KS3 & KS4 English curriculum

This unit builds on the primary English units where pupils started to have simple structured debates. It also builds on the secondary English unit, 'the fundamentals of effective discussion', where pupils learnt about how to form opinions and listen carefully to others. In this unit, pupils learn how they can use their active listening skills to understand and counter other people's arguements. This unit builds towards the unit 'creating and performing slam poetry', where pupils will continue to build their confidence in articulating themselves in public speaking.

1. What is a formal debate?
2. Creating and presenting opening arguments for a debate
3. Responding in debates: effective rebuttals
4. Time to debate: planning, evaluating and participating

• pupils understand what makes a productive discussion and an effective active listener
• pupils can develop a discussion by responding appropriately and asking effective questions
• pupils understand how to effectively choose and use evidence to develop comments in a discussion
• pupils can use a success criteria to evaluate spoken language skills and offer specific feedback
• pupils understand the fundamentals of formal speaking