Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

My name's Mrs. Riley, and I'll be teaching you this lesson today.

Today, we'll be learning a little bit more about debating, and we'll be particularly focusing today on agreeing and disagreeing.

Let's get started.

The outcome of today's lesson is to effectively agree or disagree with a point.

These are our keywords for our lesson today.

That means these are going to be really important for our learning.

The first keyword is debate.

My turn, your turn.

Debate.

Debate.

A debate is a structured argument between two teams. The next keyword is convince.

Convince.

To convince means to persuade someone to do something or agree with you.

For example, if you were playing a game with your friend in the playground, and you wanted to change game but they didn't want to, you might have to try to convince them why your game would be a really good idea.

And finally, counter-argument.

Counter-argument.

A counter-argument is your own perspective and reasoning that disagrees with the other person's point, so it's kind of the opposite.

If somebody gave their opinion and you were going to give a counter-argument, it's like giving the opposite opinion to the opinion they had, a counter-argument.

So today, we will first focus on agreeing and disagreeing and the difference between those, and then we're going to look at arguing against what you actually believe, which sounds a bit strange, but don't worry, 'cause we'll come to that later in the lesson.

So let's start off with agreeing and disagreeing.

A debate is a structured argument between two teams. A debate is a great way to settle an argument in a formal way, often in front of an audience.

An audience watches and listens to a debate.

In a debate, people will give their opinion and justify this with reasoning.

So they will say, I believe that mm, because mm, so they always give a reason why they have those opinions.

And in a debate you will try to convince, there's our keyword, you're trying to convince the audience to agree or disagree with the motion.

One team will try to convince the audience to agree with the motion, and the other team will try to convince the audience to disagree with the motion.

So let's just imagine that the motion might be, this house believes all children should learn to cook in schools.

So one team will be trying to convince me, if I'm in the audience, to agree with that, that it's a good idea for all children to cook in schools, and the other team will be trying to think about, trying to make me and the audience disagree that children should be able to cook in schools.

So both teams would have to come up with some points, some reasons why they agree or disagree, and then give reasons, give reasons for their opinions, and I and the audience would listen, and I would see which team convinced me.

Do I agree with the team that believes that all children should cook in schools, or that children shouldn't be allowed to cook in schools? So you would be trying to convince the audience.

So when we are convincing an audience, we're trying to make them feel a certain way.

But how do we do this? How do we convince a group of people? To convince someone to think or feel a certain way, you need to give them a good reason to do so, and the reasons we give to support our opinions are very important.

A speaker could use many different reasons to support their opinion, but they must try to choose the reason that will convince the audience to agree with their opinion.

So let's imagine we're on the team that we are disagreeing with the motion that believes that every child should learn to cook at school.

You might think of different reasons why.

So for example, you might say, well, we would need to, that means every school would need to have a lot of equipment, all the cooking things, bowls and aprons and spoons and whisks and all the things that you might need to cook.

And then you might think of another reason, maybe it might be that it could be dangerous for children to cook, because it involves using ovens, you might be heating up something on a hob, it could be potentially dangerous, children could have accidents with sharp knives, cutting things.

And then you might try to think, right, we've got some different reasons to try to convince the audience, and you might try to think of which is the strongest argument, which is the best reason that you can give to convince the audience to agree with you.

So what is the speaker trying to convince the audience to do? Is the speaker trying to, A, convince the audience to agree with their opinion, B, to disagree with their opinion, or to, C, think of their own opinions? Pause video while you have a think about your answer.

Okay, well done.

A is the correct answer.

The speaker is trying to convince the audience to agree with their opinion.

So some reasons are more convincing than others.

Here are three reasons that could be used to agree with the opinion football is the best sport.

So there's the opinion: football is the best sport.

Here are three reasons that could be used to agree.

I agree because it's usually played outside, I agree because there are 11 players on a team, or I agree because it doesn't require much equipment and most people know the rules.

