Start a debate with your students about interesting topics

1. DEBATES
Debates follow a specific structure:
Each side is given time to speak
either for or against the topic at hand.

2. DETAILS
1. Each of the representatives (mentioned by the teacher) must build a team 3 or 4
students.
2. After the teams are made, each representative will be informed of the debate topic
and their position on the issue.
3. Each team will get 5 minutes to help the representative get properly informed and
ready to participate in the corresponding debate.
4. Each debate takes 15 minutes or more.
5. Once a single debate has finished, every team will have 4 minutes to discuss with the
moderators and share ideas mentioned during the debate, also provide arguments to
choose the winner.

3. STATING AN OPINION
• In our opinion...
•We (don’t) think that…
•The way we see it...
• If you want our honest opinion...
•As far as I'm concerned...
•Our position is the following…

4. SEQUENCING
• Firstly…, secondly…, our third point is that…
• The first good reason to… is that… ; next ; what’s more ; moreover….
• To begin, we think that… ; in addition, you have to know that… ; last but not least….
• The first point I would like to raise is this…
• Here’s the main point I want to raise…
• I’d like to deal with two points here. The first is…

5. “I’M LISTENING TO THE OTHER SIDE.”
• I see your point, but I think…
• Yes, I understand, but my opinion is that…
• That’s all very interesting, but the problem is that…
• I think I’ve got your point, now let me respond to it.
• We can see what you’re saying. Here’s my reply…

6. DISAGREEING
• Excuse me, but that’s not quite correct.
• Sorry, I just have to disagree with your point.
• Let me just respond to that, please.
• We said that… but the other side has not replied to our point.
• I’d like to focus on two points that the other side has failed to address.
• There are two issues our opponents have failed to dispute, namely…
• We pointed out that…
• Our opponents have claimed that…
• To recap the main points…
• In summary, we want to point out that…

7. What is best … to
become an
architect or
an engineer?

8. What is the most
dangerous job…
pilot or police
officer?

9. Who earns the
highest salary…
scientists or IT
workers?

10. Who earns the
highest salary…
scientists or IT
workers?

11. Who works in the
worst conditions
nurses or
cleaners?

12. What is the
easiest job…
musician or
actor/actress?

13. ARE MEN
STRONGER
THAN WOMEN?

14. WHAT'S
BETTER:
TRADITIONAL
OR ONLINE
EDUCATION?

15. SHOULD
PEOPLE
BECOME
VEGETARIAN?

16. IS FEMINISM
IRRELEVANT IN
THE 21ST
CENTURY?

17. DOES SOCIAL
MEDIA
IMPROVE OR
IMPEDE
COMMUNICATIO
N?

18. DRUG ADDICTS
SHOULD BE
HELPED RATHER
THAN PUNISHED.

19. HOMOSEXUAL
RELATIONSHIPS
ARE AGAINST
NATURE

20. ALL PEOPLE
SHOULD HAVE
THE RIGHT TO
OWN GUNS.

21. VACCINATION
SHOULD BE
MANDATORY

22. MORALS OR
MONEY? WHICH
ONE IS
NECESSARY TO
SURVIVE?

23. IS THE DEATH
PENALTY
EFFECTIVE AS
A
PUNISHMENT?

24. POLICE
SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO
USE LETHAL
FORCE.

25. SHOULD
EUTHANASIA BE
LEGAL?

26. ANIMAL
TESTING
SHOULD BE
BANNED.

27. ALL DRUGS
SHOULD BE
LEGALIZED

28. GAY COUPLES
SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO
ADOPT
CHILDREN.

29. SHOULD ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS BE
TREATED AS
CRIMINALS?

30. SHOULD
HUMAN
CLONING BE
LEGALIZED?

31. THE COUNTRY
SHOULD ALLOW
MORE
REFUGEES TO
ENTER

32. ABORTION
SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE TO
ALL WOMEN

33. CAN
CENSORSHIP
EVER BE
JUSTIFIED?