Debate Resources

Terms

• Terminology document - This document is suitable as a handout or overhead. It provides brief definitions of key terms.

Quick Start

These documents will help the teacher quickly organize a debate.

• One page tutorial - a brief overview for the teacher of the fundamentals in holding a debate
• Student handout - This is a two page student aid. It is written in a Q&A format to answer questions a student may have in preparing for a debate. Handy reading for the teacher as well.
• Teacher’s Guide to Introducing Debate in the Classroom

Topics

• Middle Years List - This document provides a number of suggestions for debate. Most are drawn from Social Studies Gr. 6-9.
• High School Debate Topics - This is a repository of debate themes with background. Many have rationale for opposing positions included. A teacher might use this site to gather suitable ideas for a curriculum related debate.
• SEDA Resources - a few research packages in PDF format that can be downloaded for free; 120 packages in English and 20 in French can be purchased from SEDA

Rubrics

• Rubric one - A sample rubric for teacher and/or student. There is space for comments.
• Rubric two - a good one page rubric with space for comments
• A Guide to Judging a Debate - - a SEDA resource

Internet Resources

The following are links to Internet based resources. A brief description is given for each item.

• Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association (SEDA) - this site is home to SEDA. This Association promotes speech and debate activities in English and French and is active throughout the province from grades 6 through 12 and at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan.
• Canadian Student Debating Federation- A collection of debate resources.

Further Reading

These texts provide a thorough description of the debating process.

• Argument: A Guide to Formal and Informal Debate - Eisenberg/Ilardo
• How to Debate - Dunbar