| One activity that you can do in your class is to have a | | | | to arguments. |
| classroom debate. This is something that can help | | | | Have your students work on both positions. This will |
| students on a variety of levels. There are writing skills, | | | | not only challenge them, but also make it so that you |
| critical thinking skills, and even speaking skills that will be | | | | don't run into the problem of everyone taking the same |
| tested in this type of activity. It's fairly simple to have | | | | side leaving no room for the debate. |
| this type of debate in your classroom as long as it's | | | | When you do the debates, have each student do at |
| organized properly. | | | | least one of each with a different person to go |
| First of all, you will need to come up with a topic. It | | | | against. Try to group the students according to what |
| needs to be something where there isn't a clear | | | | you would think the skill levels are to try and keep |
| correct stance either way. This makes both the | | | | things challenging yet fair. |
| affirmative and the negative positions on it equally | | | | Let the others in the class listening be the judges along |
| appealing to those involved in the debate. | | | | with yourself as the teacher. Have those listening |
| Get a style for your debate. Many use the Lincoln | | | | outline the arguments and comment on the debate to |
| Douglas style but there are many others that you can | | | | keep everyone listening and paying attention to what's |
| use. The point is to have time for both positions to give | | | | going on. |
| arguments, refute arguments, and ask questions. | | | | Be aware that something like this can take quite a bit |
| These formats will have equal minutes for both | | | | of classroom time. It's not a short project by any |
| positions giving both sides fair time to make and react | | | | means so don't treat it as such. |