We seem to be having a hard time winning debates on the proposition side. What are some ways our students can win more when they are defending the proposition?
Since most motions for debate ask the proposition to defend a change from the present system (“Human cloning should be permitted in the United States,” “The United States should invade Iraq,” and so forth), it is sometimes harder to win on the proposition than it is on the opposition. This makes sense – after all, it is often harder to build something than to tear it down – particularly for middle school students. A few tips may help you better prepare your students for their debates on the proposition side. First, to win debates on the proposition, you need to make a specific case for your side of the motion. Usually this means you need to show that there is a problem, propose a solution, and show that the solution will fix the problem. Many of your students are making more general arguments for the motion, which is a good start but can be productively refined. You may want to teach them to propose a plan when the motion warrants such a thing. A plan is a specific proposal for change.
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