Abstract:

Debate as an Educational Tool

By Andrew Reimann & Nobuo Tokumatsu, Tokoha Gakuen University

The following reports on the results of an in class investigation into the positive effects of Debating and Public speaking tasks, on Japanese ESL student’s ability and desire to express themselves in English. The goal of this investigation was to raise student’s English abilities, particularly speaking and listening, build strong motivation, self-confidence and enthusiasm for using English and to lower levels of reticence and anxiety. By participating in a debate activity it was hoped that students would be exposed to relevant, high interest material that would stimulate motivation, facilitate skill based learning and lower affective factors and barriers. As we shall see participation in debate activities proved to be a strong positive force facilitating the acquisition of a broad range of language skills. Students who participated in a debating activity regarded the experience as positive and noticed a marked improvement in their overall English communication skills, particularly speaking, in the four-week period following the debate. An improvement in levels of self-confidence and motivation was also observed shortly after the debate, particularly in the amount of volunteered information, class participation, group interaction, asking of questions and initiative taking and diversity of new learning strategies, which emerged after the debate. It is important to note that no negative effects from the debate were reported or observed. Students who did not participate in a debate activity noticed no significant changes in their ability or motivation and maintained negative attitudes towards any form of public speaking or self-expression. The methods used to collect this information were primarily teacher’s observational reports, student questionnaires and a standard post and pretest proficiency evaluation.