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Oral English 2: Lesson 9

11/12/2015

18 Comments

 
Hi everyone, 
​
​We had our first group of debates today! 

Vocabulary Notebooks:

At the beginning of our lesson, I returned your vocabulary notebooks. I checked your vocabulary sections and the opinion homework. The next time I collect your notebooks will be before the Christmas holidays. 

Debate Procedure:
Before our debates, we went through the steps for your debate. They include:
  1. Introduce your topic
  2. Teach your vocabulary
  3. Debate with your partner
  4. Lead your discussion
  5. Answer questions from the audience

Debate Feedback:
Overall, everyone did a good god with your debates. You prepared well, and knew your topic. However, remember these points for your next debate:
  1. You must have eye contact with your debate partner for the entire debate, and you also have to make eye contact with your audience. 
  2. Speak in a loud enough voice to show that you are confident about your position. Also, use intonation to stress disagreement. 
  3. Make sure you practice your debate with your partner before the lesson so that you can move from each part smoothly. Learn how to pronounce your vocabulary and say statistics (e.g. numbers). 

Homework:
  1. Complete debate #1 worksheet (group 2)
  2. Presentation Vocabulary: write down example sentences from today's debates.
  3. My Vocabulary: write down 5 new words that you learn this week (e.g. in other classes, from watching TV/movies, etc.)
  4. Opinion: In the homework section of your notebook, write your opinion on one of the topics from today's debates. You have to agree or disagree. These were the topics: (1) euthanasia; (2) smoking bans; (3) death penalty; (4) nuclear power; and (5) grade skipping.  

Blog Question #8:

What did you think about our first debates? 

* Write 12-15 sentences.
* Use capital letters, punctuation and spelling correctly.
* Submit by Wednesday, November 18 by 6:00pm. 
18 Comments
OE2-MASAKI
11/13/2015 05:49:55 am

My first debates was not good.This is because I finished writing work seet as soon as possible and we didn't practice debate enough to make it good.In addition to it,I couldn't use correct phrases of debate until my teacher tought me.This results from the fact that we didn't hardly practice it.However,I used correctly the words "Let's move on to~".though I was against to smoking ban,I wasn't able to collect information which attacked strongly my partner.As a result,listeners choosed him as a winner.I wish I looked for more information other than my teacher gave us.Therefore,I must improve a lot of things.More practicing debate,for example,should be done.I will have another debate.So,I will do my best to make debate better.

Reply
OE2-Yuka
11/14/2015 05:05:21 pm

I listened to the two groups' debates last class. And I was very surprised at their debates because in spite of first time, they could debate smoothly. I think it is difficult to object to partner's opinions precise. However they could refute the opposite side's ideas so accurate. Also they researched concrete examples which support their opinions. Thanks to the examples, I could understand their ideas clearly. And they often used a phrase "Are you following me?". Thanks to it, I could ask them several questions which I couldn't understand. I sometimes forget checking audiences' understanding so I think I want to emulate their way. They could also make eye contact. I often look down when I must talk in English. So when I debate, I want to be careful so much. Next class I will debate so I want to do my best.

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OE2-Aya
11/14/2015 07:17:01 pm

I was a debater last lesson. It was so-so. Because I could debate confidently with loud voice and taking eye contacts. And I have learned a manuscript by heart. But I was not able to speak fluency. Also I enjoyed debating with group members. However our accommodating question was not good. I found bad point in first debate. It's necessary to improve these next time. First I learn a manuscript by heart. Second I practice debating. Last I accommodate specific questions. I pay attention, and would like to make good debates next time.

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OE2-Kana.K
11/15/2015 07:38:52 am

I participated in debate as an audience. Topics are nuclear power and euthanasia. I think both leaders did their best. We practiced discussions many times in this class. Therefore I feel that I was gradually getting used to it. The first debate of nuclear power appeared a lot of difficult words, so I thought that it was necessary to replace those words with a more easily words. If I don’t, it takes times by explanation those means. In the second debate of euthanasia, our talk has narrowed down to one point. As a result, we were able to talk deeply in time. However, it was difficult for me to hear the debate without my subjective. This is because the death of a person is sad. I understood that the debate were hard to progress if there wasn’t a certain knowledge. I want to practice my opinion that listener will be able to get my opinion clearly for the next debate. Particularly, I want to give attention to the some strength in speaking and eye contacts.