So I'd like you to look at these three reasons and think which reason is going to convince the audience to agree with the opinion, so that they also think football is the best sport.

Which of these three opinions, or which of these three reasons to agree, would be the most convincing for an audience that football is the best sport? I'd like you to pause the video and discuss this with your partner now.

Okay, well done.

Let's come back together.

Well, hopefully you all agreed that the reason that's the most convincing is that it doesn't require much equipment and most people know the rules.

I would say they are two really good reasons why football is the best sport, so if I was going to choose one of those in a debate, that would be the reason I would give.

I think that would convince the audience.

So as we've just seen, some reasons are more convincing than others.

Here's another example.

So this time, here are three reasons that could be used to disagree with the opinion football's the best sport.

So we just looked at three reasons why you might agree, here are three reasons why you might disagree.

It's a team sport, it's a form of exercise, and it requires too many players and the offside rule is very complicated for beginners.

So remember, you're trying to convince the audience that this opinion is wrong.

Football is the best sport, you're saying you disagree, and here are three reasons.

Which is the most convincing here? I'd like you to discuss which reason is going to convince the audience to disagree with the opinion, so that they also do not think football is the best sport.

Pause the video and discuss that with your partner now.

Okay, well done.

Well, the fact that it's a team sport and a form of exercise I would say are actually good things about football, so definitely this third reason, that it requires too many players and the offside rule is very complicated, is the most convincing reason.

Okay, so let's check what we've just learned.

Which reason is the most convincing for getting someone to agree with them? Here's the opinion: carrots are the best vegetable.

A, because they are orange.

B, because they are grown in the soil.

C, because they can be eaten raw and cooked in lots of different ways.

So, three different reasons there.

Could you pause the video and decide which reason is the most convincing for getting someone to agree that carrots are the best vegetable? Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

The correct answer is C.

It doesn't really convince me that they're orange or they're grown in the soil.

Lots of vegetables are grown in the soil.

But it does convince me that they could be eaten raw or cooked, and that they can also be cooked in lots of different ways.

So it's time for your first task.

In this task, you are going to look at the opinions with a partner, so you're working in a pair.

I would like you to give a reason to agree and disagree with each opinion.

Here are the three opinions.

One, I believe art class is more fun than PE class.

So you're going to stop, and with your partner, you're going to think of a reason that you agree and disagree.

B, reading is the best hobby.

So again, give a reason why you might agree with that and why you might disagree with that.

And C, or three, I think cats are a brilliant pet.

So think of a reason why you agree with that opinion and disagree.

Now, there's going to be one of these in each example that will be more difficult, because you're going to have to do, for the one that, so let's say I think cats are a brilliant pet.

You might agree with that, so coming up with a reason why you agree might feel really easy to you, because you can think of lots of reasons why cats are a brilliant pet, but you might find it harder to disagree, think of a reason why you disagree, because you might think, well, I agree that cats are a brilliant pet, so how am I going to disagree with that? So the one that you don't believe in is going to be more difficult, but it's an important part of debating, which we'll find out more about in learning cycle two.

So just give it a go.

Try and think, even though I don't believe in this, I'm going to try and think what someone else who didn't like cats might say, okay? So good luck with this activity.

Remember you're working as a pair.

I want to hear lots of lovely discussion.

Pause the video now.

Okay, lovely.

Let's come back together.

So here's an example of what you might have said for the opinion I believe art class is more fun than PE class.

I believe art class is more fun than PE class because it's a chance to be creative.

And then if you were going to disagree, I do not think art class is more fun than PE class, because in PE, you can run around and be outside.

Reading is the best hobby.

Reading is the best hobby because there is an endless amount of different genres of books you can enjoy.

There's why you might agree, and now disagree.

Reading isn't the best hobby, because some children find reading difficult.

And finally, cats are a brilliant pet.

I think cats are a brilliant pet because they don't need to be walked every day.

