ELT365 · Day 189 — Discussions and debates in the classroom

Idea — Discussions are less structured than debates but need the same scaffolding: a clear topic, opinion vocabulary pre-taught, and a task that requires interaction — not just turn-taking. The goal is genuine exchange.

Example — Don’t say: ‘Discuss social media.’ Say: ‘You have 4 minutes to agree on one social media rule for your school. Report back.’

Try — Take any discussion topic you use. Add a constraint that forces negotiation: a time limit, a shared decision, or a role (one person must disagree). See if the language becomes more purposeful.

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