Speech Related Activity: Discussion

Aims: Practice Speaking and Listening in the form of a genuine conversation. Express opinions.

Level: Can be adapted for almost any level, elementary and above.

Description:

Discussions can be run on almost any level, according to countless different formats. A simple discussion can be no different from a conversation, in which 2 or more participants each express their own opinion, and listen to each other. The participants must interact. For example, after one speaker states his or her opinion, ANOTHER participant generally agrees or disagrees with the first speaker, and states his or her reasons.

Discussions, as an activity, are similar to speeches. The difference being that a discussion requires 2 or more participants. For a formal discussion, the speaker can prepare beforehand, just as he or she would for a speech. However the speaker must be more dynamic and be ready to answer questions or defend his or her opinion as well. So formal discussions can contain both prepared elements and on-the-fly critical thinking.

Procedure:

There are countless possibilities for formats.

A.

A simple discussion might simply consist of the teacher stating a simple opinion, e.g. “I think cats make the best pets. They are the cutest and smartest animal, and they are easy to care for.”

And then simply asking a student at random, “What do you think?” And waiting for the student’s reply. The reply should state that the student agrees or disagrees, and why. If the student is reluctant to answer, you can elicit an answer by prompting, “Do you agree?” If the student answers simply, “I agree/disagree” or “I think so too”, the teacher should then ask, “Why do you think that?”

For more advanced students, or students already familiar with discussions, this type of discussion could be done at the beginning of class as a warm up or ice-breaker.

B.

A more formal discussion could be performed as an extension of making speeches. A discussion could be described to the students as a speech in which two or more people participate. The teacher should give the students a topic, and allow the students to formulate their opinions and come up with reasons for their opinions. A good topic can be anything which students might have a strong opinion on. It is also more interesting if the topic is something that different students might have different, contending opinions on.

Discussion:

Topic: School uniforms are a good thing_________________.

Circle one: I agree / I disagree

Reasons:

Vocabulary for Discussion (and debates):

1. When you want to state an opinion:

In my opinion, _________________.

I think that ____________________.

I feel that ______________________.

It seems to me that ______________.

2. When you want someone to repeat or explain:

I don’t understand what you mean.

Would you explain that, please?

I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand your point.

Could you give an example?

What do you mean by “_____________________”?

3. When you want to agree with someone:

I agree with you. (I agree with your opinion)

I think so, too.

You’re right.

That’s a good point.

I see what you mean

.

4. When you want to disagree with someone:

I disagree.

That’s not the point.

Don’t you think that ________________?

5. When you want to persuade someone:

You must admit that _________________.

Don’t you think that _________________?

Topics for discussion:

Topics for formal discussion can be almost anything at all. Unlike with Speech Topics, however, Discussion topics generally work better if they are MORE specific. This way, each speaker is sure to be talking about the same thing. Each speaker can express different opinions about the same topics. If the topics are general, it is more difficult to get a good discussion:

Here is an example of the result of a poorly chosen (too general) discussion topic:

Topic: Restaurants

Student A: My favorite restaurant is CoCo Ichiban Curry. It is the best restaurant

because it has a wide variety of selections. What do you think?

Student B: Um… I think restaurants are better than eating at home because it is

easier and you don’t have to wash dishes.

Next, the topic is better because it is more specific:

Topic: The best restaurant in Japan.

Student A: My favorite restaurant is CoCo Ichiban Curry. It is the best restaurant

because it has a wide variety of selections. What do you think?

Student B: I disagree. I think that Saizeriya is the best restaurant in Japan.

Saizeriya has healthy food. And it has the best drink bar!

Or:

Topic: Eating a meal at home is better than eating at a restaurant.

Student A: I think restaurants are better than eating at home because it is easier and you don’t have to wash dishes. What do you think?

Student B: I agree with that statement. Eating at restaurants is better than eating at home because you can eat food that is very difficult to make.

So, usually for prepared discussions, more specific topics are better than more general topics.

Discussion topics can vary greatly by level. Easy topics generally require little more than an emotional response (e.g. My favorite restaurant in Japan is CoCo Ichiban.). Intermediate and advanced questions require the student come up with more complex reasons for their response. In some cases, students may even have to justify their reasons for their response (e.g. Saizeriya is the most important restaurant in Japan. This is because it is the healthiest. It is healthy because the menu offers salads and other vegetables.).

Sample Discussion (or Debate) Topics:

VERY EASY

1. Cats are better pets than dogs.

2. The healthiest restaurant in Japan is Saizeriya.

3. School Uniforms are good.

4. Sports video games are the best types of video games.

6. Smap! is the most talented musical group in Japan.

7. Lord of the Rings is better than Harry Potter.

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED

1. Requiring students to wear school uniforms is a good thing.

2. Japanese people should be allowed to drive at age 16

3. Japanese people should be allowed to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes at age 18.

4. Violent video games are bad for children.

CONTENTIOUS (VERY ADVANCED)

(Outside of the classroom, real-life discussions generally surround contentious issues. These are the most interesting, and often the most important kinds of discussions. Even if the topic is clearly offensive, arguing against it provides a good opportunity for students to structure their reasons. However it is not recommended that you use these issues in regular classes, and keep in mind who may be irreparably offended by hearing or partaking in such discussions.)

note: these topics are meant to be controversial and contentious. These statements do not reflect the actual opinions of the authors or of anyone involved in making this document. This list was largely compiled by the authors of the 1992 edition of Communicative English: A Practical Guide.

1. Women should not be vice principals or principals

2. Japan should have committed military assistance to the 2003 Iraq War.

3. Abortion is an effective method of birth control.

4. Americans are lazy and illiterate.

5. Japanese English teachers should be required to pass an interactive oral English qualifying examination.

6. The death penalty is an effective method of reducing violent crime.

7. A 6-day work week is necessary.

8. Television is a bad influence on children.

9. Prostitution should be legalized.

10. The Japanese English education system is poor and ineffective.

11. People, by their very nature, are evil.

12. Japan has a very serious pollution problem.

13. America is a very violent and dangerous place.

14. Smoking in public places should be prohibited.

15. Japan should be allowed to have a military instead of only a self-defense force.

16. Teachers should not be ‘parents’ to their students.

17. It is okay to eat whale meat.

18. It is perfectly acceptable for married men to have girlfriends and/or mistresses.

19. Middle Eastern, Filipino, Thai, and Vietnamese people should not be allowed to work in Japan illegally.

20. There are too many students in each class in Japanese schools.

21. Sometimes it is useful to lie.

22. Foreign English teachers, like AET’s, in Japan are really just ‘Gaijin on Display’ (GOD).

23. There will be a third World War in the near future.

24. We must all work together to save the rainforests.

25. The collapse of Communism in Russia was a bad thing.

26. Schools should teach sex education as part of their curriculum.

27. The mandatory fingerprinting of all aliens is an effective and justifiable method of immigration control.

28. Parents should take a more active role in their children’s education.