Tonight I am going to (hopefully) begin a course in debating at a High School where I do extra classes. I'm flying in the dark but here is a link from which I have taken ideas:
http://www.paulnoll.com/Books/Clear-English/English-debate.html
And here is another link:
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krieger-Debate.html
So I will update my blog with comments on my progress. It was a student's idea to do this.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Debatable
It's debatable whether or not the first debating class was very good. The students understood the instructions but found it difficult to form their opinions in English. I went around the classroom helping the students. I taught them the difference between having an opinion and providing a reason. We could probably continue to prepare a proper debate next time but it is just too dry. I'll probably have to do something else instead. Anyway, this is an extra class and the head teacher offered me 30,000 won per hour, which to my great surprise I found myself turning down. I said I wanted 50,000 won or I would finish at the end of April. I've never done that before. They haven't given me an outcome but I wonder how it will turn out.
Long history
There is a long history of debating in English in Korea, starting around the turn of the 20th Century. For advanced level students there are still English debates in various universities, with awards and prizes as well.
Topics, of course, could motivate the students to learn. Showing a short film clip of high school students in America or another country, and one of HS Korean students, and then propose "HS students should wear uniforms" might be an example.
Debating is a useful activity, as it requires all 5 areas of language. However, I think it could really only effectively be used by advanced level students.
Lee Lalka
이신한
李新韓
website: http://leelalka.googlepages.com Specifically orientated to my students and teachers in Uljin and Jukbyeon. Hopefully useful to all.
Well, debating is over.
Well, debating is over. The school said they couldn't pay me what I asked for, so they found another teacher. In the meantime I got offered evening classes at the school I taught at last year, for 50,000 won per hour. So being staunch on the pay rate paid off for me. The school I am returning to is a middle school, so debating might be a little difficult. I will try to get them to discuss topics but not formally debate them. Pity in a way, because I was looking forward to learning about debating too.