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OE2-Atsuko
11/15/2015 11:42:09 pm

Last lesson we were debaters.I think it is not good because I didn't enough practice for debate.I could'nt pronounce my vocab and just read memo.However it do not have only fails,but it also has good points.I could have eye contacts with my partner and loud enough voice.I'll try as best I can next time.

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OE2-Kana.N
11/16/2015 05:40:15 am

I was an audience this time. I participated in two debates. Themes are “smoking bans” and “nuclear power”. The constitution has not yet become clear because the debate of "smoking bans" was the first time. However, the contents were very easy to read. Moreover, I was able to have various opinions because it was an imminent topic. The debate of "the nuclear power" was smooth because it was the second. However, it was hard to understand it because contents and a word were slightly difficult. I could hear the information that I did not know so I’m glad. The viewpoint of the audience sounds easy. However, it was very difficult to judge it which position I was agreeable in. When both were reasonable, I was at a loss. When I gave presentation, I announced my thought, but it was difficult because I had to choose the right position by the debate.

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OE2-Yukiko
11/16/2015 07:10:29 am

In my opinion, the first debates were well done. The presenters prepared and studied their topics well. However, I think they could have a better presentation if they had done without reading papers. I saw some presenters just reading their cards or their work sheet and didn’t look at observers. I know that to memorize what to say is a hard work and it takes a lot of time. However, we can concentrate on the debate more intensely without reading papers. Also eye contact is necessary when we have a group discussion. I was impressed that all the presenters were good at asking questions. For example, they asked, “Are you following me?” or “Do you have any questions so far?” and so on. Such questions are effective for observers to join the debate. It is important to involve observers because the debate would warm up. Both presenters and observers can exchange opinions and learn a lot about the topics. To sum up, everybody needs to participate aggressively in the debate so that it can be more interesting and enjoyable.

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OE2-Kaori
11/16/2015 07:03:25 pm

I was a listener last class' first debate. When I learned expressions of opposing opinion in class before, I felt it is so difficult. So I was worried this debate. I listened debate two times and both of them were very good. They objected to counterpart opinion properly. However as teacher said, it is important to say expressions of the opposite strongly. Then you will get feelings. Also it is not easy not only telling own opinion but also objecting. Because it must be persuaded counterpart. I am poor at it. It is difficult problem for me to do it in English. However this time's debaters were very good and it helped me a lot. I will debate this week and next week. I can't spend much time for preparation because I will debate two straight weeks. However I will do my best.

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OE2-Kohei-f
11/16/2015 10:56:35 pm

I took charge of first debate about Death penalty. I could get some points oh improvement. At first, It is reason topic. I think I prepared sufficiently. However, there were few specific examples. In debate, listeners decided me as a winner because I include the instance. Second, Persuasive power was not enough. There are a lot of way, for example, fluently speaking, eye contact, gesture and so on. We couldn't do them because we learned the our reason desperately. Next time, We will be able to do having composure so I take care of these points. Especially, listener said we could understand easier because of example. Therefore, I'll include effective it .

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OE2-Fumiya
11/17/2015 05:29:08 am

In my opinion, our first debate was not good. There are some reasons. First, I took a mistake for typing. You may think the mistake was excusable. However, it is not so. Because if we had practiced debating, I would not take a mistake. Secondly, our debate was mechanical. I think we should have put feelings into our voices, which makes audiences listen to our debate concentratively. In short, we should have did our best for our debate this time. We must change our consciousness for next time. We do not want to repeat the same failures. So I will do my best.

