Debate Technician In The Classroom

It is important to teach students to speak in public, as it is one of the most important skills required in social and working life. A good strategy for this purpose is to use debate techniques. Here are some of them.

Debate technician

Debate techniques develop communication and oral expression in students. It also encourages active participation and values ​​such as respect. We can say that debates are a good way to promote reflection and argumentation, as they encourage students to take a stand and defend it.

What are their characteristics?

• They require preparation and organization.
• The topic of the debate must be feasible for questioning and analysis.
• They allow the integration of oral communication knowledge and argumentation capacity.
• They advocate respect, tolerance and cooperation.
• A debate is about confronting opposing views on a topic or problem.

Some debate techniques

Small group discussion (14 years and up)

This is done face to face with the exchange of ideas on a topic of interest among a small group of students. It is an informal and flexible discussion, but with some basic rules:

• The topic of discussion must be of interest to the whole group.
• The exchange of ideas must follow a certain logical order, although the discussion must be spontaneous.
• The group or teacher must choose a coordinator and a secretary.
• Active and free participation should be encouraged.
• It is a good idea to stand or sit in a circle so that everyone can see each other and be able to communicate face to face.

Process:

• The educator chooses the topic that the group is to discuss. They present it to the children in advance so that they can think about it, gather information and therefore make the discussion richer and more grounded.

• The group elects a coordinator and a secretary. The coordinator leads the day’s session and must stimulate the group’s participation.
• The secretary is responsible for writing down the ideas that arise during the discussion, recording the conclusions and keeping track of time.
• Students choose the rules as a group, as well as the time they will devote to the discussion and members’ presentations (about two or three minutes).
• The members of the group reveal their ideas and views freely and try not to deviate from the topic.
• When the coordinator deems it appropriate, they will pause to summarize what has happened or ask for clarification on any point.
• Students must reach their conclusions by consensus.
• At the end of the discussion, the coordinator will summarize what the group has discussed and formulate conclusions. The Secretary will take note of these conclusions.

• Finally , the educator points out the general conclusions and summarizes the topic that the group has discussed.

Snowball or pyramid (from 10 years of age)

The educator presents a topic and the children have to work with it. The work takes place in three phases:

• The first phase. The students form pairs to talk about and discuss the topic that the teacher has presented.
• Second phase. The couples are divided into subgroups of four. Between the four, they discuss the topic.
• Third phase. The groups of four come together to form groups of 8. Among the 8 students, they come to a conclusion that they must present to the whole class. It is the secretary of each group who presents the conclusions they have reached to everyone else.

It is important for the teacher to indicate the time that the students will have for each phase. They should also ensure a climate for communication and participation among students. This technique favors autonomous thinking, verbal expression and communication.

Whispering or simultaneous dialogues (from the age of 10)

Whispering is a technique that consists of dividing a group into pairs. In this way, the whole group holds a dialogue at the same time on the same topic. In a few minutes, the teacher can get a common opinion on a question they have asked the group.

Each couple discusses quietly (so as not to disturb the others) a topic or problem that the teacher has suggested. One of the members will act as secretary, who will read the final opinion or conclusion when all the ideas are put together.

Through this technique, the teacher can quickly know the understanding and doubts about a topic or an explanation. They can also use it to decide which topics are most interesting to the group, rules, procedures to follow, etc.

Panel discussions (from the age of 12)

This technique involves a debate between two subgroups within the class group. The teacher or students can suggest the topic that the groups will discuss, depending on their interests.

In this technology, the educator plays a very important role. They act as mentors and moderators and should encourage participation by asking questions, highlighting the arguments presented by each group and pointing out the points of greatest interest.

The educator presents the topic for discussion and establishes the rules for participation. Each group must have different positions on the proposed topic. In each of the groups there is a spokesman who is a “specialist in the subject”. The other members take on the role of spectators who can sometimes be invited to participate.

Order of the debate:

• Presentation of the arguments in subgroup A, without the right to answer

• Presentation of the arguments in subgroup B, without the right to answer.
• When the presentations have been made, subgroup A will ask questions to subgroup B. Subgroup B will then ask questions to subgroup A.
• Questions from group to subgroup A, with the right to answer.
• Questions from group to subgroup B, with the right to answer.
• Free discussion among the other members of the subgroups. They can ask questions, ask for clarifications, refute arguments, etc.

All interventions can be accompanied and supported by appropriate material, such as photos, videos, testimonies in recorded interviews, videos, written documents, etc.

At the end of the activity, the educator will make a summary or conclusion about the different arguments that are expressed and point out the points of agreement and disagreement. In the same way, they end with a presentation of the most important ideas on the subject that have been discussed.

In short, debate techniques always require organization and preparation. In addition, debates must be motivating. The teacher should ask questions and reflections that arouse and challenge the students’ minds.

At the same time, the educator should make the students question the information and create doubts about it. Thus, in this way, children will be able to generate critical thinking.