How to Teach Debate

Introducing the Basics of Debate

Start by defining debate as a series of formal arguments. Explain that a debate shouldn’t just be a rowdy, unruly free-for-all. Let your students know that a debate is a timed and structured clash of ideas. Arguments should be based on credible evidence rather than gut feelings, personal attacks, or unsupported opinions.

Establish ground rules for courtesy and tone. Instruct students to be courteous and attentively listen to the opposing side. Encourage them to speak audibly and with passion, but tell them that they shouldn’t shout or insult the opposing side. If you plan on conducting a structured, timed debate, inform students that they should only speak when it’s their turn and to stick to time limits.

Identify your expected learning outcomes. At the start of the lesson or unit, outline how debate hones skills such as critical thinking, language arts, and teamwork. If you’re grading their debate performance, discuss your rubric or expectations with your students. Researching, analyzing sources, and forming an argument hone critical thinking skills. Possible rubric criteria could be “Gathered 3 to 5 credible, relevant sources” or “Formed a rational, well-supported argument.” Writing a debate outline and presenting the argument orally help refine language skills. Rubric criteria could be “Completed oral and written assignments with no spelling or grammar errors,” “Presented statements clearly and audibly,” or “Followed debate format and stayed within time limits.” If you’ve assigned debate teams, criteria could be “Made an individual statement that contributed to the team’s argument” or “Team demonstrated cooperation and equal participation.”

Show debate video clips and ask students to evaluate them. You can use clips of competitive scholastic debates, presidential debates, or debates between local politicians. Try to include a range of examples, such as debaters who lose their cool, merely list facts, and provide engaging, well-crafted arguments. After playing clips, ask students to write short reflection papers or fill out an evaluation handout. Prompt them with questions such as, “Which qualities or strategies made one debater more effective than another? How did debaters support claims with facts and data? Is it more important to list evidence or to speak with an interesting, engaging, and confident tone?” Invite students to share their reflections, list effective debate qualities on the board, and look for common themes among responses.

Researching and Constructing Arguments

Stress the importance of research. After providing debate examples, discuss how the best debaters are knowledgeable about their given topics. They’ve gathered research, cite credible sources, and support opinions with concrete facts. Compare successful examples with debaters who haven’t done their research. For example, you might show a clip of a politician who rambles in order to avoid an unfamiliar topic or when they don’t want to commit to a position. You could also look for a debater who quotes a reputable source, but takes it out of context. They might quote a medical researcher who said, “Further research is needed, but this new treatment might be effective,” then try to argue that the new treatment is always and absolutely effective.

Explain how to construct an argument. Mention that, while supporting a claim with evidence is essential, a good debater doesn’t just mindlessly list facts. Tell them that an argument has a thesis, which concisely summarizes its claims, and weaves together evidence in a logical, engaging manner. Break down an example argument into distinct parts: a thesis or claim, a summary that maps out the argument, and the logical reasoning and evidence that proves the claim. For instance, “Public lands should not be transferred to state or private control” is a thesis. A roadmap could be, “Examining legal precedence will show that public land transfers are legally impossible. Further, increased state taxes and negative effects on wildlife make potential land transfers economically and environmentally undesirable.” Statements during the debate could then focus on specific evidence. The first statement on legal precedence could cover U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the Constitution's Property Clause. It could also review the fact that permanently giving up land was often a condition of statehood. The next statement could cover how much it would cost a state to manage newly acquired land, which would result in tax increases. A final statement could focus on environmental impacts if states were to sell transferred land for private development, such as mining.

Choose an engaging topic. You’ll need to assign a debate topic before having students gather research and construct arguments. Pick a topic that will engage students without being so contentious that it prevents a polite debate. Examples topics might be, “Should schools implement dress codes,” “Do electronic devices affect child development,” or “Should there be an extra tax on sugar or unhealthy foods?”

Divide students into for and against sides. In smaller settings, you might be able to let students pick their own side and still have both positions equally represented. However, assigning positions to students is usually easier, especially in larger groups. Assign around 4 students to a debate team, and assign them a position. If you’re teaching a class of 20 to 30 students, choose multiple debate topics and choose 2 teams to debate each topic.

Assign each student with a specific role. Assign students with debate roles such as opening and closing statements or rebuttals. You could also have them divide statements among themselves. If students are divided in groups of 4, you could assign the first student to make the opening statement, the second to offer a rebuttal to the opposing opening statement, the third to present further evidence, and the fourth to make the closing statement. Each role has its own challenges. Opening and closing statements must establish an argument’s scope and summarize it. Statements within the heart of the debate must present evidence in a convincing, engaging manner. The entire team will need to think on their feet in order to adjust statements and refute the other side’s claims.

Have students gather at least 3 to 5 authoritative sources. Ideally, students will have at least 2 to 3 days to conduct research. Identify examples of good sources, such as scholarly articles, government websites, and medical journals. Instruct them to look for facts and data that support their assigned position and to evaluate a source’s credibility. For instance, a summary of a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court’s website is authoritative, but a rambling blog post isn’t a credible source. In formal debates, debaters copy quotes, facts, and figures onto cards for reference during the debate. You can have students make cards or allow them to use argument outlines that include quotes and data.

Assign an argument outline or position paper. After they’ve gathered sources, students should organize their arguments in writing. Have each team come up with an argument outline that summarizes their claim, roadmap, and support. Each student should then write out or create a more detailed outline for their assigned statement. For instance, if a student is making the opening statement, they should write it out or make an outline of its key points. Assigning a position paper, or a more formal writing assignment that details their argument, might also be appropriate for older students.

Conducting a Debate

Select a debate format and explain it to the students. Sticking to a set structure and keeping track of time will help you maintain an orderly debate. From classical debate to public forum structure, there are a variety of available formats. A modified classical debate format is usually the best choice when teaching debate to beginners. The 2 sides take turns making timed statements and rebuttals, then each makes a closing statement.

Have teams present timed opening statements and rebuttals. In classical debate, openings statements last 6 minutes. If you want to lighten students’ loads or if time constraints are an issue, set opening statements at 2 to 3 minutes. The side in favor goes first, then the side opposed makes a rebuttal, which you could set at 1 minute. The side opposed then makes its opening statement, and the side in favor issues their rebuttal.

Allow students to take turns presenting and rebutting evidence. After opening statements and first rebuttals, each team makes timed statements that support their claim and refute the opposing argument. In classical debate, each side has 4 to 6 minutes per statement or rebuttal. If you need to squeeze multiple debates in a single class period, give students 2 to 3 minutes to make each statement. If time allows, give students 30 seconds to a minute in between statements to organize rebuttals to the other team’s argument.

Have each side present closing statements. The side in favor summarizes their argument in a closing statement first. Then the side opposed issues their closing statement. If time allows, give each team 30 seconds to a minute to make adjustments before making their closing statements.

Instruct the students to evaluate the debate. After the debate, assign a winner (if you think it's appropriate) and discuss it as a group. Ask students to reflect on the concept of formal debate and the importance of making a clear, well-reasoned, and well-supported argument. For homework, have them write a brief reflection or fill out an evaluation handout. Handout questions could include, “What are some qualities that make a debater effective? How could any of the teams have improved their arguments? How important is it to stick to a debate format’s rules?”