Workshop 5: Points of View

Today’s Session

• Debating is useful because it means that we learn to listen to different points of view, as well as strengthen our own.

• In today’s session, we’re going to be: – Looking at three different debate topics – Preparing arguments either for or against– Exploring what makes certain points of view more

or less persuasive than others.

Outcomes• By the end of today’s session you should be able to:

• Provide a clear and concise argument either ‘for’ or ‘against’ a debate of public significance.

• Present this debate in a way that demonstrates understanding, and do so persuasively.

• Identify your own perspective and personal positioning.

• In doing so, these outcomes will help you realize skills for this week’s individual task (revealed at the end)

Academic Death Match!

Getting Ready

• Each group will be given a topic to debate ‘for’ or ‘against’ (in the envelope provided, 20 mins prep).

• For each debate topic, each group will have seven minutes to make their point.

• The floor will get to respond, for a total of five minutes.

• We will then vote for the winning side.

Three, Two, One, GO!

• As a group, you have 20 minutes elect a speaker to represent you in the debate, and to prepare the points you want to make. Consider:

– What the other side are going to say– How you can encourage people to agree with you– What evidence you can give to back up your views

Capitalism is a necessary evil – no workable alternative exists.

For (7mins)

Against (7mins)

The floor (5mins)

Vote

Student’s work should be banned by the university if it is pornographic in nature.

For (7mins)

Against (7mins)

The floor (5mins)

Vote

Social media is poisonous, it is ruining the youth.

For (7mins)

Against (7mins)

The floor (5mins)

Vote

Summary• Debate is a useful way of: identifying different perspectives,

exploring what makes something persuasive, and structuring arguments.

• By now you should be able to:

– Provide a clear and concise argument either ‘for’ or ‘against’ a debate of public significance.

– Present this debate in a way that demonstrates understanding, and do so persuasively.

– Identify your own perspective and personal positioning.

Give us a clue!

And this week’s reading

Clue to this week’s task is…

“My ________ consists in this: in the knowledge that if you beat your head ______ the wall it is your

head which breaks and not the wall.”

Complete the missing words.