Ideas for Mini Debates
From The ICAL TEFL wiki
Before engaging your students in a classroom debate you may want to get them accustomed to discussing ideas and exchanging opinions.
Here are a few ideas for mini debates.
Zippy Debate Questions
1. Divide your class in groups of 3 to 4 students.
2. Give each student a handout containing a certain number of useful expressions for debates and discussions.
Here’s is a list you can refer to. Pick 3 expressions out of each list, giving preference to those which you think will suit your students’ level best.
- Stating an opinion
- Asking someone to repeat or explain
- Agreeing with someone
- Disagreeing with someone
- Persuading someone
3. Give student a few moments to go over their handout.
4. Explain that the aim of the activity is for them to use as many given expressions as possible in a meaningful and relevant way.
5. Finally, reveal the topic you have selected for debate. Topics could range from Dogs make better pets than cats to Being a teenager sucks to People who chat on the Internet don’t have a social life, etc.
6. Have each group debate a topic for 5 minutes max. Discreetly monitor each group as you move from group to group.
Annoying Cues
This activity is designed to help students express their feelings about annoying situations, whilst engaging in a quick exchange of opinions with their peers.
1. Review adjectives and expressions that can help students express frustration, annoyance, anger, etc.
For example:
2. Prepare a list of annoyances.
- People who crack their fingers to show off.
- Child proof tops you can't open.
- People who steal your answers in class.
- Slow drivers.
- Flies you can’t catch.
- Waiters who look the other way.
- Blackouts in the middle of good movies.
- People who press the lift button after you.
3. Model a short conversation and put the students in groups.
Teacher: What do you think of people who jump the queue in supermarkets?
Student 1: I think they are annoying and they should not be allowed to get away with it!
Student 2: On the other hand, it's ok if they have a small child with them who is crying.
Student 3: I disagree. If they can't handle their child they should not take them shopping.
