Course in Debating skills

INSTRUCTOR: THU BUI

Outline
1. Getting-to-know
2. Course introduction
3. Focus 1
Getting-to-know
SPEAKING: Find someone who
Go around the classroom.
Ask your classmates questions to find out more
about them (Worksheet 1)
Write your classmates’ names on the other column.
Shout ‘BINGO’ if you complete the worksheet.
Course introduction
Let’s watch a tiny part of this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfaBRyCKRhk&t=242s&ab_channel=PBSNewsHour
Aim and objectives
Aim: Enhance a wonderful set of skills

presentation
argumentation
critical thinking
information searching/analyzing
Objectives

analyze and
solve
express, reflect on
collaborate problems by
respond to how
with others considering
and argue language is
understand in planning, research, related
about points used to
the basics of preparing develop and factors,
of view create
debates for and justify ideas exploring
persuasively effects in
conducting and
and the context
a debate comparing
confidently of a debate
different
perspectives
 11 focuses
10 focuses
Teaching sequence for in-class
Lesson Content study
1
2
Focus 1: Understanding the Fundamental Idea of Debating
Focus 2: Eliciting, confirming and establishing knowledge about debating
1 focus: Self
3 Focus 3: Identifying and using underlying principles study
4 Focus 4: Language of persuasion
5 Focus 5: Supporting arguments
6 Focus 6: Researching
7 Focus 7: Speech Writing
8 Revision
9 +10 Midterm Test 1 2 revisions
11 Focus 8: Using questions in debating
(Focus 9: Summary speeches – Self-study)
12 Focus 10: Teamwork
13 Focus 11: Presentation skills
14 Revision
15+16 Midterm 2
2 midterms
Midterm tests
- Midterm 1: Debate in pairs
Pairs are selected randomly and given a topic to debate in 7-10
minutes
- Midterm 2: Debate in groups
Each group consists of 3 members.
Competitors are selected randomly.
Each group is assigned Affirmative or Opposition randomly.
Some more notes
Debating is not about being aggressive .

We use arguments backed up by evidence and logics to

present and defend ideas in a polite and confident manner.
Questions?
 Focus 1: Understanding
the Fundamental Idea of
Debating
Activity 1: Warm-up
 Debating is not only an intellectual
activity, but also a physical one. You
Body warm-up will work better on logic if your body is
1. Head circles. prepared.
2. Stretch.
3. Bend over and move to each side.
4. Stand up slowly.
5. Again do slow head circles, or forward, back, forward, back, left,
right, left, right.
6. Shake out your arms.
7. Bounce.
 Three things are
Voice warm-up important for
having a good
1. Breathe in and out voice: breath
support,
2. Hum resonance, and a
3. Hum while working on resonance loose throat.

4. Move from the hum to an ‘ah’ sound

Love must come and love will come
5. Go through the vowels what may.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
6. Go to a sentence with a lot of vowels
Rubber baby buggy bumpers
7. Do some tongue twisters Mixed biscuits
Unique New York
Red leather, yellow leather
Activity 2: Brainstorming ideas
Situation: One of your favourite singers is going to be
performing in Hanoi for one night only. Your school
won a contest and the organiser gives all students
free tickets to the concert. You very much want to go
but your parents think it may not be a good idea to
stay out late at night.
In groups of 3 to 4, give as many reasons as you can
why you should be allowed or not allowed to go to
the concert.
Activity 3: Introduction to motion
Issue

Positive Negative

Statement Statement
= Motion = Motion
Motion: statement that favours one side of an issue
Motion examples
One more motion example
Everyone under 18 should be subject to an 8:00 pm curfew.

Which side Look at the reasons

do you want you have listed FOR
to take? and AGAINST the
topic and decide
This is our debate whether you agree
or disagree.
motion for today!
 Activity 4: Introduction to argument
Once you have decided which side to take, you should think about how to
defend your side.
You support your case by coming up with ideas (or arguments) and
presenting them in a logical manner.

Arguments are ideas that are

presented in a logical manner
to defend one’s point of view.
Activity 4: Introduction to argument
Let’s focus on arguments that AGREE with the motion.
In groups, brainstorm why parents and students would agree with
this motion and complete the boxes below:
Activity 4: Introduction to argument
Read two sample arguments FOR the motion (p. 6)

Decide which sample is from a parent’s point of view and

which one is from a student’s point of view. Circle your
choice.
Activity 5: Introduction to argument
structure
Read the sample speech arguing FOR the motion (the
Affirmative side and complete the diagram that follows (p.
7)
Activity 5: Introduction to argument
structure
Read the next half of the speech focusing on the effects of
the solution proposed (i.e. the 8:00 pm curfew) and
complete the diagram that follows.
Activity 6: Self-study (P. 9-10)
Argue against the motion
Complete the diagram below

This is your
homework.
Activity 7: Listening for main ideas
You will watch a video of a debate on the motion “Everyone
under 18 should be subject to an 8:00 pm curfew”.
Identify the key ideas or arguments and fill in the blanks in
the table (p. 11)
Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating (Self-study)
Understanding the procedure of debating
Before the debate:

• The teams will be assigned the Affirmative or the Opposition and then given a period
of time (from 30 minutes to a week) for preparation. They cannot decide the motion
or their stand.

• The chairperson (the host / moderator of the debate) begins by introducing the
motion, the rules, the names of the debaters, and the adjudicators.
Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating Each speaker is allowed 2
minutes to present their
Understanding the procedure of speeches (Time limit may be
adjusted as appropriate).
debating Organisation
of debating
teams
The time keeper will keep the
Affirmative Opposition time and stop speakers from
team team
speaking longer than the time
allowed.
Captain 1st speaker Captain

There are three sections

2nd speaker 1st speaker
in a debate

2nd speaker
Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating
Understanding the procedure of debating
Section 1: Speeches presented by the six speakers (in the following
order)
Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating
Section 2: Questions and answers

The chairperson will preside/control over the question time.

The debaters take turns to ask the opposing team questions. Each
speaker has 1 minute to ask the question.

The team to which the question is directed has 1 minute to prepare

their answer and 1 minute to deliver it.

The Opposition team will ask first, followed by the Affirmative.

Each team asks the opposing team three questions.

Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating
Section 3: Summary speeches presented by the captains

There is a break after the question time. During the break, the two teams
work on the final summary.

After the break, the captain of the Opposition summarises the main
arguments in 2 minutes.

Then, the captain of the Affirmative summarises the main arguments in 2

minutes.
Activity 8: Introduction to the procedure
of debating
Final task:
Read a chairperson’s speech to familiarise yourselves with
the procedure and rules (pp. 13-14)
Q&A