Debate For ESL Students

Debates in class can help English learners practice a wide range of functions including agreeing and
disagreeing, negotiating, collaboration with other students, and so on. Often students need help with
ideas and that's where this lesson plan can help. Below you will find cues to the discussion concerning
globalization, also known as multinationals.
This lesson plan is based on the idea that having students support opinions that are not necessarily their
own during debates can help improve students fluency. In this manner, students pragmatically focus on
correct production skills in conversation rather than striving to "win" the argument. For more on this
approach please see the following feature: Teaching Conversational Skills: Tips and Strategies
Aim: Improve conversational skills when supporting a point of view
Activity: Debate of pros and cons of multinational companies
Level: Upper-intermediate to advanced
Outline:
Review language used when expressing opinions, disagreeing, making comments on other person's
point of view, etc. (See work sheet)
Write the name of some major multinational corporations on the board (i.e. Coca Cola, Nike, Nestle,
etc.)
Ask students what their opinions of the corporations are. Do they hurt local economies? Do they help
local economies? Do they bring about homogenisation of local cultures? Do they help promote peace
internationally? Etc.
Based on students' responses, divide groups up into two groups. One group arguing for Multinationals,
one group against Multinationals. Important: Make sure that groups are put into the group with the
opposite opinion of what they seemed to believe in the warm-up conversation.
Give students worksheets including ideas pro and con. Have students develop arguments using the
ideas on the worksheet as a springboard for further ideas and discussion.
Once students have prepared their opening arguments, begin with the debate. Each team has 5
minutes to present their principal ideas.
Have students prepare notes and make rebuttal to the expressed opinions.
While the debate is in progress, take notes on common errors made by the students.
At the end of debate, take time for a short focus on common mistakes. This is important, as students
should not be too involved emotionally and therefore will be quite capable of recognizing language
problems - as opposed to problems in beliefs!
Multinationals: Help or Hindrance?
You are going to debate the pros and cons of international multi nation corporations. It is important to
remember that you have been placed in your group based on what seems to be the opposite of what you
really think. Use the clues and ideas below to help you create an arguement for your appointed point of
view with your team members. Below you will find phrases and language helpful in expressing
opinions, offering explanations and disagreeing.
Opinions, Preferences:
I think..., In my opinion..., I'd like to..., I'd rather..., I'd prefer..., The way I see it..., As far as I'm
concerned..., If it were up to me..., I suppose..., I suspect that..., I'm pretty sure that..., It is fairly
certain that..., I'm convinced that..., I honestly feel that, I strongly believe that..., Without a doubt,...,
Disagreeing:
I don't think that..., Don't you think it would be better..., I don't agree, I'd prefer..., Shouldn't we
consider..., But what about..., I'm afraid I don't agree..., Frankly, I doubt if..., Let's face it, The truth of
the matter is..., The problem with your point of view is that...
Giving Reasons and offering explanations: To start with, The reason why..., That's why..., For this
reason..., That's the reason why..., Many people think...., Considering..., Allowing for the fact that...,
When you consider that...

For Multinationals
Offers employment to local workers
Promotes peace internationally
Creates sense of community crossing international borders
Allows entire world to improve standard of living
Gives access to quality products regardless of location
Promotes economic stability
Raises standard of living for regions involved in production
Gives local economies new economic opportunities
Fact of life which needs to be accepted
Reflects global economy
Against Multinationals
Ruins local economies
Depletes local work forces by drawing to metro centres
Stifles cultural growth and expansion on local level
Provides little help with problems which are local in nature
Creates cultural homogenization
Too big, little interest in the individual
Gives political power to outside interests
Creates economic unstability by being subject to the whims of the global economy
Replaces traditional values with materialistic values
Makes local economies subject to mass layoffs

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Debates in class can help English learners practice a wide range of functions including agreeing and

When you consider that...

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