Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MoneyMike]

Hey guys. For the first time, I've got a couple classes with students high enough level to really do some interesting activities. I'd like to do debates in these classes, but I'm not really sure how to go about it.

I've got a good list of topics I think are interesting, and plan on making a basic fact sheet for each. Other than introducing students to the debate format, what else will I need to cover before they can actually start working on their arguments?

Any advice is much appreciated!

[OculisOrbis]

First, you should get some training and become a Master Debater.....Although, to get to that level, I hear it can also be self-taught.

[winterfall]

Debate is really hard to teach to Korean kids cause they're not used to critical thinking activities and even Korean English teachers seem to have a lot of problems with it. My school asks me to do it for the teachers once in awhile, this is what I've done but it's far from perfect.

You'll need to teach them how to use graphical organizers like venn diagrams to organize ideas.

http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/venn_diagrams/

And also include a list of vocabulary words they should know with each topic.

Use easy topics like who's a better action actor, Brad pitt or angelina jolie. Give them a fact sheet and let them list out the similarities and differences. Then randomly assign who gets what.

Based on what they wrote in the Pitt or Jolie bubble, have them use them as reference points to make a list of specific examples like movie names . And let them write down their arguments in pairs while you check

[RangerMcGreggor]

Use simple speaking activities. Impromptu speeches (using simple stuff like "Vanilla vs Chocolate, "Cats vs Dogs."), having them start with simple speeches (introductions, etc), tongue twisters and over-enunciation. Many students are just afraid to speak so getting them over that hurdle will help.

winterfall's information is also good

[millyfrend]

Debates are good. They're going to be lawyers one day. But if they're not good, some might be sensitive and cry cause they can't debate.

[MoneyMike]

Thanks for the thoughts folks!

I think it might be better to start with essay writing. I'm supposed to split my classes between speaking and writing, so if I go over essay writing for a few weeks or even a month or 2 first, I can introduce them to making a solid argument that way, and then move on to debates after that.

Didn't realize that high school students wouldn't be confident in making arguments right from the get go.

[southernman]

I had some ok debate classes when I was teaching at a Hagwon. The students were very high level though. I split the class girls vs boys and made a rule that everyone had to have at least 3 times speaking throughout the course of the debate. I kept the subjects to what the students themselves had views on.

Should the 2 Korea's become one country
Should females have to do the military service as well as males, etc

In my class the girls were the more voca,l for the most part, so it was hard to get some of the quieter boys to talk. I solved that problem by writing about a 180 word paragraph on the whiteboard and saying that anyone who didn't talk 3 times had to write the paragragh 10 times. I then wrote everyones name on the board and they got a tick beside their name when they spoke.

Both of the topics I mentioned above were the best debates, everyone got into it, I found their responses were actually good and even Middle School kids had thought about both issues.

However unless you've got an awesome highschool class you're possibly in for a lot of frustration on your part and apathy from your students. Good luck, Though!

[tealeeds1]

[olsanairbase]

Moot Court
http://www.wcl.american.edu/org/mootcourt/highschool.cfm

Mock Trial
http://www.azflse.org/mocktrial/2011/


In General in terms of teaching speech techniques this is a great site:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

[Fishead soup]

Get some books by Jack Matire prefferably geared towards high school or middle school students. Allow them to choose topics K pop would be a good one so would corporal punishment in the classroom. Put them in groups and have them prepare there arguments. You walk around be a facilitator. Then have a debate with the whole class.
You can also brainstorm pro's and con's and generate lots of sentences.
Get them to talk about who's better 2NE1 or Girls Generation make powerpoints with pictures of K pop and popular video games teach them
comparatives and superelatives.