Preparing to debate
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can prepare to take part in a debate.
Key learning points
- Thorough preparation is important for a debate.
- Preparing for a debate includes generating points for your side of the argument.
- Points can be ordered from strongest to weakest to ensure the most effective points are included.
- Liaising with your team while writing speeches helps to avoid repetition.
- The PEPS structure stands for: point, explanation, proof, summary.
Keywords
Generate - to produce or create something
Order - to arrange things a particular way
Assign - to allocate or designate
Liaise - to communicate with someone else
Common misconception
Pupils may think that speakers in a debate are reading their speech word for word.
Teach pupils that speakers in a debate should just be using notes to guide their speech, not reading it word for word. Model how to do this effectively while maintaining eye contact with the audience.
Teacher tip
You may wish to spend more time in this lesson modelling how to write notes.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated?
Q2.True or false? A debate motion is often written as a belief or proposal.
Q3.Which of these motions is a proposal?
Q4.A great debate motion should be ...
Q5.Which of these motions would be fair for both sides to debate?
Q6.True or false? In schools, debates can be used to discuss topics that really matter and will have a genuine impact on the lives of the children at that school.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name of the team that argues for the motion in a debate?
Q2.Put these four steps in the order you should follow when preparing for a debate.
Q3.True or false? Points must be fully formed and written in full sentences when generating.
Q4.Which two of these could be reasons to consider one point to be more effective than another?
Q5.Which of these may feature in a speaker’s notes?
Q6.True or false? When writing notes for a speech, it is important to liaise with your teammates.
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Preparing to debate, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Preparing 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.