4+Structuring+the+Debate


 * Structuring a Debate**

How can the teacher design and incorporate debate such that thirty or more students are actively engaged in an academically rigorous fashion?

Consider the following variables: (1) format; (2) group selection, and (3) students' roles.

Once a teacher determines the **resolution** that will be debated, he or she must determine the ** format ** for the debate. Goal: facilitate meaningful engagement from every participant
 * The Format**
 * a variety of debate formats, each of which is tailored to reinforce particular skill-building lesson goals
 * a two-sided debate where half the class argues Lenny is guilty of murder and the other half that he is innocent
 * a multi-perspective debate with six groups, each arguing their assigned organ is the most important organ in the body
 * a committee debate where different groups (the Japanese, American soldiers, Allied leaders…) argue in front of a committee of students that the U.S. should drop a nuclear bomb on Japan
 * Group Selection:** how to divide students into groups

In a multi-perspective debate about which geometric shape makes the best house, one group could defend the rhombus while other groups defend circle, square, and so forth. In a two-sided debate about whether the North was justified in fighting to keep the country whole during the Civil War, one group could be Southern farmers while other groups could be abolitionists, enslaved African-Americans, northern factory workers, or the British. The final step is to make sure **each student** in each group has ** a substantive role **. Roles can include an __opener__, __attacker__, __defender__, __cross-examiner__, __closer__, etc. __All__ students are expected to be note-takers. __All__ students will take notes as it will enhance the quality of the debate, increase core academic skills, and surprisingly, increase student engagement. (reinforces using the TEXT!)
 * Student Roles**

Students who participate in a debate structured this way also overcome the problem that occurs in many group debates where students only understand the content associated with their group. Students don’t just argue that their side is good, but that it is //better//. In order to make that comparison, they needed to understand the characteristics/arguments on the other side. In a debate about what method is the most expedient way to find the roots for quadratic equations, the student in the factoring group will also understand finding roots by graphing and the quadratic formula because they were forced to argue that factoring was faster than those other methods.

__**Debate Formats**__ __**BADL (Birmingham Area Debate League) Format of Debate**__ Each team has three members. In the Birmingham Alabama Debate League tournaments, teams may be reduced to two members, with one person doubling up on parts.

When practicing debate or if using the BADL format in your classroom, the BADL format could be modified in several ways:
 * Variations**

Each team might have one student, who fulfills all three roles.

When students are particularly shy about debating, having them read one justification in the case, or the opening or closing sections of the case, builds confidence. This method also works well with larger-group debates. The case is broken down into parts: opening, justifications, and closing. One student is assigned the opening, Justification 1, Justification 2, Justification 3 (and so on for as many justifications as you have), and the closing. The second and third speakers on the teams will be assigned a particular Justification to attack or defend. One person will be needed to begin and another to end the second and third speeches.

__**Public Forum Debate**__ Guide to Public Forum Debate

NFL's //Competition Events Guide// (See page 11 for Public Forum Debate.)

Public Forum Ballot

__**Lincoln Douglas Debate**__ NFL's // Competition Events Guide // (See pages 9 and 10 for Lincoln Douglas Debate.)

__**Policy Debate**__ NFL's // Competition Events Guide // (See page 3 for Policy Debate.)