Debate is an important and worthwhile way by which to engage students in real language communication. It differs from other forms of classroom communicative activities in that it affords students opportunities to think critically and interact spontaneously to real time questions posed by their peers. While other activities such as role playing, pair and group work and time spent on preparing for presentations are also beneficial to language acquisition, it is my belief that debate better allows students to voice their opinions in English and to listen to and engage in the opinions of their classmates. This is so because in order to win a debate, students have to persuade their peers of the validity of their opinions, which are ideally supported with factual evidence, and demonstrate more convincing dialogue than that of the opposing team.
To that end, this paper will explain in detail the steps adopted at one junior high school to ensure that all students are able to participate fully in a classroom debate and subsequent discussion. A survey was conducted among a group of 162 third year junior high school students to ascertain their views on debate. The findings of the survey will be analyzed and the procedure of the debate will be discussed.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Context
3. Procedure
4. Difficulties
5. Results
6. Conclusions
Objectives and Research Focus
This study investigates the efficacy of integrating structured classroom debates into the English curriculum for third-year junior high school students in Japan to improve their second language acquisition. The primary research goal is to evaluate whether debate serves as a motivating and effective medium for fostering critical thinking, autonomous learning, and communicative competence compared to traditional classroom activities.
- Implementation of structured debate lesson plans for junior high learners.
- Evaluation of student motivation and engagement in English through debates.
- Analysis of student feedback via surveys to refine instructional techniques.
- Identification of linguistic challenges and barriers in oral English production.
- Assessment of the impact of debate on critical thinking and autonomy.
Excerpt from the Publication
Introduction
I have been teaching EFL in Japan for a number of years and among the various methodologies I have used in the classroom, the most rewarding and beneficial set of language instruction involves debate. This is due to the fact that students participate fully in the learning experience and, as a result, classes become very much student-centered. Hansen (2007) mentions that in debate classes students should learn rhetorical skills, real-time critical analysis and logical persuasion. This enables learners to gain maximum benefit from their studies and to think critically about the topics raised. The end result is that they become more autonomous in their learning habits.
Using debate as a medium of instruction ensures that no two activities are ever the same, and the teacher is able to improvise and improve upon each class in order to maximize student enthusiasm and learning. This is because students are free to use IT resources such as ipads in the classroom to research and expand upon their own ideas, which means that each debate entails a cornucopia of opinions related to a common theme. Student judges are then free to sift through the myriad of information presented to them before reaching their own conclusions, based on not only facts but also the persuasiveness of the debaters. As debate classes are often videoed, teachers are able to refer to and exploit the better videos when planning future classes.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the author's rationale for using debate as a primary instructional tool to increase student autonomy and engagement in an EFL context.
2. Context: Discusses the pedagogical background and existing literature on classroom atmosphere, project-based learning, and the importance of understanding student perceptions of instructional efficacy.
3. Procedure: Details the structure of the nine-week curriculum, including the specific debate timetable and the integration of preparatory language activities for the students.
4. Difficulties: Addresses common linguistic obstacles faced by Japanese students, such as L1-L2 translation interference and challenges with spontaneous oral responses during debates.
5. Results: Presents the findings from a fifteen-question survey conducted among 162 students, analyzing their feedback on the overall success and impact of the debate program.
6. Conclusions: Reflects on the overall effectiveness of the intervention and provides recommendations for future improvements, such as implementing formal assessment systems and leveraging technology for performance reflection.
Keywords
Debate, Second language acquisition, EFL, Junior high school, Student-centered learning, Critical thinking, Classroom interaction, Oral communication, Motivation, Lesson planning, Pedagogical research, Language instruction, Rhetorical skills, Student feedback, Action research
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the implementation and effectiveness of using structured classroom debate as a tool to enhance second language acquisition for junior high school students in Japan.
What are the central themes explored in this study?
The central themes include student-centered instructional design, the role of debate in developing critical thinking, the impact of communicative activities on motivation, and the identification of linguistic challenges in an EFL environment.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to determine how debate influences student engagement and language production, and to evaluate how lessons can be structured to foster greater autonomy and motivation.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this research?
The author uses in-class action research, involving the implementation of a nine-week debate curriculum and a subsequent quantitative analysis of student feedback through a fifteen-question Likert-scale survey.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the theoretical context for debate, a detailed step-by-step procedural guide for teachers, an analysis of common student difficulties during translation and spontaneous speaking, and the statistical results of student performance and satisfaction surveys.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include debate, second language acquisition, student-centered learning, EFL, critical thinking, and classroom motivation.
How does the author address the specific linguistic challenge of L1-L2 translation?
The author identifies that Japanese students struggle with translating SOV structures to English SVO structures, often defaulting to passive voice; he suggests explicit focus on these discrepancies within the 'Dos and Don’ts' sections of his debate booklet.
What recommendations does the author make for improving future debate sessions?
The author suggests formalizing an assessment system for debate participation, providing more consistent feedback, and utilizing school platforms like Moodle to share recorded debate videos for student self-reflection.
- Citation du texte
- Gerry Mclellan (Auteur), 2018, A short study on how debate can be a useful tool in helping junior high school students improve second language acquisition, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/441759