There's a reason why you might agree, and now disagree.

I don't think cats are a brilliant pet, because they often leave the house for days at a time.

Okay, now we're going to look in a bit more detail at arguing against what you actually believe.

A bit like we touched on just then with if you don't believe, that you think cats are the best pet, but you've got to argue the opposite of that.

That's what we're going to focus on now.

So in a debate, you will try to convince the audience to agree or disagree with the motion.

One team will try to convince the audience to agree with the motion, and the other team will try to convince the audience to disagree with the motion.

So if we go back to our example of if the motion was this house believes every child should learn to cook in schools, one team's trying to convince the audience to agree with that motion, and the other team is trying to convince the audience to disagree with that motion.

And it is okay and expected to sometimes disagree with other people's opinions.

That's what debates are for.

Debates wouldn't work if we all had the exact same opinions.

So in a debate, it is randomly decided which team will agree with the motion and which team will disagree with the motion, often by a toss of a coin.

Often, you might be part of a team where you have to argue against what you actually believe.

So let's go back to our cooking example.

If we said as a class, right, we're gonna have a class debate, this house believes every child in the country should learn to cook in schools, you might think, oh, I really, I love cooking, I think that'd be really fun if we learned to cook in schools, but then you might find yourself on the team that is opposing that, that has to say you disagree.

But that's what you have to do in a debate.

Sometimes, you have to argue against what you actually believe, and it makes it even more challenging.

So arguing against what you believe is a skill that needs to be practised.

And it's a good idea to choose one strong point and focus on that, instead of having lots of weaker points.

So, is it true or false? You will always be able to argue your own opinion in a debate.

True or false? Pause the video.

Well done.

This is false.

Why? Because it is randomly decided which team will agree with the motion and which team will disagree with the motion, and often you might be part of a team where you have to argue against what you actually believe.

Okay, so we're now going to switch our attention a little bit and focus on successful speaking, because we know that speaking is really important when we are debating.

So I'd like you to discuss with your partner what makes a successful speaker, and you can use these images to help you.

Pause the video and discuss this with a partner now.

Okay, well done.

Let's come back together.

So here are some top tips to help you be a successful speaker.

Stand up straight.

Speak in a loud, clear voice so the audience can hear you.

Make eye contact with the audience.

If you've got notes, make sure you look up every now and again to connect with the audience.

Keep your feet grounded and flat on the floor.

Stand confident, don't shuffle around.

Introduce yourself when you start speaking, and thank the audience when you're finished.

So, true or false? Successful speakers use a loud, clear voice.

Is this true or false? Pause the video now.

Well done.

It is true.

Why? Because the audience must be able to hear the speaker.

Let's practise arguing against what you actually believe.

So this house believes that students should be allowed to bring toys to school.

Let me just say that again.

This house believes that students should be allowed to bring toys to school.

So this is what Sam actually believes.

Sam actually believes that toys should be allowed at school, because they can be comforting for children if they feel sad.

Sam was on the team where they had to disagree with the motion, so Sam must have felt a bit disappointed, because they agree, but Sam actually has to disagree that the students should be allowed to bring toys to school, so Sam's gonna have to think carefully about what to say.

So this is what Sam argued.

I believe toys should not be allowed at school, because they can easily get lost or ruined.

So even though Sam didn't agree that children shouldn't be allowed to bring toys to school, they've tried to think of a reason why that might be convincing to the audience.

And actually, that is a convincing reason, isn't it? That they might get lost or ruined.

So there's an example of where you have to give an opinion or argue a reason that you might not necessarily believe in yourself.

That's what you have to do sometimes in a debate.

Now, counter-arguments are used in debate, counter-argument is one of our keywords for today, and this is when you hear someone else's point and then respond with your own perspective and reasoning that disagrees with their point.

So can you discuss, what do you think a counter-argument could be for this opinion? Board games are better than video games, as you can play and sit together with your friends.

