New
New
Year 6
Preparing to debate
I can prepare to take part in a debate.
New
New
Year 6
Preparing to debate
I can prepare to take part in a debate.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Thorough preparation is important for a debate.
- Preparing for a debate includes generating points for your side of the argument.
- Points can be ordered from strongest to weakest to ensure the most effective points are included.
- Liaising with your team while writing speeches helps to avoid repetition.
- The PEPS structure stands for: point, explanation, proof, summary.
Keywords
Generate - to produce or create something
Order - to arrange things a particular way
Assign - to allocate or designate
Liaise - to communicate with someone else
Common misconception
Pupils may think that speakers in a debate are reading their speech word for word.
Teach pupils that speakers in a debate should just be using notes to guide their speech, not reading it word for word. Model how to do this effectively while maintaining eye contact with the audience.
You may wish to spend more time in this lesson modelling how to write notes.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What is the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated?
the topic
the title
Q2.
True or false? A debate motion is often written as a belief or proposal.
Q3.
Which of these motions is a proposal?
This house believes that the school day should be longer.
This house believes that making the school day longer would improve attainment.
Q4.
A great debate motion should be ...
complicated.
not relevant to the speakers.
Q5.
Which of these motions would be fair for both sides to debate?
This house believes chocolate is healthier than fruit.
This house would allow children to drive cars.
Q6.
True or false? In schools, debates can be used to discuss topics that really matter and will have a genuine impact on the lives of the children at that school.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What is the name of the team that argues for the motion in a debate?
opposition
motion
Q2.
Put these four steps in the order you should follow when preparing for a debate.
Q3.
True or false? Points must be fully formed and written in full sentences when generating.
Q4.
Which two of these could be reasons to consider one point to be more effective than another?
It will make the opposing team angry.
It would be difficult to find proof for.
Q5.
Which of these may feature in a speaker’s notes?
full sentences
word for word quotations
Q6.
True or false? When writing notes for a speech, it is important to liaise with your teammates.