MidTESOL Matters
Spring 2001
Spring 2001
|
MidTESOL Matters
Spring 2001 |
 |
M. Lubetsky, C. Le Beau, and D. Harrington (2000) Discover Debate: Basic Skills for Suporting and Refuting Opinions Santa Barbara, CA: Language Solutions
Incorporated Reviewed by Kevin Wahl |
|
As teachers, many of us have struggled
with the distinctions between teaching language and teaching critical
thinking. One possible bridge between language instruction and critical
thinking skills is the study of debate: the practice of critical language
skills. Discover Debate assumes
no prior knowledge of debate techniques or formal argumentation skills.
Targeting low-level learners and using cartoon characters to illustrate
key points, it looks more like a coloring book than a serious language
text. It presents the fundamentals of critical argumentation and parliamentary-style
debate using an extended house-building metaphor without becoming bogged
down in an overwhelming or distracting lexicon of logic. The text is organized into nine
units, and the units are subdivided into six sections. Starting with the
basic exchange of opinions, the text moves through supporting opinions
with reasons, supporting reasons with evidence, and organizing opinions
into a coherent message. To address the heart of intelligent argumentation,
the text covers refutation, challenging of evidence, and rebuttal. The accompanying CD provides language
exemplars that may be used both in the classroom and for individual practice
in a language lab. The exercises are designed for small group or pair
work, promoting active practice of new language skills. An on-line answer
key is available free of charge on the text’s web site (www.discoverdebate.com). Many of the skills introduced in
the text are easily transferred into less formal environments. Having
used this text as a supplement for a seminar speaking skills course, I
witnessed the transfer of debate and argumentation skills into group discussions.
During our seminars, students tended to organize their opinions using
reasons and evidence, while easily challenging each other for clarification
when confronted with a difference of opinion. Discover Debate can be a
very useful supplement to a fluency-oriented, student-centered, listening
and speaking course. Indeed, a coherent and thoughtful argument can change
the course of history. Oh yeah, it is inexpensive as well. Kevin Wahl teaches an advanced seminar discussion skills course at Washington University. The course website is located at http://artsci.wustl.edu/kwahl/ESL175. Kevin may be contacted at kwahl@artsci.wustl.edu. |
******************* ARTICLES The Catcher in The RyeFull article from the Newsletter Teaching Reading Skills: Tips From The Trenches
|
