GRAMMAR AND WRITING 5: DEBATE AND ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS
What follows is a general outline of how I see the classes proceeding in G&W 5. Please
also see the attached form on how to format debate speeches
1st class: Introduction to debate and debate terms
 Here students will need to decide on the topics and resolutions to be debated in
class.
 Teachers should come prepared with lots of potential topics. Students are much
better at selecting topics than generating topics. Perhaps we should come up with
a list of choices together.
 Brainstorm topics and put them on the board. Demonstrate the difference between
a topic (i.e. English in elementary school) and a resolution, or opinion to be
debated (i.e. English should be taught in elementary school.)
 Have students generate resolutions from the list of topics.
 Vote on and select the resolutions to be debated in the class. (With two to a team
four people will be required for each resolution chosen.)
 Divide students up into affirmative and negative teams. Their homework is to
brainstorm reasons for their team’s side.
2nd class: Organizing the 1st speech and finding supports (quite a packed class!)
 Students will need to learn the overall organization of the first debate speech
including the following terms:
o Signpost
o Reason
o Supports
 Much of the class will be spent on how to organize the speech, including an
introduction and conclusion. I will have some materials available to use.
 Students will begin to work on organizing their reasons. Here some judicious
input from the teacher can be extremely useful!
 There are a number of different kinds of supports (I have some materials
available) and it is probably worth it to spend some extra time on this part as
students often find it quite difficult.
 Tell them that they will be conducting the speeches the next class and move
around the class giving input where required.
3rd class: First debate speech
 Before having students give the speeches go over some basic ideas:
o How they give their speech is as important as what they say.
o If no one understands them it is a waste of time. They need to write new
vocabulary and some basic information on the board.
o People on opposing teams need to take clear notes because they will be
giving a second speech refuting what was said today.
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Typically, there will be some disappointments and some pleasant surprises. Be
sure to go over what worked well and what didn’t go so well after every team has
finished.
Given time ask students to start planning how they will respond to opposing
teams in this class.
4th class: introduction to second refutation speech
 Go over the general outline of the 2nd speech. Be sure to draw their attention to
some similarities to the first speech. I will have some materials ready for you.
 Give student the balance of the class to plan and write the 2nd refutation speeches.
Typically they will find this difficult and, once again, judicious input from the
teacher is quite important.
5th class: Students give second speech
 Before they begin remind them of what went well and not so well with the first
speech.
 After giving the speeches give overall feedback as with the first speech.
 Given time, introduce students to an argumentative essay, drawing parallels to a
debate speech.
 For homework, students will write an outline for an argumentative essay based on
the debate speeches they gave in class.
6th class: Go over outlines of argumentative essay
 Go over the student outlines and allow them to leave early to work on their essay.
 Homework will be to finish the first write by the next class.
7th class: Peer editing
 Students exchanges essays and do peer editing looking for:
o Basic structural mistakes as in the error checklist
o Organizational mistakes on the overall organization of an argumentative
essay.
 For homework students will be rewriting the essay.
8th class: next debate topics & teacher editing of essay
 Select next debate topics, divide students into teams and allow them to begin
preparation for next speech.
 Teacher calls up students one by one to go over essay.
9th class: second debate, first speech
 Conduct speeches and immediately begin preparing for next speech.
10th class: second debate refutation speech.
 Conduct speeches and immediately begin outline for 2nd essay.
 Homework: outline for essay
11th class: outline and 1st write of second essay
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Go over outlines and allow student to immediately begin work on next essay
Ask students to conduct peer editing before arriving to next class?
12th class
 Go over test and expectations for portfolio
 Teacher and students go over essays
13th class: Review and one extra class in case you fall behind
14th class: TEST
15th class: INTERVIEWS