Ready to Persuade

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📝 Curriculum Links

Subject: English
Year Group: Year 6
Lesson Title: Preparing for the Debate Presentation
Unit: Debate Writing Journey (Lesson 13 of 13)
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 30 pupils
Curriculum Reference:

• National Curriculum (England) – Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5–6)
  • Spoken Language
    • Participate in formal debates and presentations
    • Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
    • Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
  • Writing – Composition
    • Draft and write by selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning

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🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, pupils will be able to:

• Confidently present their debate speech using clear expression, body language, and tone
• Engage and maintain the interest of an audience
• Give and receive peer feedback on presentation delivery
• Identify personal strengths and areas for improvement as debate speakers

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🪄 Success Criteria

Pupils will:

• Maintain eye contact and open body posture while speaking
• Use emotive and persuasive language with vocal variety
• Stay within time limits and speak clearly at an appropriate pace
• Provide constructive feedback using agreed-upon criteria

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⏰ Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter – Vocal Warm-up & Body Language (5 minutes)

Purpose: Energise the class and focus on oracy skills.

Activity: “Pass the Power” Circle Game

• Pupils stand in a circle.
• One pupil starts by saying a persuasive word (e.g., "Clearly!") with exaggerated emphasis and hand gesture.
• The next pupil immediately "passes" another persuasive word in the same exaggerated dramatic style.
• Encourage creativity and spontaneity.

Teacher tip: Model this first to encourage participation. This helps reduce nervousness before public speaking.

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2. Modelling Excellence (7 minutes)

Purpose: Provide a clear example of excellent debate delivery.

Teacher action:

• Show a previously recorded example of a Year 6 debate speaker OR read an exemplar aloud with dramatic emphasis.
• Ask pupils to observe and record strong delivery features:
  • Did the speaker use gestures?
  • How did they change their pace or tone?
  • Did they look at the audience?

Mini Discussion Prompt:

• “What made that speaker convincing? What might we borrow from their style?”

Teaching twist: Instead of just noting what the speaker did well, challenge pupils to rank which techniques had the biggest effect.

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3. Partner Practice & Feedback Loop (25 minutes)

Structure: Divide pupils into pairs from opposing debate teams (e.g., For vs Against).
This simulates the pressure of a real debate opponent listening.

Part A – First Run (12 minutes):

• One pupil presents their prepared speech.
• Partner listens and completes a Feedback Ladder:
  • What I liked...
  • What made it persuasive...
  • One area to improve for next time...

Then swap roles.

Part B – Peer Discussion & Adjustments (3 minutes): Partners give verbal feedback and suggest 1-2 tweaks.

Part C – Second Run with Adjustments (10 minutes): Each pupil delivers again to their partner with improvement points applied. Time them—2 minutes max speaking time to mirror the upcoming live debate.

Teacher rotates among pairs, jotting quick personalised "Wow Moments" observed to share during plenary.

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4. Plenary – Performer’s Circle (8 minutes)

Whole-Class Reflection Activity: “Spotlight Stars”

• Choose 3–4 confident pupils to deliver a 1-minute snippet of their debate speech to the whole class.
• After each, the class provides a Standing Ovation Statement: one sentence highlighting something powerful they noticed (e.g., "Your hand gestures made the point memorable.")

Class Reflection Questions:

• How do great speakers keep us listening?
• What techniques will you commit to in tomorrow's final debate?

Finish with a simple call-and-response:
Teacher: “How do great debaters speak?”
Class: “With purpose and power!”

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🧠 Differentiation

Need	Strategy
EAL Learners	Provide key persuasive sentence stems & vocabulary banks. Encourage use of bilingual dictionaries.
Less confident speakers	Allow notes or cue cards with highlighted prompts. Pair with supportive partners.
More able speakers	Challenge to use rhetorical questions, repetition for effect or call-backs from earlier arguments. Ask to provide peer coaching.

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📦 Resources Required

• Printed feedback ladders
• Stopwatch/timers
• Cue cards or mini whiteboards
• Exemplar speech or video
• Vocabulary bank of persuasive starters
• 'Wow Moments' poster or whiteboard section
• Space cleared for performance (or seated rows facing ‘audience’)

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🔄 Assessment Opportunities

• Informal teacher observations during presentations
• Peer feedback ladders
• Self-identified targets on oral delivery
• Noted improvements between first and second presentations

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🌟 Extension Opportunity

Challenge pupils to prepare a persuasive open or closing line for their speech and try delivering it dramatically tomorrow—as if they were addressing the House of Commons.

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🧭 Next Steps (Final Debate)

In the next session, pupils will take part in a full-class formal debate. Assign roles (Chairperson, Timekeeper, Speakers), and send a reminder of the debate structure. Encourage pupils to rehearse once more at home tonight.

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Teacher Note: You just coached a group of 11-year-olds to perform with rhetorical control, confidence, and structure. That’s powerful communication in the making! 🌟