Third Grade Debate
Here are the third graders in their debate. The topic was "Should We Kill Stray Dogs and Cats?"
Date: 21:45｜Permalink｜Author：nelp
Second Grade Debate
Here are the second graders in their debate this week. Their topic was a dual-proposition topic. One side had to argue that all students should eat cafeteria food. The other side had to argue that all students should bring a lunch.
Date: 19:08｜Permalink｜Author：nelp
First Grade Debate Class
Here are the first graders preparing for this week's debate. Their topic was "Should Seishin Become a Boarding School?"
Date: 18:56｜Permalink｜Author：nelp
NELP Debate
On June 25th, the High School First Grade Girls performed a debate during the Super Science High School Open Lesson Day.
I was SO proud of the girls. They did SO well. The topic was: Whaling Should Be Banned.
The students really studied hard. They learned a lot about whales, but they also TAUGHT ME a lot about whales.
The first grade students worked so hard and so diligently. I'm proud of them in so many ways, how they showed confidence, how they overcame their fears of speaking in public, of how they took chances and were daring, even in little ways.
I can't so enough how special and how great they are!
We've learned a lot and I'm sure the NELP debate program is really going to grow and improve in the coming year.
Date: 15:19｜Permalink｜Author：nelp
Junior High School Debate
Here are some pictures of the 3rd graders performing their first debate and preparing for their second debate.
Date: 23:17｜Permalink｜Author：nelp
5th All Japan High School English Debate Tournament in Gifu
Today I went to the 5th All Japan High School English Debate Tournament in Gifu. It was a very productive trip. It was really amazing to see the students debate and it really made clear a lot of things that I had read about debate.
In particular, it really clarified the purpose of the question time.
This will have a big impact on how I teach debate to my students. I talked with one of the judges after one of the preliminaries, and when he found out I was thinking on doing more debates, he was delighted. He told me that debate is all about teaching students a new way to think, and a new way to approach problems. He said that these skill are applicable to the students' lives, even when they study problems in Japanese. He told me that schools that teach debate see a rise in students' test scores.
I can see how that would be possible, particularly because it teaches listening skills and higher cognitive thinking functions.
It's given me a lot to think about for my own program, and my high school program in particular.
Date: 22:18｜Permalink｜Author：nelp