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ELA 5: Rocking a Debate 88 Views


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Description:

Bring your best amp and your favorite guitar, then rock super hard every time the other person talks. Your opponent can't win if no one hears them. Okay, maybe that's a little against the rules. We'll tell you about some non-guitar related strategies in this video.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:05

[Dino and Coop singing]

00:12

Debating might seem pretty easy.

00:15

After all, it's basically just two people talking, and we all know how to talk, right? [Two girls speaking at podiums]

00:19

Wellllll….not quite.

00:21

It turns out debating's a little more complicated than just chatting it up with a pal. [Debate judges]

00:25

Like most activities, it has its own special rules and customs that you need to understand [A guy in a referee shirt gives the winner a big trophy]

00:29

if you want to be a great debater.

00:31

You wouldn't just walk onto a football field and decide to be a quarterback without knowing [Guy looking a football confused]

00:35

a thing or two about football, right?

00:36

…well…unless you're a really big fan of being tackled constantly… [Guy is piled on by the other team]

00:39

Anyway, one thing that's important to know is that speakers usually get about three minutes

00:43

at a time to present parts of their argument. [Dino next to a blackboard]

00:45

So if one of your points depends on you reading some really long Russian novel, you might [Two guys at podiums with a timer ticking down behind them]

00:50

want to rethink that bit of your argument.

00:53

It's also a good idea to stay quiet and respectful whenever it's your opponent's turn to speak.

00:58

Fair is fair, after all!

01:00

You wouldn't want someone talking, or yelling, or shooting off fireworks while you were speaking, [One of the guys making stupid faces whilst the other looks annoyed]

01:04

right?

01:05

…okay…maybe the fireworks thing would look cool… [Fireworks going off at the debate]

01:06

Ahem.

01:07

Moving on…

01:08

When it's your time to speak, remember to speak slowly and clearly, so that people can

01:12

hear and understand everything you say.

01:14

Remember, it's not a race. [Girl talking very fast]

01:16

Or a…whispering contest.

01:17

Do those exist?

01:19

We'd totally win….

01:21

When it comes to the structure of the debate, each of the debaters gets time to give their [JFK giving a speech]

01:25

opening statements.

01:26

Next, the debaters present their arguments.

01:28

After that, each debater tries to disprove the arguments presented by their opponent.

01:32

And, last but not least, each debater gets a chance to summarize their position, take

01:36

any last swipes at their opponent's counterarguments, and present the strongest possible version

01:41

of their position.

01:42

It can get pretty intense. [Boys looking angry]

01:43

We recommend you bring some popcorn to munch on. [Meter going up]

01:46

When it comes to what you actually say in a debate, clarity is your best friend. [Glass smashes]

01:50

Seriously, make it a BFF bracelet or something. [Someones wrist with a BFF bracelet]

01:53

After you're done making the bracelet, be sure to go over your argument in detail, using [Man reading over arguments with a magnifying glass]

01:57

analogies and examples so that your audience has a clear understanding of what you're arguing.

02:02

It's also a good idea to have three arguments for your position. [Man fighting off dragons]

02:06

That not only makes your argument seem more convincing… [3 dragons named arguments 1,2,3]

02:08

…but it forces your opponent into disproving lots of arguments.

02:11

The more work they have to do, the better for you. [Guy asleep]

02:14

That said, this is a debate, so you can't just throw out all your arguments and kick [Someone chucks water over the man sleeping]

02:17

back with a cool drink.

02:18

When it's your turn to rebut your opponent's arguments, keep things clear and concise…

02:22

…using more facts and examples to knock your opponent's ideas to the ground. [Guy holding a baseball bat that says facts and examples]

02:27

Follow this guide to debating, and you'll be debating like a pro in no time. [Debate champion crown on the guys head]

02:30

You might even be able to convince opposing football teams to never tackle you. [Football team chasing the guy holding the ball]

02:34

Although we wouldn't bet on it…. [The guy is tacked to the floor]

02:37

Ouch.

02:38

You okay there, bud…?

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