What argument?

This has been tried out a few times but I’d welcome additional suggestions and additions. The
idea here is for different groups to work on different topics for argument. I’ve tried to come
up with ones they are likely to engage with, but if you can think of others then we can add
them. They need to separate the pros from the cons and then decide whether they are going
to argue for or against. They then need to prioritise their arguments maybe using a
diamond nines grid or sequencing grid (both included), add any arguments that they can think
up and then select the arguments (say three or four) they want to put forward for their
debate.
They can then use the debate framework to come up with points, consequences and evidence
for the three points they have chosen.
Webaddress: http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
Last updated 3rd December 2009
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING PROJECT
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We support a network of teaching professionals to develop and disseminate accessible talk-for-learning activities in all subject areas and for all ages.
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BRIEF SUMMARY OF BASIC PRINCIPLES BEHIND OUR TEACHING ACTIVITIES:

The project is a teacher network, and a non-profit making educational trust. Our main aim is to develop and disseminate classroom tested examples of effective group strategies that promote talk across all phases and subjects. We hope they will inspire you to develop and use similar
strategies in other topics and curriculum areas. We want to encourage you to change them and adapt them to your classroom and students. We run teacher workshops, swapshops and conferences throughout the European Union. The project posts online many activities in all subject
areas. An online newsletter is also updated regularly.

*These activities are influenced by current thinking about the role of language in learning. They are designed to help children learn through talk and active learning in small groups. They work best in non selective classes where children in need of language or learning support are
integrated. They are well suited for the development of speaking and listening . They provide teachers opportunities for assessment of speaking and listening.

*They support differentiation by placing a high value on what children can offer to each other on a particular topic, and also give children the chance to respect each other’s views and formulate shared opinions which they can disseminate to peers. By helping them to take ideas and
abstract concepts, discuss, paraphrase and move them about physically, they help to develop thinking skills.

*They give children the opportunity to participate in their own words and language in their own time without pressure. Many activities can be tried out in pupils’ first languages and afterwards in English. A growing number of activities are available in more than one language, not
translated, but mixed, so that you may need more than one language to complete the activity.

*They encourage study skills in context, and should therefore be used with a range of appropriate information books which are preferably within reach in the classroom.

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and learning support teachers to share an equal role in curriculum delivery. They should be adapted to local conditions. In order to help us keep pace with curriculum changes, please send any new or revised activities back to the project, so that we can add them to our lists of mate-
rials.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument For and against mobile phones in school

They offer a At first they

It is important The alarm will be
quick and easy to learn how to Predictive text clock is useful
way to record misused but
use them helps your to time group
sound, photos then users
responsibly. spelling to work.
and short will grow more
improve.
videos. mature.

Children are Not everyone

usually given They are all has access to
They are too They are not so different so
old phones and one so it is
valuable to be useful as small often not com-
hand me downs unfair on
used in school. digital cameras patible when
so they don’t those that don’t
work well. used together. have them.

They contain Some children If you film

Their signals
private will make fun Children might people without
might
information so of those with use them to permission you
interfere with
cannot be used old phones. cheat in tests. are invading
the school’s
in class. their privacy.
wi fi.
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument
For and against Car Use

It kills and
injures more It encourages
It would be It would cut It would cut people, laziness:
safer to walk down on carbon down on noise. especially people use cars
and cycle. emissions. children, than to travel short
anything else. distances.

It prevents
Children are Roads are Cars give lots
public
imprisoned in clogged up and of opportunties Cars are more
transport from
cars and don’t it takes a long to travel to flexible than
being frequent
exercise. time to go interesting public
because it is not
anywhere. places. transport.
used enough.

Cars are Public You can carry

You feel warm, You don’t need
cheaper when transport is a lot more in a
comfortable and to plan trips.
families travel often delayed car.
safe in a car. You can just go.
together. and cancelled.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument
For and against Graffiti

If done well it When done by

can It can deliver a a well known It could be
regenerate a powerful artist it can used for
It is decorative. advertising
run down area message. attract tourists
to an area.

