The debate center is one strategy in which to promote the development of argument and debate. This center can remain up all year in classrooms while changing the topic of debate on a weekly basis. Social justice can be the perfect starting point as students work on teams to develop opinions and arguments to debate. Students at centers are engaged in rigorous conversations based both on the informational text readings and their own personal experiences.
Tips on How to Implement in the Classroom:
- Make sure that the students understand what a debate is,
- Provide clear directions, rules, and roles for the center
- Include informational text and other sources (video & more), and
- Make sure that the students include the evidence from the sources to build their arguments.