Speaking and listening in English - formal debating teams
One of the most memorable English topics in Year 6 is the debate topic in the Spring term.
To begin with, the children were taught about how a formal debate is conducted and the different roles such as chairperson, team captains and timekeeper. This required them to learn the rules and conventions of structured debates, as well as the etiquette that should be followed. The pupils were then given an opportunity to practise their skills of persuasion, by conducting some mini-debates on some controversial topics, such as should pets be banned.
Once the children were confident with the structure of debates, they were introduced to the motion which they would be debating – weather a fictional building company should be granted permission to build 100 new houses on the edge of Roundhay Park. This challenging but realistic motion, instantly promoted huge amounts of discussion, as different individuals had different points of view. Due to its proximity to school, the park is a much-used and appreciated landmark for the children; however, others appreciated the significant number of homeless people who needed somewhere to live. More points drew out the potential damage this project would have on wildlife or the potential benefits to local businesses.
The children were put into teams and allocated a particular aspect of the argument, such as economy or environment. They were then given time to plan, write and edit their argument before they were asked to present it in a final debate. The level of formality used was an important teaching point that the children focused on. For this, the classroom was moved around to create a platform for those who were speaking. The debates were then held with each child being given a set amount of time to speak, before others were able to respond to their arguments and ask questions.
At the end of each debate, the audience voted for the proposing or opposing team based on the strength of the team’s arguments. The children demonstrated many skills: formality, elaboration and an ability to respond appropriately to others. It was an ambitious task, but many children said that they would like to join debating teams at high school, as they found the challenge so enjoyable.
