07. Exploring opinions and building arguments

Objectives

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• To develop students' skills in expressing and articulating their opinions.
• To promote active listening and adaptability in responding to others' perspectives.
• To build students' confidence in defending or modifying their viewpoints.
• To introduce the foundations of critical thinking and argumentation.

Introduction (5 minutes)

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• Explain the objectives of the activity and its connection to debate skills.
• Briefly discuss the importance of critical thinking, active listening, and adaptability.

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Activity Setup (5 minutes)

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• Arrange the space with markers for opinions (e.g., Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree).
• Share the first topic and explain how the movement and discussion will work.

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Discussion Round 1 (10 minutes)

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• Present a statement
• Students move to the part of the room that reflects their opinion.
• Facilitate a discussion by asking a few students from each position to explain why they chose their stance.
• Encourage students to move if a peer's argument changes their perspective.

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Discussion Round 2 (10 minutes)

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• Introduce a second statement
• Repeat the process, highlighting shifts in opinion and reasons for those changes.

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Discussion Round 3 (10 minutes)

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• Introduce a third statement
• Repeat the process

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Debrief and Reflection (5 minutes)

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• Ask students to share their thoughts on the activity:
  
  • What did they learn from listening to others?
  • Was it challenging to change their opinion? Why or why not?
• Highlight the importance of being open-minded and respectful in debates.

Assessment

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• Observations during discussions: Are students able to articulate their opinions clearly?
• Participation: Did students actively engage in the movement and discussions?
• Reflection responses during the debrief.

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Tips and Tricks

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• Use statements relevant to students' vocational fields or daily lives to keep them engaged.
• Keep the atmosphere supportive and emphasize that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers.
• Ensure all students have a chance to speak, even if it's just one sentence.
• Be prepared to facilitate discussion by asking follow-up questions or summarizing points if students struggle.

ATTACHMENT: Examples of statements that can be used

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• "Practical skills are more valuable than theoretical knowledge in today’s workforce."
• "Vocational students should have mandatory internships during their education."
• "Students should specialize in a career field earlier in their education."
• "Uniforms should be mandatory in vocational schools."
• "Students should have more say in designing their school curriculum."
• "Social media has a more positive than negative impact on society."
• "Artificial intelligence will take over most human jobs in the next 20 years."
• “Globalization has a positive/negative impact on local trades.”