Debate Project
Integrated Skills III – 2011/02
Here are some links that may be of help:
DEBATE CENTRAL
 http://www.uvm.edu/~debate/learndebate.html
INTERNATIONAL DEBATE EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION
 http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/
 Debate
http://www.michaelcrichton.net/pdfs/GlobalWarmingDebate.pdf
Topic: Global Warming
Language used
• Modality: I would suggest / We ought to / you should
• There is really no evidence
• Connectors: thus, and, also, in fact
• Comparative forms: Infectious diseases like malaria are
not so much a matter of temperature as of poverty and
public health
• Auxiliaries in the affirmative: The entire world now really
does have a critical choice to make
• Anaphoric chains:
A group of people dispute these consensus
findings of mainstream scientists. Call them
contrarians. Some are here in this very room.
Contrarians are not unique to climate. They
exist in many fields of science.
• Use of adjectives and verbs to persuade the
audience:
These contrarians were mistaken
I urge you to familiarize yourself
Phases of an academic debate
• Constructive speech
Global Warming)
• Rebuttal
• Cross-examination
(Excerpts from Debate on
Rebuttal
A process in which debaters react to the
arguments presented by the opponents in
order to reduce their impact on the
audience.
To refute means to overcome opposing
evidence and reasoning by proving it to be
false or erroneous.
• A team wins a debate when it manages
successfully to refute the arguments of
their opponents and not simply advance
their own arguments!
FOUR STEPS OF REFUTATION
1) Identify your opponents argument.
2) State your team’s response.
3) Provide support.
4) Impact your response.
(1) They say that free speech promotes racism, (2) but free speech
allows to combat racism. (3) By exposing racist speech, we can
discuss it and reject it, which is not possible if such views are not in
the open. (4) So the possibility to reject bad ideologies is the reason
to support free speech.
Effective ways of refuting an
opponent’s argument
Handout
In a good debate
• Familiarity with the topic and with multiple
viewpoints about the issue is demonstrated.
• Arguments are clear and presented with a variety of
types.
• Opening statements are not read from cards.
• The opponents’ arguments are successfully refuted.
• A variety of structures is used when giving reasons,
offering explanations, disagreeing etc.
Debate Practice
Read the text “TESOL Certificate - Do I Really Need
One to Teach English Abroad?”.
Write arguments for and against the need for an
academic diploma to teach English.
Chain debate exercise
1. Present a new argument on the topic (either for or against).
2. Present new support for an argument offered by another participant.
3. Refute an argument offered by another participant.
The way I see it...
As far as ….. concerned...
If it were up to me...
I suppose...
I'm pretty sure that
It is fairly certain that...
I'm convinced that...
I honestly feel that
I strongly believe that...
Without a doubt ...
That´s simply not true
That´s not the case
I couldn´t agree more but
...
Let's face it,
Don't you think it would
be better...
I don't agree
I'd prefer...
Shouldn't we consider...
But what about...
The problem with your
point of view is that...
To start with,
The reason why...
That's why...
For this reason...
That's the reason
why...
Many people
think....
Considering...
Allowing for the
fact that...
When you
consider that...
Homework
• Do more research on your debate proposition
• Write summaries
• Write different types of arguments and
refutations.
• Suggested reading
• CELANI, M. A. A. Ensino de línguas estrangeiras: ocupação ou profissão? In:
LEFFA, V. J. (org) O professor de línguas estrangeiras: construindo a
profissão. Pelotas: EDUCAT/ALAB. 2001. p. 21-40.
•
A LDB e a legislação vigente sobre o ensino e a formação de professor de
língua inglesa. Vera Lúcia Menezes de O. e Paiva.
http://www.veramenezes.com/ensino.htm
• UR, P. The English teacher as a professional. In: RICHARDS, J. C. & RENANDYA,
W. A (editors) Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current
Practice. Cambridge University Press. 2002. p 388 – 392.
http://www.ebook3000.com/Methodology-in-Language-Teaching--An-Anthology-ofCurrent-Practice_43515.html)
•
•
•
•
http://www.nystce.nesinc.com/PDFs/NY_fld03_objs.pdf
http://www.approachusa.com/approach4.htm
http://www.alleducationschools.com/education-careers/career/english-teacher
http://www.collegesurfing.com/content/esl-teacher-certification-courses/
• Professional Standards for English Teachers.doc (sent by email)