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This is good quite large groups of between ten and thirty students.

LEAd also published a blog post on this activity. Check it out for further information and references

Instructions

1. Split the class into two groups
2. Give each group one side of the debate
3. In their groups they need to write down as many arguments as they can come up with
4. They also need to think of responses to arguments from the other side
5. Prepare the classroom so there is a circle of chairs with two chairs in the middle facing each other
6. The chairs in the middle are one for each group
7. The rule is that the students can only speak if they are sitting in the middle chair
8. Ask for two people to begin the debate
9. Students on the outside of the circle have to tap-in when they want to swap to sit in the middle of the circle and continue the debate

What the activity achieves

• Good for teamwork and to create a good atmosphere in the classroom
• Encourages quieter members of a large group to participate in a discussion and manage the more dominant students interactions.

Alternatives

• To aid the selection of the middle discussion group, a ‘tag’ version of this could be introduced so that those in the outer circle can tap the shoulders of the inner group and swap.

Online synchronous version 

1. Split the class into two groups.
2. Give each group one side of the debate
3. In their groups, they need to write down as many arguments as they can come up with
4. They also need to think of responses to arguments from the other side 

 Online asynchronous version 

1. Split the class into two groups 
2. Give each group one side of the debate 
3. Create a collaborative word document. Set a time limit- in their group write down as many arguments as they can come up with in one column. They can add to comments by peers.
4.  In another column, they write up responses to arguments from the other side