pupils to group these into 2 groups of 3 alike arguments and discard the 3 they feel
are weaker arguments.
Independent and guided work
Mixed ability groups.
Pupils to group these into 2 groups of 3 alike arguments and discard the 3 they feel are weaker arguments.
Introduce
Preview (3 points)
Rebuttal
1st point
2nd point
3rd point
Reminder (3 points)
Vote for us!
Plenary
Pupils to be randomly selected to present 3 alike points with the structure
Learning
Intention for
Main Activity
Success Criteria
Work on the
skill of: Clarity
of Speech
leading to a
debate.
Mark out of
5
Point
Explain
Example
Head up.
Looking
at other
Context
Organisation
Unit on debating
building up to
Linklaters’
debating
competition.
Shared reading(15 minutes) word/sentence level work (15 minutes)
Teacher input and key questions
Why is it important to speak clearly?
When is it important to speak clearly?
When do adults debate?
What is important in being a clear, confident speaker?
people in
the eyes.
Loud.
Fluent
Rhetorical
Question
Look again at the DVD.
What are they doing.
Assemble a success criteria.
Head up.
Looking at other people in the eyes.
Loud.
Fluent
Rhetorical Question
Independent and guided work:
Using the points assembled yesterday, children:
Present 3 points to their partner using the structure from yesterday’s lesson.
Present 3 points to the table while the rest of the table score them.
Highest scorer on each table through to SPEECH IDOL.
Plenary
SPEECH IDOL
Highest scoring speaker from each table to present their arguments to the class for the teacher and a guest judge (e.g. head teacher.