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Cooperative Learning in Teaching DebatesAs soon as debates is a team game, to become a skilful debator, one should possess team skills or the ability to work cooperatively. Only working cooperatively it is possible to master critical thinking, which is crucial in debating. Relating to debates critical thinking suggests the following skills:
1.Active listening skills come 1st because they are very important to keep a debater on track to come out with a relevant P.I.O., argument and to build a countercase. Exercise 1.1 Task: Listen to a newspaper article and try to remember as much relevant information as possible without taking notes Stage1: A trainer reads aloud a news item or a short story. Stage2: In pairs debaters discuss what each of them has remembered. Stage3: Each pair shares their stories with the whole group and together they discuss and decide what stories were the best (contained the most precise, important and relevant information. Exercise 1.2 Aim: To develop active listening skills. Stage1: The trainer explains to debaters that active listening suggests the ability to clarify, ask for clarification, summarise, paraphrase, express support, bring out the most important aspects, specify, define the main idea and they are expected to demonstrate these skills doing the exercise. All these skills are written on the blackboard as well as some topics eg. Cloning, human rights, euthanasia etc. Stage2: Debaters are split into groups of five. In each group there is a speaker, an observer and three listeners. Stage3: Each group chooses the topic and then the speaker speaks on it for 3 to 5 minutes. After that the listeners discuss it clarifying, paraphrasing, specifying etc. The task of the observer is to fill in an observation sheet to record in what way each listener contributed to active listening. Stage4 (processing) : In each group debaters discuss how well each listener performed and then switch roles. Exercise 1.3 Aim: To develop active listening skills working cooperatively on retelling a story. Stage1: Debaters are split into groups of five. Each group is given the same story for Retelling, parts of which are written on separate pieces of paper. Each debater gets only one piece and he cannot exchange it, but only tell what he has read and listen to others. Stage2: Debaters are trying to retell the story exchanging information while speaking and listening to each other.They are also expected to demonstrate active listening skills mentioned above. The group which is able to retell the story quicker, better than other groups and in the most relevant way, wins. 2.Logical thinking is also very important to develop a unique overview of debates and underlying philosophies, to build a convincing case. Exercise 2.1 Aim: To develop skills of logical thinking and guessing. The trainer reads aloud some Latin sayings and expressions which may contain some international words without translating them into English. Using logical thinking debaters should discuss them in pairs, try to translate into English or guess their meaning. Exercise 2.2 Aim: To develop skills of logical thinking and anticipation. Stage1: The trainer records on videotapes some debates. The debaters watch/listen to the debate for some minutes and then the trainer stops the video in the place preceding a POI. Debaters should discuss in groups of three or pairs what POI will follow and then compare it with the original. Stage2: Analysing the anticipated POIs the trainer should appreciate not only the ones which were closer to the original but the smartest and most relevant POIs which may have injected some humour into the situation and may be better than the original ones. If you do not have videotaped debates at hand you may use a recording of some scientific programs, news reports or scenes from movies. Exercise 2.3 Aim: To develop skills of logical thinking using body language and facial expressions. The debaters watch some scenes from a movie without the sound. Then in groups of three or five depending upon the number of characters in the scene they are given the task to reproduce the conversation based on the body language of the characters, their facial expression, the setting. The most relevant, smartest performance presented with a sense of humour is appreciated. 3.Defining the main idea and summarising skills are important to come out with an appropriate POI and to present a good rebuttal. Exercise 3.1 Aim: To develop skills of defining the main idea. A speaker gives a 3-minute speech on some topic or reads a newspaper article or an extract from a newspaper during which debaters should define and put down the main idea of it. Then they discuss and analyse for the best one. In other exercises of this kind debaters may be asked to put down the key or buzz words of each paragraph and discuss them in pairs and later with the whole group. Exercise 3.2 Aim: To develop summarising skills using Creative Problem Solving Model. Task: To prepare a short summary of the story in 15 minutes. Stage1: Debaters are split into groups of three and listen to a story. Stage2: The trainer explaines Creative Problem Solving Model which is as follows: States the problem (a summary of 5 sentences in 15 minutes). Gather the facts (the story). Generate ideas (brainstorming) using D (do accept all ideas) O (be original) V (various ideas) E (be energetic) Analyse for best five Rationale Stage3: Debaters in groups work on the problem for 15 minutes. Stage4: Each group presents its summary. Stage5: Processing. 4.Spontaneity skills are necessary to be able to accept a POI and react to it appropriately, to build a countercase. Exercise 4.1 Stage1: A trainer reads aloud a quotation, a saying or a statement on this or that topic and debaters should spontaneously react to it by either giving their own quick interpretation of it or refutation or just some smart remark containing humour. Stage2: Together debaters analyse and choose the best responses and keep the record of them to teach the others. Exercise 4.2 For the purpose mentioned above you may use strip cartoons or pictures or even encourage pantomimes. Stage1: Students are split into two groups. Stage2: The first group presents a pantomime and the second reacts to it and then they switch roles. Inventiveness, relevance, humour and spontaneity are appreciated. Senior Teacher of the BSU Maya Nechayeva. |
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