Intranet
Arguments and Debates. Are you for or against? At Optimist International School, Group 6 recently researched everything about arguments and debates.
-by Clare Beatson, primary educator Optimist International School
The students had to summarise main ideas, inquire into features of a good argument, as well as planning and rehearsing arguments for and against different issues.
They explored the following topics:
- Fidget toys should be allowed in class
- CCTV cameras should be installed in classrooms
- We should be allowed to have extra play today
- Teachers should be allowed to give detentions after school.
Rhetorical questions
But the final debate topic chosen by the children was – “should children get paid for doing jobs at home”? The class practiced using their adverbials to connect ideas and to form strong persuasive paragraphs using a topic sentence and following up with facts, evidence, and opinions. Students also applied previous learning, including rhetorical questions, to help draw in the listeners.
The final debate
The students worked in teams to formulate convincing arguments for the final debate. On debate day, you could feel the amazing energy coming through, as the students took turns to share their arguments. There was also an opportunity for rebuttal against the arguments of the opposing team. The debates were both persuasive and intense, with teams passionately arguing their points and confidently presenting creative ideas for each case.
