Debating and Presenting Arguments

Curriculum Connections

Ontario Curriculum: Language, Grade 6 (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006, Revised 2023)

• Overall Expectations:

  • Oral Communication: 1. Listening to Understand and Respond Responsibly, 2. Speaking to Communicate in Different Contexts
  • Writing: 2. Developing and Organizing Content

• Specific Expectations:

  • Oral Communication 1.2: Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting active listening strategies to suit a variety of situations.
  • Oral Communication 2.2: Use a variety of speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences and for different purposes.
  • Writing 2.1: Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience.
  • Writing 2.3: Use editing, revising, and proofreading skills and strategies to improve the quality of writing.

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Learning Goals

• I can clearly present a persuasive argument in a debate.
• I can listen actively to opposing views and show respect.
• I can use feedback from my peers to improve my arguments.
• I can adapt my arguments to different audiences and situations.

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Success Criteria

• I speak clearly and confidently during my presentation.
• I listen attentively and take notes during opposing arguments.
• I ask thoughtful questions or provide respectful counterpoints.
• I revise my argument based on peer and teacher feedback.
• I use persuasive language and organised ideas.

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Materials

• Whiteboard and markers
• Debate topic cards (pre-prepared related to age-appropriate, engaging, and curriculum-connected topics)
• Debate planning templates (graphic organizers)
• Lined paper and pens
• Timers
• Visual supports and sentence starters for communication
• Dyslexia-friendly font handouts (e.g., OpenDyslexic font printed copies of debate templates and checklist)
• Noise-reducing headphones (for focused work during peer feedback)

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Lesson Breakdown (60 minutes)

1. Introduction and Warm-up (10 minutes)

• Greet the class and review the unit topic: Persuasive Power: Writing to Convince.
• Recap the key persuasive techniques learned in previous lessons.
• Introduce today’s goal: to participate in a structured debate, express arguments clearly, and respond respectfully to others’ ideas.
• Use a quick whole-class activity: “Agree/Disagree” movement game on a simple, familiar statement (e.g., “School uniforms should be mandatory.”)
• Purpose: Gets students physically engaged; primes thinking about multiple perspectives.

2. Mini-Lesson: Effective Debate Skills (10 minutes)

• Quickly model components of a persuasive argument in a debate context.
• Introduce sentence starters and respectful rebuttals ("I understand your point, however...", "I see it differently because...").
• Demonstrate active listening: maintain eye contact, summarise others’ points before rebutting.
• Show visual examples of argument and rebuttal structures on the whiteboard.
• Highlight SEL (social-emotional learning) emphasis: agreeing to disagree respectfully.

3. Debate Preparation (10 minutes)

• Divide students into small groups of 4 (balanced by ability, including peer support for students with IEPs and autism).
• Assign topics that are relevant and age-appropriate (e.g., "Should homework be banned?", "Are video games good for learning?").
• Hand out debate planning graphic organizers in Dyslexia-friendly font.
• Use speech-to-text apps or scribe support for students who struggle with writing (especially those with ADHD or autism).
• Teacher and EA circulate to scaffold support, reinforcing key vocabulary and argument structure.

4. Debate Activity (20 minutes)

• Each group presents their arguments in a mini-debate format:

  • Student 1: Opening statement (1 minute)
  • Student 2: Supporting argument (1 minute)
  • Student 3: Rebuttal (1 minute)
  • Student 4: Closing statement (1 minute)

• Allow peer groups to listen carefully and take notes.

• After each mini-debate, encourage a brief round of peer feedback using a simple rubric focusing on clarity, respect, and use of persuasive language.

• Students with ADHD or anxiety may benefit from a “safe space” seating nearby or noise-cancelling headphones during others' speaking time.

5. Reflection and Feedback (8 minutes)

• Bring class together and facilitate guided reflection:

  • What did you find challenging about presenting your argument?
  • How did listening to opposing views help you understand your topic better?
  • How can feedback improve your persuasive skills?

• Students fill out a quick self-assessment checklist (dyslexia-friendly format available).

6. Extension Activity (for early finishers / advanced learners)

• Write a short persuasive letter/email to someone outside the school (principal, local council, parents) based on the debate topic, using advanced persuasive techniques.
• Option to record their presentation using a tablet or phone for self-review or sharing.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Need / Profile	Strategy / Accommodation
Students with IEPs (grade 3-4 level)	Use graphic organizers, provide sentence starters, paired work with peer mentors, shorter speaking time, scaffolded templates
Students with autism and behaviour diagnoses	Predictable routines, clear expectations, visual schedules, calm space for regrouping, allow choice of speaking roles (e.g., note-taker instead of speaker)
Students with ADHD	Frequent breaks, written and oral instructions, preferred seating near teacher, use timers for debate turns, sensory tools
Dyslexic or literacy challenges	Dyslexia-friendly reading materials, text-to-speech supports, repeated oral modelling, reduced text complexity
Advanced learners	Extension persuasive writing, leadership roles in debates, peer coaching responsibilities

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment through:
  • Observations of active listening and respectful engagement.
  • Review of debate planning sheets.
  • Peer and self-assessment checklists.
  • Teacher anecdotal notes on clarity, argument structure, and adaptability during debate.

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Final Notes to Teacher

• Use positive reinforcement to encourage participation from all students, especially quieter or anxious learners.
• Emphasize that respectful disagreement is an essential part of learning and growing.
• Make use of visual and oral cues to maintain attention.
• Consider recording one debate to review in future lessons or share with parents as evidence of learning.

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Thank you for exploring this lesson! Implementing these ideas will inspire persuasive communication skills with an inclusive and respectful approach, perfectly aligned with Ontario’s curriculum expectations and mindful of your class’ diversity.