Debating in Schools

Pupil coaching

Two girls working at a table

Pupil coaches can play a key role in a team’s preparation for a debate without speaking in public.

Learning objectives

  • To encourage peer assessment
  • To help improve quick thinking skills
  • To help improve critical thinking skills
  • To help improve confidence
  • To encourage students to question a point of view
  • To encourage teamwork
  • To encourage an expression of views and debate on issues and current affairs

Activity

The role of a pupil coach is to help a debating team do their research, form their speeches (by helping with brainstorming, forming group arguments, making arguments REAL and helping think about what the opposing team might argue).

The pupil coaches’ work is done between the preparation lesson and the actual debate. Pupil coaching is a great way to widen the team aspect of debating by involving more people in the team. Each team in the debate can be allocated one, two or three pupil coaches.

The pupil coaches should work with the speakers in the debate to help them prepare their case. This can be done as homework. On the day of the debate, pupil coaches can help the summary speaker with their speech whilst the floor debate is taking place.

This is a good introduction to debating for speakers who are less confident as it directly involves them in the process of the debate.