It can
It helps spray When done It can be
it works well encourage
paint badly it can dangerous to do
when supported other kinds of
manufacturers. make a area on bridges or
by the vandalism and
look run down tops of buildings
community. destruction.
or scruffy.

Tracking down It damages

It costs a lot Spray paint is public
poisonous and artists is a
It’s illegal. to remove. waste of police property.
damages your
brain. time.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument? For and against only having locally produced food

You can check

that the food
Your money You get to know
Shopping Food in season is responsibly
stays in the your small
locally supports tastes better. grown.
area. supplier.
local people.

Food that Buying food Food is cheaper

If you choose
travels a short from abroad You get a and you can
fair traded
distance doesn’t helps those who bigger and spend your
food you know
damage the are less well better choice of money on other
it is responsibly
environment. off. food. things.
produced.

Food grown in
In February you Our houses are
heated green- Growing food to There is risk
would have very not suitable for
houses can use export to Britain
that insects
little choice of storing food in means farmers are
more carbon than and pests are
fruit and summer and discouraged from
transporting food growing food for imported with
vegetables. through the
from hot their families the food.
countries. winter.
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument? For and against CCTV in public places

Provides jobs
for people Deters
It keeps you Helps to keep Stops traffic
who can look people from
safe. crime down. acting illegally.
for suspicious doing damage
things all day to property.
and night.

Better to
It could be It’s easy to
provide
It is expensive It intrudes on used by the wear a disguise
playgrounds,
and ugly. people’s privacy. government to or hood so you
youthclubs and
control your can’t be
other friendly
behaviour. recognised.
public spaces.

It can be used
It can provide The pictures
to provide There are many They make
evidence of are often grainy
evidence in faulty cameras. people feel
police behaving and of poor
cases of safer.
illegally. quality.
serious crime.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument? For and against Facebook

You can meet

It helps your Keeps you in It helps you
Makes people people you
webskills. good contact to make new
feel important. knew a long
with friends. friends.
time ago.

It helps you to People invent Lots of people

Your identity Nothing is
find people with false don’t tell the
can be stolen. secure on the
similar indentities. truth about
internet.
interests to themselves.
you.

Once you have If you put an

put an image It makes image of Twitter is much
It wastes a lot
on facebook bullying very yourself at better for
of time.
you can easy. a party your sharing
never parents or your information
completely boss may see it.
erase it.
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument? For and against downloading free music

It lets you try Because people

It means you Musicians don’t are not buying It helps new
out new bands
can have a big get money for CDs, shops are bands find an
without having
music their work. closing. audience.
to spend money.
collection.

Everybody It is easier to
Bands end up Having more expects music Technology is
making their get music with always
concerts means to be free now,
money at live offensive lyrics changing and
bands stay in so they don’t
concerts and because there people have to
touch with see it as theft
performances. are fewer adapt.
their fans. to copy. controls

If your People with no

computer internet access
breaks and you Your music are not able to It uses up a lot
lose your MP3 collection does join in of broadband
player you lose not take up collecting space.
all your much space. music with
collection. their friends.
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
What argument? For and against school uniform

The pupils
There would be It would
would get fed Everybody
less pressure It would cost encourage
up with would look
on pupils to too much for pupils to take
wearing the smart all the
wear some families. a pride in their
same kind of time.
fashionable school.
clothes every
clothes. day.

If pupils were There would The pupils

misbehaving Pupils would be less rivalry People would would not have
outside school not have to about who had feel that they the chance to
people would decide what the latest are not express their
be able to tell to wear every ‘designer’ individuals. personality
which school day. clothes through their
they came from clothes.

Pupils grow Teachers would

fast and spend too much
parents would time making sure
need to keep the pupils were
buying new wearing the
uniforms. correct uniform.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
 Arguments for Arguments against

Strongest argument Strongest argument

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf

Least strong argument Least strong argument

 Least strong argument
Strongest argument

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
 Introduction

First point
or reason

Consequence

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/whatargument.pdf
Evidence

Second
reason

Consequence

Evidence

Third
reason

Consequence

Evidence

Counter
argument

Rebuttal

Conclusion

Warning