Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 6
How to debate
I can understand what a debate is and deliver a speech.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- A debate is a structured argument between two teams who either agree or disagree with a motion.
- The motion is the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated.
- An opinion is a view or belief that a person has and robust reasoning supports an opinion.
- The PEPS structure stands for: point, explanation, proof, summary.
Keywords
Debate - a structured argument between two teams
Opinion - a view or belief that a person has
Reasoning - explaining why a person has a certain opinion
Motion - the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated
Common misconception
Pupils may think that a speech in a debate can be improvised on the spot and not follow a structure.
Teach pupils that following a structure will help to make their speech flow better and be easier for an audience to follow.
To help you plan your year 6 English lesson on: How to debate, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 English lesson on: How to debate, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the Debating important topics unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name for a group of people gathered to watch a performance or listen to a speech?
Q2.How many teams take part in a debate?
Q3.What is the name for the topic that is being debated?
Q4.What is the name for the team that agrees with the motion?
Q5.True or false? When making a speech in a debate, it is important to speak in a loud, clear voice.
Q6.True or false? A debate will involve a summary speaker summarising what their teammates have said.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.True or false? We should all have the same opinions.
Q2.Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
a structured argument between two teams
explaining why a person has a certain opinion
the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated