Preparation Workshop

Year 9 Power of Speech • Debate • Workshop

This workshop brings the unit together. It moves from a motion to a short team debate in one extended session, with each stage producing something the team can use.

The workshop at a glance

Stage	Time	Output
1. Motion	5 minutes	A chosen motion and question.
2. Definition	10 minutes	Key terms, scope and model.
3. Thesis	5 minutes	One-sentence case.
4. Reasons	10 minutes	Three distinct reasons.
5. Evidence	15 minutes	Source record for each reason.
6. Rebuttal	10 minutes	Three anticipated opposing points and answers.
7. Split	5 minutes	A role for every speaker.
8. Rehearse	15 minutes	Timed opening and close.
9. Debate	20 minutes	A short team debate.
10. Reflect	10 minutes	A written reflection.

Step 1: Choose the motion

Choose a motion that is arguable, relevant and appropriate for the class. Avoid motions that require students to argue against their own dignity or that depend on graphic detail.

Motion	Why it works	Watch for
That schools should ban mobile phones during class time.	Concrete and close to students.	Define “during class time” and exceptions.
That homework should be optional.	Clear policy question.	Define “optional” and the role of required classwork.
That social media does more harm than good.	Broad but familiar.	Define “harm” and the comparison.
That Australia should ban single-use plastics.	Environmental and economic stakes.	Define “single-use” and the scope.
That artificial intelligence should be regulated in schools.	Current and complex.	Define “regulated” and the school context.

These are original teaching motions.

Step 2: Define

Write the definition in three parts: the key term, the scope and the model. Test it against the fairness questions on the motions and definitions page.

Model definition: “By ‘ban mobile phones during class time', we mean that students in years 7–10 may not use a phone during a scheduled lesson, except for a documented medical or accessibility need. Phones may be stored in bags or a class tray. Enforcement is by the classroom teacher, with repeated use referred to the year coordinator.”

This is an original teaching example.

Step 3: Thesis

Write one sentence that answers the question. It should name the change and the main reason.

Question	Thesis
Should schools ban phones during class?	“Schools should ban phones during class because they fragment attention and widen the gap between students who can self-regulate and those who cannot.”
Should homework be optional?	“Homework should be optional because mandatory tasks measure home advantage more reliably than learning.”
Does social media do more harm than good?	“Social media does more harm than good because its business model rewards outrage over accuracy.”

Step 4: Reasons

Choose three distinct reasons. Each should be a sentence the team can defend, not a topic.

Topic	Reason
Attention	Phones fragment attention even when they are face down.
Equity	Banning phones reduces the advantage held by students with better self-regulation.
Social climate	A shared rule reduces the pressure to be available online during class.

Step 5: Evidence

Find one piece of support for each reason. Record the source, the claim and the limit. If you cannot find a source, use a labelled example and say so.

Reason	Evidence	Limit
Attention	A study comparing phone use and task switching.	Laboratory conditions may not match a classroom.
Equity	Survey data on self-regulation and phone use.	Self-report may be unreliable.
Social climate	School case study of a phone ban.	One school may not generalise.

Step 6: Anticipate rebuttal

Write the three strongest objections to your case and prepare a response to each. This is where many teams win or lose.

Objection	Response
“Phones are needed for learning.”	The model allows teacher-directed use and accessibility exceptions.
“Students will use them anyway.”	A clear rule makes enforcement possible; the current norm is unclear.
“Parents need to contact students.”	Contact can go through the office; safety is not the same as constant availability.

Step 7: Split

Speaker	Content	Time
First affirmative	Definition, model, thesis, attention reason.	3 minutes.
Second affirmative	Equity and social climate reasons; rebuttal.	3 minutes.
Summary affirmative	Compare the cases; identify the clash; close.	2 minutes.

Step 8: Rehearse

Read the opening aloud and time it.
Mark the thesis and the signposts.
Rehearse the transition between speakers.
Practise one POI answer.
Rehearse the close.
Run the whole case once without stopping.

Step 9: Debate

Run a short debate with a chair and a timekeeper. Use the order and signals from the chairing and procedure page. Keep the speeches short enough for the class to sustain attention.

Step 10: Reflect

Write 100–200 words:

What was your strongest reason, and why?
Which opposing point was hardest to answer?
How did the audience respond?
What did you change between preparation and delivery?
What would you do differently in the next debate?

Planning template

Element	Your notes
Motion
Key terms
Definition
Model
Thesis
Frame
Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3
Evidence
Anticipated objections
Split

Preparation is where the debate is won. The speech is only the visible part of the work.

Common errors

Choosing a motion that is too broad. The definition becomes unwieldy.
Writing a thesis after the reasons. The case has no centre.
Too many reasons. None is developed.
No evidence record. The team cannot check its claims.
No anticipated rebuttal. The team is surprised.
No rehearsal of transitions. The team sounds like separate speakers.

Next, read the teacher notes for planning and differentiation. The sources and provenance page records what is original and what is excluded.