Welcome to a new addition to the Cooperative Learning Strategies Blog. Now, given the title of this month's post, you might be asking yourself, "Ryan, if this is cooperative learning, why are you about to discuss debate?" Well, fellow friends and educators, debate can serve as an excellent source of cooperative learning for our students while also teaching them valuable social skills.
I came into my first teaching position being asked to spearhead two Debate classes at my school. Having never had any real experience with Debate in the past, I felt overwhelmed and underprepared initially. Little did I know that I had the chance to teach a course which could teach students "citizenship and etiquette, clarity, organization, persuasion," and more! ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). Although there was a substantial learning curve for me, I soon came to realize that Debate was not only an excellent class to teach, but the use of rhetoric could also be put to excellent use in other classes as well. Through the concepts of debate, students can learn to speak to one another articulately, to argue their points clearly, and to analyze opposing arguments with acumen.
According to Scott (2015), classroom debates "can effectively facilitate critical thinking" (p. 39) and promote engagement in the everyday learning environment. While traditional assessments like quizzes and essays are valuable in their own right, debate is an alternative assessment that can really pique student interest and draw upon the higher levels of Bloom's revised taxonomy. Debate provides students with the rare and often exciting opportunity to conduct their own research, maintain ownership of their own learning, and choose a topic that is relevant to their own lives. One of the many benefits of this instructional strategy is that it can be tailored to nearly any content are on a variety of different subjects. Students in History class might discuss whether it was a wise decision for a country to enter a certain war, for example, while English students might discuss whether a character's decision was the right one given the context of a novel.
It is important to keep a few considerations in mind when teaching debate. Although most debates "are a great tool for engaging students and livening up classroom curriculum," they do require proper set-up, planning, and preparation ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). This sense of structure is absolutely essential to the successful implementation of a school-based debate. Students should first be organized into partner pairs or small groups, depending on the number of topics available, the issues to be discussed, and the number of students in each class. Teachers can decide whether they wish to assign specific topics to each pair/group or whether students can choose from a number of options. From personal experience, it is advised to have a set number of options available for students to choose from rather than letting them pick their own topics, especially if the topics are embedded within a class curriculum. Teachers should have students adopt specific roles for one another, such as Researcher, Speaker, Rebutter, etc. These and other elements, such as time slots and presentation periods, can again be tailored as the teacher sees fit.
Another important element to remember is the maturity level and positive class culture needed among students in order to participate in a debate. Debates can quickly become heated affairs, and while this academic passion is appreciated, it is necessary that students do not let their emotions run away with them. Respect for oneself and other classmates is always at the core of each debate, and taking the time to review these concepts while laying down ground rules should not be overlooked. In order to properly engage in this "useful learning activity" (Scott, 2015, p. 39), students need to understand proper debate etiquette. Addressing people by name, beginning with polite phrases such as "I understand where you are coming from, but..." and learning how to address fallacies appropriately are all crucial elements to success. If teachers have already established a warm and supportive classroom culture, these barriers are easy to surmount, however.
There are other forms of debate available as well, and depending on the circumstances and time constraints of your classroom, each can prove very beneficial to the learning process. For example, a Four Corners Debate can be put to great use in the everyday classroom. This debate style involves students moving to one of the four corners of the room (hence the name) that are categorized into Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. Given the topic at hand, students can then share their opinions and insights regarding how they feel on a given topic. In addition to this helpful debate style, teachers might also consider a Fishbowl debate, which serves as a way for students to practice their "speaking... and listening skills" together ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). In this format, students split into two groups: the inside group participates in a Socratic seminar-like discussion, while the outside group observes. After everyone volunteers their feedback, the two groups then switch roles. Provided below are some helpful templates and rubrics to take advantage of in Debate. Please feel free to use these resources as you see fit.
Class debate rubric
Class debate template and other resources
On the whole, Debate is a wonderful strategy for many teachers in the middle grades and high school levels to consider. It provides students with the useful opportunity to "solve complex problems, communicate effectively, and think critically" (Scott, 2015, p. 40), each of which are necessary abilities to succeed in both the academic and career world. It is also an excellent way for students to practice conducting research and working alongside one another with a common purpose towards a specific goal. The value of learning how to observe and utilize the rhetorical appeals, ethos, pathos, and logos, will also prove to be a great benefit for students in the future. I am a strong proponent of in-class Debates as a cooperative learning strategy not only because I teach it, but because I truly believe that all students can derive great enjoyment and learning from the experience. I hope that you will consider trying a debate in your own class soon! Provided below are a couple of additional resources to help get you started.
How to Conduct a Class Debate: Debate Link
I am excited for our upcoming educational installment of our program! Until then, thanks for all you do, and happy teaching!
