Transcript Using Debating and Listening Circles

Using Debating and
Listening Circles
Megan Tomei-Jameson
Associate professor, Speech Communication
Goals
• Promote critical thinking
• Teach students that “arguing” is not about “winning” and “losing”
• Debate should be used to promote a civil dialogue in which everyone learns something
• It is important to actively listen in order to be able to learn from your “opponent”
Inspiration: Socratic Circles
• Inner and outer circles that ask
students in interior circle to listen to
thoughts of outer circle
• Outer circle can question statements
of others in the outer circle and the
instructor should lead the discussion
through the use of the Socratic
Method
Step One
• Get students away from the idea of “verbal combat”
• Get students to understand what constitutes a solid argument
• Help students understand active listening
TED Talk Argumentation
• https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_h_cohen_for_argument_s_sake?language
=en
Creating an Argument
• The challenge for most students is backing up their
arguments
• In order to get students into the habit of referencing
evidence I make sure students use Toulmin’s Model of
Argument
Toulmin’s Model of Argument
Claim
Data
Warrant
the conclusion
or position you
are advocating
the evidence
you use to
support the
claim
your
explanation of
how the data
support and
prove the claim
Would You Rather . . . ?
• You and your partner will be given two different worst case scenarios
• Each of you will pick a side and then come up with a short impromptu speech that
convinces the audience that your option is better
• Make sure to create two arguments using Toulmin’s Model of Argument:
1. Claim
2. Data
3. Warrant
Have your child’s guidance counselor be Paula Abdul
OR Simon Cowell?
Paula Abdul
Simon Cowell
Claim: She is nice and cares for others
Claim: He is tough and “tells it like it is”
Data: She was always kind to contestants
on American idol
Data: On A.I. he always gave sound and
honest advice
Warrant: Guidance counselors needs to
gain trust of students and help them, so
her attributes will make her a better fit.
Warrant: A guidance counselor needs to
prepare students for the “real world,” and
Simon’s honest approach will help students.
Toulmin’s Model
• Argument: Junk food should not be
• Junk food negatively affect the brain's synapses, according to
• Claim: Junk food causes students to
Fernando Gómez, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and
physiological science. He states that brain connections and
several molecules related to learning and memory are
adversely affected by unhealthy diets. A study done by him
also showed that children who eat more chips, pizza and junk
in general have a lower IQ when tested five years later.
sold in school vending machines
perform poorly in class.
• Data: Studies show that eating sugary • Warrant: This is a dangerous cycle, it not only sets off a
foods cause children to be less able to
focus in class.
dependency on snacks but a non-availability of them causes
low energy levels, lack of concentration and lethargy. All of
which have a direct effect on the student’s performance.
Active Listening
• Thirteen aspects of active listening; only focusing on two in this activity
• Restating
• To show you are listening, repeat every so often what you think the person said — not by
parroting, but by paraphrasing what you heard in your own words. For example, “Let’s see if I’m
clear about this. . .”
• Summarizing
• Bring together the facts and pieces of the problem to check understanding — for example, “So
it sounds to me as if . . .” Or, “Is that it?”
Set Up
• Divide the room into four groups: two “pro”
groups and two “con” groups
• Each pair (pro and con) receives a different
topic and both are given research that they
must review and are instructed to reference
during the debate
• Before the debate begins give a short lecture
or show clip that gives foundational
knowledge on each of the topics
Pro
Con
Example
• Divide students into four groups
• Two pro and two con
• The groups that are on the same
side do not work together
• Recently I have given each of the
pairs separate topics so there isn’t
overlap in their arguments
• Give evidence
• Pass out articles to both groups that
offer evidence from both points of
views on Affirmative Action
• Worksheets
• Pass out worksheets that ask students
to document their arguments in
Toulmin’s
• Pass out worksheets that ask students
to actively listen to both pro and con
Example
• Day before debates:
• Day of Class before debate:
• Mention topic: Affirmative Action in the college
• Have students watch TED
Talk outside of class
• Previous class: lesson
focused on Toulmin’s
admission’s process
• Ask students about Affirmative Action in order to
access knowledge on topic
• Review basic definition
• Show news video on recent supreme court case
• Ask students which side they support
Worksheets
The Debate
• Members of the pro will give reasons for their
side of the case
• Then members of the con side will do the same
• Both sides are given five minutes to come up with
a cross examination question
• Each side gets an opportunity to ask and respond
The Listening Circles
• Before debate started the students in the
listening circles were instructed to take
detailed notes about each sides’ arguments
• After debate, the circles need to discuss the
strengths and weaknesses of each side
• Dissuade them from saying who won or loss
and instead encourage students to analyze the
merits of each argument
Pro
Con
After the Debate
• Ask “listening groups” to summarize arguments of both sides
• They may ask probing questions only to clarify their understanding of the
arguments
• Then ask for best and worst argument of each side
Ideas for Other Courses
• American History: Debate important events
• Should we have dropped Hiroshima?
• Should we have left England?
• Psychology: Debate which theories best explain certain aspects of human
behavior
• Does Freud or Erikson usage of psychoanalytical better explain the developmental
stages of children?
Ideas for Other Courses
• Political Science: Positions of candidates/Solutions to current problems
• Who offers the most effective solution to income inequality?
• Is the electoral college an effective system?
• Literature: Analyze plots and specific characters
• To what extent are Romeo and Juliet victims of fate or their own poor decisions? Who
is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?”