Participating in Debates — Interactive Lesson (KS2)

Do your pupils know the difference between a motion and a rebuttal? This 13-slide interactive lesson teaches participating in debates, from key vocabulary to persuasive language.

Mastering Participating in Debates in KS2 English

Pupils learn key debate vocabulary, including motion, proposition, opposition and rebuttal, understand the structure of a formal debate and the roles involved, and use formal spoken language to agree, disagree and persuade. They learn that a debate is a structured, formal discussion where two sides argue for and against a motion beginning ‘This house believes that…’, follow the clear speaking order for each team, and practise sentence starters such as ‘It is undeniable that…’ and ‘The evidence clearly shows…’. A final section gives tips on speaking clearly and maintaining eye contact.

What’s Included

• 13-slide interactive lesson on participating in debates
• Learning objectives on debate vocabulary, structure and formal language
• Key terms: motion, proposition, opposition and rebuttal
• Persuasive sentence starters for making a point
• A sorting activity on formal versus informal debate, with instant feedback

Key Benefits for Students

• Builds genuine debate vocabulary and structure
• Gives pupils ready-to-use persuasive sentence starters
• Covers delivery tips, not just what to say
• Instant feedback on answer questions

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — ready for whole-class teaching on an interactive whiteboard
• A concise lesson that fits a single session
• Self-marking questions support independent practice
• Suits speaking and listening lessons and assemblies
• A dependable way to prepare for a class debate

Love this? You’ll love…

• Formal and Informal Language — Interactive Lesson (KS2)
• Proofreading for Errors — Interactive Lesson (KS2)
• Pronouns and Nouns for Cohesion — Interactive Lesson (Year 4)

A dependable addition to a KS2 speaking and listening topic, giving pupils the vocabulary, structure and language to hold a proper debate. Confidence here supports oracy skills that matter well beyond the English classroom.

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FAQs

What year group is this for?
KS2 — Years 3–6 (ages 7–11).

Does it give sentence starters?
Yes — for making points, agreeing and disagreeing persuasively.

Is it self-marking?
Yes, with instant feedback on the questions.