Debating across the curriculum

Debating for all: Much more than just a co-curricular activity

Many schools have debate clubs and enter teams into debating competition, but debate should be more than this. It can be a powerful learning tool for all children when it is used in the classroom.

Some of the advantages of using debate across the curriculum are:

Improving students’ ability to form arguments and to use reasoning and evidence
Allowing students to explore subject matter in depth and from different perspectives
Providing the ability to structure thoughts
Providing an engaging, active, pupil-centred activity which students enjoy
Hitting literacy and citizenship targets across the curriculum
Providing speaking and listening opportunities for EAL pupils
Giving stretch and challenge to G&T pupils
Increasing student’s confidence, self-esteem and articulacy

Teachers’ observations about the use of debate in the curriculum

When surveyed, teachers who use debate in the classroom reported the following benefits:

Improves self-confidence and self-esteem
Uses higher order thinking skills
Builds skills in research, teamwork and note-taking
Is an active pupil-led classroom strategy
Improves literacy and leads to better essay writing
Builds speaking and listening skills
Enforces the need to use evidence
Teaches skills in building and responding to arguments
Gives opportunity to practise thinking on your feet and working under pressure
Leads to structured thought and structured writing
Acts as an effective summary and revision tool
Shows that there are two sides to all issues and gives a constructive format for disagreement to be aired
Pupils enjoyed the activity and their learning.

Where can debate be used across the curriculum?

Everywhere!

Speaking & Listening component of English Curriculum
Citizenship: Key stage three pupils must take part in a debate; key stage four pupils must take part in a formal debate
Science: Explore how scientific issues affect the community (e.g. genetic engineering, nuclear power)
Humanities: Explore curriculum content (e.g. globalisation or the environment in Geography; ethical issues in RE; or time-set debates in history “it is 1912, debate if we should give women the vote”).
Literature: Explore textual issues or characters (e.g. “Lady Macbeth is to blame for the murders)
Foreign languages: Any debate in the target language
Arts: Subjects which explore the arts and their place in society/culture (e.g. “great art is subjective” or “productions of plays are best when they are set in the modern day”)