Instructors are increasingly interested in using debate to develop advanced competency in a second language. Through debate, students learn how to make hypotheses, support their conclusions with evidence, and deploy the rhetoric of persuasion in the target language. While interest in this topic is strong, there are few materials available for instructors who wish to plan a curriculum focused on debate. This digital short provides both the theoretical argument for using debate in the foreign language classroom as well as practical advice for developing reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills through debate. It discusses task-based language learning and helps instructors design debate-related tasks for the classroom. The digital short can be used by any instructor who is working at the advanced level, and it could be used in courses for future language instructors. It can also be used by instructors who adopt one of our forthcoming Mastering Languages through Global Debate textbooks.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.