Mastering the Art of Debate: Asserting with Reason and Evidence

Mastering the Art of Debate: Asserting with Reason and Evidence

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will understand the fundamentals of debating, including the concepts of assertion, reason, and evidence.

What do you already know about debating?

Introduction to Debating

Debating is the formal discussion of a topic where people express and defend their opinions, often in a structured and persuasive manner.

Pro and Con of Debating

Debating involves presenting both the positive (pro) and negative (con) aspects of a topic to provide a comprehensive view.

Assertion in Debating

Assertion is making a strong statement or claim about a topic, expressing one's viewpoint clearly and confidently.

Reason in Debating

Reason involves providing logical explanations and justifications to support assertions, making the argument more persuasive.

Evidence in Debating

Evidence refers to facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions used to validate the assertions and reasoning presented in a debate.

Example: Assertion

Assertion: 'The government should invest more in renewable energy to combat climate change.'

Example: Reason

Reason: 'Investing in renewable energy will reduce carbon emissions and create sustainable sources of power.'

Example: Evidence

Evidence: 'According to a study by XYZ organization, renewable energy can reduce carbon emissions by 50%.'

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.