How To: SPAR Debates

 What are SPAR Debates? Spontaneous argumentation debates that gets students

practicing how to debate and introduces them to the main elements of academic

argumentation.

 What is the procedure?

o Come up with a focused and balanced debatable topic. For example: Your mom

should have Instagram.

o Allow two members of the classroom to step up and debate one side of the

argument. One side is the affirmative that agrees with the topic. The other side is

the negative that disagrees with the topic.

o Allow remaining class members to join the side they agree with to help the

debater create their argument.

o Students that are not able to pick a side may gather in the back to become a panel

of judges. Three students is a good number because the panel must have an odd

number of judges to avoid a tie when voting.

o Pick an additional person from each side to give the rebuttal.

o After giving the affirmative and the negative time to form their argument, they

must go to the front of the room with their partner giving the rebuttal.

o Each side has one minute to give their argument, starting with the affirmative.

o After they give their initial argument, each side has 30-45 seconds to give their

rebuttal, starting with the negative.

o The panel in the back then votes on who they believe had the most convincing

argument.
o End by having the judges discuss what made one argument more convinving than

the other.