03. Understanding Types of Motions in the World Schools Debate Format

Objectives

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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand the three main types of motions used in World Schools Debate: value, policy, and factual.
• Identify key characteristics of each type of motion.
• Practice recognizing and categorizing debate motions correctly.

Timeline

0–10 min: Introduction and mini-lecture

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• Define what a "motion" is in debate.
• Present the three motion types:

In World Schools Debate, motions are the statements that teams debate – one team supports the motion (Proposition), while the other opposes it (Opposition). There are three main types of motions, and each type invites a different kind of thinking and argumentation. Here's how to recognize them and what central question each type asks:

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1. Value Motions

These motions deal with what is good, bad, just, unjust, or desirable. They often involve comparisons of principles or moral values and use words like should value, is better than, is morally justified, etc.

• Key question: Why should we support or reject this idea?
• These motions ask us to evaluate a concept or practice based on values such as fairness, justice, individual rights, or social good.
• Example: This House believes that privacy is more important than national security.

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2. Policy Motions

These propose a specific action, change, or rule, and often include the word should followed by an action verb. They ask us to discuss whether a plan or course of action should be implemented.

• Key questions: What exactly should we do, and why?
• These motions require teams to propose or evaluate a plan (sometimes called a model), and consider its feasibility, impact, and necessity.
• Example: This House would ban single-use plastics.

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3. Factual Motions

These make a claim about the world that can be tested or supported by facts and evidence. They are not about what should happen, but about what is true.

• Key question: Is this statement factually accurate or provable?
• These motions often deal with science, politics, economics, or social trends, and the debate centers around interpreting data or research.
• Example: This House believes that social media has increased political polarization.

• Give 1–2 brief examples of each type.

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10–30 min: Group Exercise – Categorizing Motions

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• Divide participants into small groups 
• Give each group a set of motion cards (or a printed sheet).
• Task: categorize each motion as value, policy, or factual.
• Bonus task (if time allows): Choose one motion and brainstorm what kinds of arguments would be appropriate for each side.

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30–40 min: Group Feedback and Discussion

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• Each group briefly shares how they categorized the motions.
• Facilitator clarifies any misclassifications and explains why.
• Encourage questions and discuss how this understanding helps in classroom debate preparation.

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40–45 min: Wrap-up and Reflection

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• Recap main points.
• Ask participants how they would adapt this activity for their students.
• Provide a short take-home resource or worksheet for use in class.

Tips and tricks

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Start with real-world examples: Before introducing formal definitions, ask students simple questions like “Should homework be banned?”, “Is social media harmful?”, or “Is climate change the biggest threat today?” Let them share opinions and then guide them to see what kind of question each one is.

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Use guiding questions: When analyzing a motion with your students, encourage them to ask:

• Are we talking about values and principles? → Value motion
• Is this about a concrete action or proposal? → Policy motion
• Are we trying to prove something is true or false? → Factual motion

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Group activity helps: Prepare a set of mixed motions (e.g. 10–20 statements) and ask students in small groups to classify them. Let them explain their reasoning—it leads to great discussions.

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Encourage "why" thinking: With value motions, push students to think about why a certain value matters. With policy motions, focus on how a plan would work. With factual motions, focus on what evidence supports the claim.

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Be flexible: Some motions may seem to fit in more than one category. Help students understand that debate isn’t always black and white—and that’s part of the skill: making a case for why you see a motion one way.

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Connect to future debates: Remind students that recognizing the motion type early will help them decide what kind of arguments they need to prepare, what kind of research they need, and how to frame their speeches.

MOTION SHEET 

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1. This House would make voting mandatory.
2. This House believes that beauty standards negatively impact mental health.
3. This House believes that space exploration is a waste of public funds.
4. This House would allow students to grade their teachers.
5. This House believes that nationalism does more harm than good.
6. This House believes that violent video games increase aggressive behavior.
7. This House would ban the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement.
8. This House believes that professional athletes are overpaid.
9. This House would legalize all drugs.
10. This House believes that censorship is justified in times of national crisis.
11. This House believes that homeschooling provides a better education than traditional schooling.
12. This House would ban fast food advertising aimed at children.
13. This House believes that the death penalty should never be used.
14. This House would implement quotas to increase the number of women in politics.
15. This House believes that economic inequality is the root of most social problems.
16. This House believes that historical monuments of controversial figures should be removed.
17. This House believes that renewable energy can fully replace fossil fuels within the next 30 years.
18. This House would make climate education mandatory in all schools.
19. This House believes that reality TV does more harm than good.
20. This House would require all social media platforms to verify user identity