Debate in English

1.

Debate in English
Saturday of Vyborg’s pupils
Leaded by
Elena Condratova

2.

What is Debate?
Debate is the science and
art of argumentation
Why Debate?
develops tolerant and open-minded future leaders
helps develop your critical thinking skills
fosters issue awareness
Improves all your language and communication skills
is a learning process
Debate is fun!

3.

Topics
Abortion: pro-life or pro-choice
Marriage- for better or for worse
Telling lies is sometimes for the better
AIDS Should the people be treated differently if
they have HIV?
Women will never be equal to men in the
workplace
Military service should be obligatory
Euthanasia should be legalized

4.

5.

Karl Popper debate format
Number of people in the debate: 6
Number of people in a team: 3
Number of teams in the debate: 2
Duration of the speeches: 5 minutes
Questions format: Cross examination
prep time: 8 minutes

6.

Karl Popper debate participants
affirmation (aff)team
3 speakers
opposition (opp) team
3 speakers

7.

8.

Introductory speech
Usually given by first speaker of the affirmation team
What is the topic of the case?
What is the controversy about?
Abortion: pro-life or pro-choice
Marriage- for better or for worse
Telling lies is sometimes for the better
AIDS Should the people be treated differently if they
have HIV?
Women will never be equal to men in the workplace
Military service should be obligatory
Euthanasia should be legalized
Topic:
The problem (issue)of _____________ is widely discussed nowadays.
Controversy: Some people believe that ____________________.
However others are sure that ____________.
“As the affirmative team we reserve the right to clarify any definitions throughout this
round.”

9.

Affirmative case
Two strategies
1. Research and find evidence
First, you will start with advantages. Most
cases have no less then three advantages.
2. Make up a topical sentence
It should introduce your team’s point of view and
summarize (generalize) all your evidences
1.Consider the actual problem the case will resolve
First, you will start with HARMS. Harms are what is wrong.
Most cases have no less then three harms.
2. Make up a topical sentence
It should list the harms which can be caused by the
wrong choice. Introduce your team’s point of view
which will resolve those harms listed above.
3. Organize your arguments :
1. Evaluate your arguments, which is the strongest, weakest, etc.
2. Introduce them in the following order: 1 strong argument
2. the weakest argument
3. the strongest argument
“As the affirmative team we reserve the right to clarify any definitions throughout this round.”

10.

Foetus ['fiːtəs]
A foetus is an animal or human being in its
later stages of development before it is
born.
full-term foetus —
overmature foetus —
premature foetus
unborn foetus
viable foetus
to abort a foetus

11.

Pregnancy ['pregnənsɪ]
the condition or period of being pregnant
consecutive pregnancy
defective pregnancy
late pregnancy
false pregnancy
term pregnancy
normal pregnancy
incomplete pregnancy
multiple pregnancy
contraception of pregnancy
interruption of pregnancy — abortion
pregnancy test
early pregnancy
interrupted pregnancy
2) great pregnancy of thought \ speech
Earth pregnancy
ectopic pregnancy
womb [wuːm] - the organ in the lower body of a woman or
female mammal where offspring are conceived and in which
they gestate before birth; the uterus ['juːt(ə)rəs]
Conception (to conceive) the very beginning of pregnancy

12.

Reading

13.

Arguments
Adolescence is a wrong stage of life for bearing a baby.
To be able to give a baby all the love and care it needed
To be ready to all the responsibilities of motherhood
It isn’t fair to a baby if the mother isn’t there for it.
Unstable relationship of adolescents could lead to breakup, leaving a child without the father.
It isn't fair on young mother’s parents who will have to help bring the child up.
Getting education and gaining work experience is virtually impossible with a baby.
The decision should be made after lots and lots of soul-searching