In May, the University of Kent ran a debating module for Grammar Stream students in years 7 and 8 who attend the Community College Whitstable. This module forms part of the diverse and exciting outreach curriculum offered to KMPF and Partner Schools.
Throughout the module, students took part in a range of interactive sessions to consider the skills required to debate effectively and learn more about the rules of debating. During the sessions, students took part in speaker challenges, and a series of interactive tasks which helped the students analyse, develop and present arguments. The module culminated in a big debate which allowed students to showcase the skills they had practised throughout the module.
A main aim of the module was to introduce students to debating and develop the skills required such as critical thinking and active listening. Students also developed their understanding of how to structure an argument which is helpful not only for debating but also for writing essays.
Feedback from the students was positive, with one student asking ‘can we do it again’ at the end of the last session. The transferable skills developed throughout the module have helped students to feel more confident about presenting an argument and speaking in front of an audience.
For more information about this activity, please contact outreach@kent.ac.uk