Aims:

• To enable critical thinking in discussions
• To help participants consider opposite views than the ones they have.

Basic Structure:

• Divide participants into two groups.
• Assign each group different viewpoints (for example, Group 1 in favour of eating gummy bears for lunch and Group 2 in favour of eating burgers).
• Allocate some time for the group to discuss their viewpoint.
• Groups are to debate against each other on the topic for a set amount of time (for example 5 minutes).
• Once the debate is over, ask each group to argue the opposing view (for example, Group 1 now argues in favour of eating burgers).
• The debate is then repeated (for the same amount of time).

Variations: 

1. Instead of assigning viewpoints to each group, as participants to group up according to their opinion (without mentioning they will have to argue against their opinion).
2. Divide participants into 3 groups and have 1 group act as observers to the debate.

Adapted from: www.linkedin.com/pulse/debate-activities-classroom-farah-najam