So you need to think of a counter-argument, something that disagrees with that opinion.

Could you pause the video and discuss with your partner now what a good counter-argument could be for this opinion? Okay, lovely.

Well done.

I heard lots of nice ideas there.

So here's an example of a good counter-argument.

Video games are better, because you can play with friends even if they are far away.

So that's a really convincing counter-argument there.

Okay, let's check your understanding.

What would be a suitable counter-argument to this point? Summer is the best season of the year, because it's hot.

So which of these is the best counter-argument? A, winter is the best season, because it often snows, B, summer is my favourite season, too, or C, winter is the worst season because it is too cold.

Pause the video while you think about your answer.

Okay, well done.

Hopefully you recognise that A is the correct answer.

When we give a counter-argument, it's almost like we're giving the opposite opinion.

So if someone's saying summer is the best season of the year, we're saying winter is the best and giving a reason why.

The other two kind of agree, summer is my favourite season, too, or winter is the worst because it's cold, so they're not very good or effective counter-arguments.

When you have to argue against what you actually believe, there are some things you can do.

You can think about the opposite of your points.

So let's imagine, let's go back to the cat example.

If you really love cats, but you've got to argue that they're not very good pets, you could think about all the reason you love cats, and then you could think of the opposite.

So for example, you might say, I love cats because they're really independent, and then you think, okay, well, the opposite of that would be, well, they're so independent, they just go off sometimes for three days at a time.

Or maybe another reason you might love cats is that you don't have to walk them, they don't need walking like a dog.

Well, then the opposite of that would be, it's not very fun because you can't take them out for walks.

So you can think about the opposite of your points.

That's one useful tip.

You can always think of a counter-argument, remember that's our keyword.

You can imagine what the other team might be thinking and put yourself in their shoes.

And you can choose one strong point.

Remember, one strong point is better than lots of weak ones.

So it's time for your second task.

You are going to, in this task, think of a counter-argument for each point.

Even if you agree with the opinion, it is important to practise the skill of arguing against what you actually believe.

I know that might seem a bit strange, but it's really important to practise it.

And remember to choose one strong point.

So, here are the points.

So, number one, everybody should walk or cycle to school, because it is better for the environment.

So, you need to think of a counter-argument for that point.

Okay, and here's the second one.

Homework should be optional, because some children might do after-school clubs.

If something is optional, it means you have the option to do it or not do it.

It's the opposite of something being compulsory, which means you have to do it.

So homework should be optional, you can choose if you want to do it or not do it.

So you need to think, with both of those examples, of a counter-argument.

Good luck with this task.

Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

Let's come back together.

So did you agree with the point, and was it difficult to think of a counter-argument? And did you choose one strong point instead of lots of little ones, weaker ones? So here is an example of what you might have said, an example of a counter-argument.

So everybody should walk or cycle to school, because it's better for the environment.

A counter-argument would be, for some children, it is too far or dangerous to walk or cycle to school.

So it's a counter-argument.

It's like I'm kind of, I'm giving the opposite.

I'm disagreeing and giving a reason why I disagree.

Number two, homework should be optional, because some children might do other after-school clubs.

So imagine in a debate someone said that as their argument.

I need to have a counter-argument.

So my counter-argument could be, homework should be compulsory, otherwise children won't do it.

Remember, we're always trying to convince the audience to agree with what we're saying.

Okay, well done.

Let's summarise what we have learned together today.

We've learned that people can agree or disagree with other people's opinions.

We've learned that a debate involves speakers disagreeing with each other.

Choosing a strong point is key to making a convincing argument.

That's what we're trying to do, convince the audience to agree with us.

And a counter-argument is when you hear someone else's point and respond with your own perspective and reasoning.

So well done for working so hard this lesson.

I hope you've enjoyed learning a little bit more about debating.

Hopefully, I'll see you for some more learning another time.