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Teaching debate

Teaching debate. Tamási J. Gergely Hungarian Debate Association / International Business School. Why bother?. matura examinations require argumentation techniques “success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the (target) language” (Nunan, 1991)

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Teaching debate

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  1. Teaching debate Tamási J. Gergely Hungarian Debate Association / International Business School

  2. Why bother? • matura examinations require argumentation techniques • “success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the (target) language” (Nunan, 1991) • speaking is fundamental to human communication

  3. Why debate? • Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) at work • Focuses on and/or provides grounds for the development of discourse, actional, socio-cultural, strategic, and linguistic competences (Celce-Murcia et. al., 1995) • Takes advantage of “gaps” • experience, opinion, and knowledge gaps • Uses authentic materials in an authentic task

  4. Why debate? (– cont’d –) • Provides integrated skills practice • reading (= researching the topic) • writing (= “flowing” the debate) • listening (for gist and specific information) • speaking (individual long turns and interactions)

  5. Why debate? (– cont’d –) • Provides cross-curricular links • history & citizenship studies • psychology • biology • etc. • Teaches critical thinking (cf., Pratkanis & Aronson, 1992) and a problem-oriented approach

  6. What is debate? • “Debate is disagreement put into a frame.” (Molnár & Tamási, 2003) • Disagreement… (cf., gap) • … on a certain topic = resolution (motion) (e.g., Resolved: That the government should take steps to decrease juvenile crime.) • … between two sides = affirmative vs. negative

  7. What is debate? • Frame: • sequence of speeches • time allocated to speeches/preparation • Debate formats: • number of people per side (1 vs. 1; 2x2 vs. 2x2) • limited preparation vs. unlimited preparation • amount of interaction between the two sides (cross-examinations, points of information, just the speeches)

  8. The building blocks • definitions • problem-solution model • advantages (constructive arguments) and disadvantages (counter-arguments) • refutation (attacking arguments) and rebuttal (rebuilding arguments)

  9. When to start? • Sustained monologue: Putting a case (e.g., in a debate): • “Can develop an argument systematically with appropriate highlighting of significant points, and relevant supporting detail.” (CEFR B2+) • “Can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions, plans and actions.” (CEFR B1-)

  10. When to start? (– cont’d –) • Formal discussions • “Can follow much of what is said that is related to his/her field, provided interlocutors avoid very idiomatic usage and articulate clearly. Can put over a point of view clearly… . Can take part in routine formal discussion of familiar subjects … which involve the exchange of factual information” (CEFR B1)

  11. What to teach? • Communicative competence • topic-related vocabulary (linguistic competence) • functional elements (expressing agreement/disagreement, etc.) = actional competence • structuring speeches (= discourse competence) • communication strategies (= strategic competence)

  12. What to teach? • Develop general language skills • note-taking (writing) • skimming and scanning (reading) • extensive listening • speaking (individual long turns & interactions)

  13. What to teach? • Building blocks of debate • definitions • problem-solution model • arguments • refutations • CX (cf., http://www.idebate.org)

  14. Practice, practice, practice • debate club at school • competitions at home (Hungarian Debate Association) • competitions abroad (International Debate Education Association = IDEA)

  15. Further information • http://www.idebate.orgHomepage of the International Debate Education Association with exercises. • http://www.debatabase.orgHuge searchable database of debate cases (arguments for and against) • <tamasig@argumentation.hu>My e-mail address.

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