Debate
Subject: Speaking
Skills: Speaking, Listening
Level: Elementary
Recommended Age: 18+
Number of Participants: 4-12 players
Time: 10-15 minutes
Place: Classroom
Equipment: Black- or whiteboard
Materials: A piece of chalk or a marker
Preliminary Preparation: Not required
Immediate Preparation (1-2 minutes).
1. If possible, arrange the game participants so that they are sitting or standing in a circle or a semi-circle in front of the board.
2. Write a topic for discussion on the board, e.g.:
Living in a big city
3. Explain that each player should object to the argument of the previous speaker, beginning with "Yes, but...".
How to Play. A typical game might start someting like this:
You: Living in a big city gives more job opportunities!
Player A: Yes, but big cities are too polluted!
Player B: Yes, but they offer a lot of amusements!
and so on around the circle.
A player, who cannot make an appropriate sentence, drops out of the game. The activity continues around the circle as long as only one student is left. This remaining player becomes the winner of the game.
Variation. Here are some ideas of other topics for discussion:
- Having a pet;
- Travelling by train;
- Working with a friend.