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OE2-Tomomi
11/17/2015 07:56:38 pm

I was an audience at first debates. It was good. There are three reasons. First, this is because listens to both the agreeable opinion and the opposite opinion, and my opinion deepened more. I did debate for the first time and had such an experienced it. So both opinions were solid, it was fun to think about which opinion oneself had. I have a feeling that the body got a logical intellectual power. Second, the reason is that I was able to hear opinions of a person making debate well. When they argued when they insisted, there was a lot of information about the theme. I was careful about it being understood precisely and was able to hear it. Final, the reason is that I possessed power to hear debate without being seized with a fixed concept. I was reminded of it by that I judged things from one's experience and sense of values to a cuttlefish so far. For the above reason, it was good.

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OE2-Marina
11/17/2015 09:06:44 pm

The contents of my first debate about nuclear power generation. I practiced only as such. That is why I was able to never announce the first well. I thought about conveying the content of the sentence from the second well well and it was delicious and was able to announce the second than the first. I understood well that you should adopt a gesture, eye contact steadily as a teacher said to have you understand a person.

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OE2-Ayano
11/17/2015 09:07:58 pm

Last week, we did debate and our topic was skipping grade. In my opinion, I think our first debate was good. It is because that we could convey about our topic to debate members. We prepared debate plan from two weeks ago. We examined detailed information about skipping grade and thought our opinions. Therefor I am satisfied with our debate contents. However I think we have bad points. First, our debate question was not good. We had to think other questions. I thought we should lay out questions much more. Second, we couldn’t do eye contact each other. We did eye contact to other member, but we didn’t do to partner. Next time, I want to do perfect debate.

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OE2-Mao
11/17/2015 11:20:41 pm

My first debate was so-so good. I could take eye contact, speak a loud voice, and make sure that listeners understood my opinion. But there were some points to reflect. First, I should have prepared more example to persuade. I knew that how important it is to give many example. To produce many examples is very persuasive for all listeners. Actually, when I gave an interesting example, many people approved my opinion. Second, I should have used easy words. That is because if I choose the words from dictionary, the listeners can't understand. So in next debate, I want to try these points. Next class, I will be a listener. So I'm going to check other person's debate and I want to incorporate in my next debate.

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OE2-Maki
11/17/2015 11:28:58 pm

I was a listener last week. The two groups l listened were good at debate. They spoke smoothly and the contents were interesting. I could understood very much. So, I guess they had practiced until the debate. However, two point I noticed. First, they usually read their paper and I could not to eye contact with them. I think eye contact is important element when we communicate with others. Second, there was a little gestures. This two points were improved, the debate were better. Next time I debate, I will try to do my eye contact. In addition, I will speak big voice, clearly for listener.

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OE2-Yosito
11/18/2015 12:19:01 am

I presented my debate with my partner in class. I expressed my opinion clearly. But there are many problems. First, I could not move from each part smoothly. I didn't start my parts immediately. This was because I didn't decide a sign that I finished my part. Second, I didn't use gestures and voice inflection. I could not stress words in my parts. For that reason, I couldn't tell which words were important. I had other problems. I want to improve my debate. I would like to debate with my partner smoothly next time.

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OE2-Naoko
11/18/2015 12:55:46 am

I was an listener last week. At first, I feel this debete preparation is needed so long time. Some debeter did not looked directly listeners. The cause is their lack of debete preparation. They tended to look and read their manuscript. Tomorrow, I am a debeter. This is because I want to take enough time to debete well. My debete topic is same-sex marriage. I take a position in support of this proposal. However there is one big problem to persuade the opposition. Considering children's heart and situation, same-sex couple should adopt a child that become an orphan. I must think a convincing opinion to oppose prejudice by tomorrow oral lesson.

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OE2-Rikako
11/18/2015 01:21:43 am

I was an audience last time. I listened two debates. I felt both debates were good. First, I thought both group's members made eye contact with audiences a lot. Therefore, I could participate in the debates more actively. Second, presenters asked if we could understand through saying "Are you following me ?" . So, I could understand the contents more easily. In addition, if audience couldn't understand the contents, presenters explained it thoroughly. Third, in question time, presenters and audiences could discuss the topic deeply. I thought it is great for each other.Next time, I will be an presenter. I would like to do my best to do better discussions.

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