Step 1: Brainstorm Ideas:
- Individual Brainstorm – Allow five minutes of silent time for individual brainstorming – the pupils should write one point on each of the sticky notes. Tell them to use key words rather than full sentences.
- Group Brainstorm – Each group needs a sheet of paper and a “chair”. The chair should go around the group hearing all the ideas and sticking them on the paper. Duplicated ideas get stuck on together.
Step 2: Organize Ideas:
The group then need another sheet of paper on which they write 1-9 down the side. From the brainstorm, they need to identify between 7 and 9 arguments. They may have more than these so to get them down they can:
- Scrap small or insignificant arguments
- Join together similar arguments to make larger ones
- On their sheet, they need to write down the names of the arguments. Each NAME should BE no longer THAN three WORDS.
They then need to divide the arguments between the first three speakers. The first speaker should have 3 arguments. The second and third speaker should have two or three arguments. The fourth speaker doesn't have any new arguments.
Step 3: Structure The Speeches:
Introduce the idea of the speech structure on the board:
- Introduction – who are you and what do you stand for?
- Preview – what are the names of the points you are going to cover?
- Rebuttal – unless you are the first speaker, you’d say “first let's take a look at what we heard from the previous speaker” and disagree with their points.
- Point one – “now onto my points”
- Name
- Explanation (the reasoning – why is your point true and why does it mean your overall position is right?
- Evidence (facts, analogies, examples, imagery or authority to support your reasoning)
- Point two – name, explanation, evidence
- Point three – name, explanation, evidence
- Reminder – remind the audience of the three points you have covered vote for us.
Step 4: Prepare Your Speeches:
Introduce the idea of developing your arguments by “making them REAL”
- Reason
- Evidence
- Analysis
- Link
Choose the first speakers in each group and allow them some time to think about how to create each of their points REAL. Only allow them to write down six words for each point (in addition to the name)– it’s speaking and listening not reading out! Choose the summary speaker and either a chair or timekeeper from each group
Step 5: Prepare The Rest Of The Class:
Whilst the first three speakers are preparing their speeches: the summary speakers need to think what they think the biggest issues in the debate will be. Their speech will focus on three big problems and show why their side has won those problems. The chairs, timekeepers and any other pupils should try to think what the other side might say and come up with rebuttal.
Debater Duties:
Each debater has three duties in his or her speech: construction, deconstruction and comparison. While the time spent on these duties varies from speech to speech, debaters should keep these 3 priorities in mind when preparing their remarks:
- Construction refers to the debater’s obligation to bring new substantive matter to the round, i.e., Each debater should develop arguments to support his or her team’s position. Also called developing and advancing a case, debaters will be evaluated in part on their ability to build arguments that prove their position on the motion.
- Deconstruction is the obligation to address the constructive matter advanced by groups on the other side of the debate; debaters should discuss the weakness and shortcomings in their opponents’ arguments. Also called refutation, deconstruction is what most people think of when they imagine a debate. Here is where debaters check and critique the constructive arguments created by the other side.
- Comparison refers to the duty to place all of the debaters' constructive and deconstructive efforts into context. While comparing arguments, debaters should tell the adjudicators and their audience concerning the relevance of the arguments made, how each team’s position should be considered relative to others and why, ultimately, how their team's arguments prove the motion. The purpose of comparison is to tell the adjudicators how they should perceive the arguments in the round and how their arguments are relevant to the question posed by the motion.