Sincerely,
Ryan
[email protected]
References
Debates in the classroom. (2016). Education World. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy012.shtml
Scott, S. (2015). Perceptions of students' learning critical thinking through debate in a technology classroom: A case study. The Journal of Technology Studies, 4(2), 39-44.
I came into my first teaching position being asked to spearhead two Debate classes at my school. Having never had any real experience with Debate in the past, I felt overwhelmed and underprepared initially. Little did I know that I had the chance to teach a course which could teach students "citizenship and etiquette, clarity, organization, persuasion," and more! ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). Although there was a substantial learning curve for me, I soon came to realize that Debate was not only an excellent class to teach, but the use of rhetoric could also be put to excellent use in other classes as well. Through the concepts of debate, students can learn to speak to one another articulately, to argue their points clearly, and to analyze opposing arguments with acumen.
According to Scott (2015), classroom debates "can effectively facilitate critical thinking" (p. 39) and promote engagement in the everyday learning environment. While traditional assessments like quizzes and essays are valuable in their own right, debate is an alternative assessment that can really pique student interest and draw upon the higher levels of Bloom's revised taxonomy. Debate provides students with the rare and often exciting opportunity to conduct their own research, maintain ownership of their own learning, and choose a topic that is relevant to their own lives. One of the many benefits of this instructional strategy is that it can be tailored to nearly any content are on a variety of different subjects. Students in History class might discuss whether it was a wise decision for a country to enter a certain war, for example, while English students might discuss whether a character's decision was the right one given the context of a novel.
It is important to keep a few considerations in mind when teaching debate. Although most debates "are a great tool for engaging students and livening up classroom curriculum," they do require proper set-up, planning, and preparation ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). This sense of structure is absolutely essential to the successful implementation of a school-based debate. Students should first be organized into partner pairs or small groups, depending on the number of topics available, the issues to be discussed, and the number of students in each class. Teachers can decide whether they wish to assign specific topics to each pair/group or whether students can choose from a number of options. From personal experience, it is advised to have a set number of options available for students to choose from rather than letting them pick their own topics, especially if the topics are embedded within a class curriculum. Teachers should have students adopt specific roles for one another, such as Researcher, Speaker, Rebutter, etc. These and other elements, such as time slots and presentation periods, can again be tailored as the teacher sees fit.
Another important element to remember is the maturity level and positive class culture needed among students in order to participate in a debate. Debates can quickly become heated affairs, and while this academic passion is appreciated, it is necessary that students do not let their emotions run away with them. Respect for oneself and other classmates is always at the core of each debate, and taking the time to review these concepts while laying down ground rules should not be overlooked. In order to properly engage in this "useful learning activity" (Scott, 2015, p. 39), students need to understand proper debate etiquette. Addressing people by name, beginning with polite phrases such as "I understand where you are coming from, but..." and learning how to address fallacies appropriately are all crucial elements to success. If teachers have already established a warm and supportive classroom culture, these barriers are easy to surmount, however.
There are other forms of debate available as well, and depending on the circumstances and time constraints of your classroom, each can prove very beneficial to the learning process. For example, a Four Corners Debate can be put to great use in the everyday classroom. This debate style involves students moving to one of the four corners of the room (hence the name) that are categorized into Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. Given the topic at hand, students can then share their opinions and insights regarding how they feel on a given topic. In addition to this helpful debate style, teachers might also consider a Fishbowl debate, which serves as a way for students to practice their "speaking... and listening skills" together ("Debates in the Classroom," 2016). In this format, students split into two groups: the inside group participates in a Socratic seminar-like discussion, while the outside group observes. After everyone volunteers their feedback, the two groups then switch roles. Provided below are some helpful templates and rubrics to take advantage of in Debate. Please feel free to use these resources as you see fit.
Class debate rubric
Class debate template and other resources
On the whole, Debate is a wonderful strategy for many teachers in the middle grades and high school levels to consider. It provides students with the useful opportunity to "solve complex problems, communicate effectively, and think critically" (Scott, 2015, p. 40), each of which are necessary abilities to succeed in both the academic and career world. It is also an excellent way for students to practice conducting research and working alongside one another with a common purpose towards a specific goal. The value of learning how to observe and utilize the rhetorical appeals, ethos, pathos, and logos, will also prove to be a great benefit for students in the future. I am a strong proponent of in-class Debates as a cooperative learning strategy not only because I teach it, but because I truly believe that all students can derive great enjoyment and learning from the experience. I hope that you will consider trying a debate in your own class soon! Provided below are a couple of additional resources to help get you started.
How to Conduct a Class Debate: Debate Link
I am excited for our upcoming educational installment of our program! Until then, thanks for all you do, and happy teaching!
Sincerely,
Ryan
[email protected]
References
Debates in the classroom. (2016). Education World. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy012.shtml
Scott, S. (2015). Perceptions of students' learning critical thinking through debate in a technology classroom: A case study. The Journal of Technology Studies, 4(2), 39-44.