Debating is a skill for students which will benefit them for years to come. The debate teaches us on how to argue and make any reason on and beyond the points. If there is a contentious issue in your classroom, turn it into a class debate and watch your students flourish.

Discuss the point of the task. You're really not concerned about the outcome of the debate, your concentration is on allowing the students to work on and learn research skills, confidence, and patience in their ability to debate. Make sure the students understand this and they will likely be keener to take part. The students need to know you will be marking them on their effort, even if they have to debate a side they don't agree with personally.

Tell them how they will get scored. Older students always want to know what's in it for them. Make sure that you explain your rubric or marking sheet with your students before you give them their debate topic assignments. Have them understand you will be marking for oral presentation, researching, etc. Check your curriculum for areas on which to grade your students that are appropriate.

Decide or obtain the topics on debating. If your whole class has to debate on the same subject, it will get boring. So select many subjects for debating. Then let students tell you which topics they prefer. After that, make sure to split students into two groups (con and pro) with a couple of students in each group. You should post the groups and topics at least two weeks prior to the class debate so students will have adequate time to prepare for the debate. As to whether you assign this as a project that students must complete on their own time or whether you take class time to do it, is your choice.

Audience should help with the marking. Keep the rest of the class interested by having them keep score. Foster their ability to see exactly what you will be looking for when they have their turn at debating. Have them understand that this is a good exercise in learning how to score fairly. Understand that student marking like this can never be used to develop a true grade for an assignment. Rather it should just be an exercise to keep the students focused on the skill of objective marking.

You are now ready for the debate. Allow the "pro" side to speak uninterrupted for five minutes. Make sure that both groups are participating. Then, the con side should have an uninterrupted five minutes to speak as well. Then it is time for rebuttals and then give them three minutes to comment on what they have heard, beginning with the "con" side this time. Considering the length of the class period, you can have more rebuttals at this point, but it is likely you will have to cut the debate short at this point.

Take some time to fill out the rubric (scoring sheet) for each student. Collect them from the class audience and continue with the rest of the debates.

Tiffany Provost writes about arguments and education for www.HowToDoThings.com.