How to run a debate course that will engage your learners

In an era of social polarisation, how can we promote a culture of intellectual humility and respect, while engaging learners in contemporary topics ? How can we create a classroom where all the learners want to speak? How can we promote speaking and listening skills beyond grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation?

In the workshop, I will share my experience of running a debate course with undergraduate students within the English and American Studies Department at Humboldt University, Berlin, but it will also be relevant for teachers across different disciplines.

The workshop is suitable for teachers who have tried unsuccessfully to have debates in class, teachers looking to conduct single debates, or teachers interested in designing an entire course around debating skills.

By the end of the workshop, you will have a framework for conducting debates and for assessing the performance of your individual learners, which you are free to adapt to your own teaching situation.

Guest: Paul Walsh (Language Centre, Humboldt University, Berlin)

Contact person: Blanka Pojslová