22. As European citizens, do EU institutions impact our lives?

Objectives

‍
Subject-specific goals:

• Students will understand the key values of the European Union (e.g. democracy, human rights, rule of law).
• Students will identify and explain the roles and functions of the main EU institutions.
• Students will analyze how EU institutions influence everyday life within Europe.
• Students will evaluate the global impact of the European Union from economic, political, and social perspectives.

Cross-disciplinary goals:

• Students will develop structured argumentation skills.
• Students will practice expressing and defending different viewpoints in a debate setting.
• Students will learn to respond to opposing arguments using evidence and examples.
• Students will enhance critical thinking and perspective-taking skills.

Activity 1: EU Knowledge Quiz (15 minutes)

‍

Objective: Activate prior knowledge about the European Union and identify knowledge gaps.

Method: Individual work → frontal feedback

TIMELINE

1. Warm-up & Prior Knowledge Check: EU Quiz (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge about the European Union and its institutions.

Activity:

• Students individually complete a short multiple-choice quiz about the EU and its institutions.
• Each question has three possible answers.
• The quiz is provided in Appendix 1, together with an answer key.

Follow-up:

• The teacher goes through the answers with the class.
• Brief clarification of common misconceptions.
• Short transition: “Now that we know what the EU does, let’s focus on how we can question and challenge arguments about it.”

‍

2. Introduction to Questioning in Debate: What Are POIs? (10 minutes)

‍

Objective: Introduce Points of Information (POIs) as a key questioning tool in debates.

Teacher input:

• The teacher explains that Points of Information/Clarification (POIs) are short questions or statements used during a speech to interact with the speaker.
• POIs are used to:
  
  • Clarify an argument
  • Challenge an argument
  • Explore implications or consequences

Key rules for POIs:

• They must be short and precise
• They focus on one idea
• Each type of POI has a different strategic purpose

‍

3. Types of POIs Explained (15 minutes)

‍

Objective: Clearly differentiate between types of POIs and understand their functions.

The teacher introduces three types of POIs, with examples related to EU topics.

1. Point of clarification: Used to better understand what the speaker means.

Examples:

• “Could you clarify what you mean by ‘EU influence’ in this context?”
• “Which EU institution are you referring to exactly?”

2. POI- Exploratory: Used to explore causes, consequences, or broader implications.

Examples:

• “How does this policy affect young people specifically?”
• “What could be the long-term consequences of this decision for non-EU countries?”

3. POI-  Rebuttal: Used to challenge or weaken the opponent’s argument.

Examples:

• “Isn’t this argument ignoring the role of national governments?”
• “How do you respond to critics who argue that this policy limits national sovereignty?”

‍

4. Teacher Demonstration: POIs in Context (10 minutes)

‍

Objective: Model how POIs work in real discussions about EU policies.

Example 1: Freedom of Movement

Statement: EU citizens can live, work, study, and travel freely within member states.

Possible POIs:

• Clarification: “Which EU institution ensures freedom of movement?”
• Exploratory: “How does freedom of movement affect job opportunities for young people?”
• Rebuttal: “Does freedom of movement create pressure on national job markets?”

Example 2: Environmental Policies

Statement: EU environmental regulations improve quality of life.

Possible POIs:

• Clarification: “Which EU policies are you referring to?”
• Exploratory: “How do these policies affect public health?”
• Rebuttal: “Do these regulations create economic difficulties for businesses?”

‍

5. Practical Exercise: Practising POIs (30 minutes)

‍

Objective: Students practise formulating and using different types of POIs.

Activity: Guided role-play discussion

Topic: “THBT EU institutions have a significant impact on the daily lives of European citizens.”

Steps:

1. Students are divided into small groups.
2. Each student prepares:
   
   
   
   • Three POIs:
     
     • one clarification POI
     • one exploratory POI
     • one rebuttal POI
3. Groups present short statements related to the topic.
4. Other students ask their prepared POIs.

Focus areas:

• Asking clear and relevant questions
• Responding briefly and confidently
• Identifying weak or unclear arguments

Teacher support:

• Brief explanation of common fallacies:
  
  • Hasty generalisations
  • False dilemmas

‍

6. Conclusion & Reflection (10 minutes)

‍

Objective: Reflect on learning outcomes and questioning skills.

Whole-class discussion:

• Which type of POI was easiest to use?
• Which type was most challenging?
• Which questions had the strongest impact?

Evaluation criteria for POIs:

• Precision
• Conciseness
• Strategic impact
• Logical accuracy

-

Appendix 1: EU Knowledge Quiz

‍

Instructions:
Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).

‍

1. What is the main purpose of the European Union?
   A) To create a single European language
   B) To promote cooperation between European countries
   C) To replace national governments
   
   
2. Which institution proposes new EU laws?
   A) European Parliament
   B) European Commission
   C) Council of the European Union
   
   
3. How many countries are currently members of the EU?
   A) 25
   B) 27
   C) 30
   
   
4. Which institution represents EU citizens directly?
   A) European Parliament
   B) European Council
   C) European Central Bank
   
   
5. What currency is used by most EU member states?
   A) Dollar
   B) Pound
   C) Euro
   
   
6. Which institution brings together national ministers from member states?
   A) European Commission
   B) Council of the European Union
   C) European Court of Justice
   
   
7. What is the main role of the European Court of Justice?
   A) Making laws
   B) Enforcing EU law and resolving legal disputes
   C) Managing the EU budget
   
   
8. Which policy area is mainly regulated at EU level?
   A) Education systems
   B) Foreign language teaching
   C) Trade policy
   
   
9. Who can vote in elections for the European Parliament?
   A) Only politicians
   B) EU citizens
   C) Only government representatives
   
   
10. Which value is a core principle of the EU?
    A) Absolute national control
    B) Rule of law
    C) Economic competition only
    
    

APPENDIX 2: Answer Key – EU Knowledge Quiz

1. B
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. C
6. B
7. B
8. C
9. B
10. B