Skip to main content

Debating for A-Level Students

Discover how to prepare for and hold a classroom debate.

Library Search

These resources are designed to help teachers prepare their students to take part in debates. They were developed as part of a project we ran with A-level History students and teachers in 2023. The project was funded by The National Archives, and was designed and delivered in collaboration with academics from Newcastle University, the National Civil War Centre and oracy charity Voice-21.

The resources are made up of:

  • Teacher notes (including suggested activities and useful links to external resources)
  • Printable worksheets for use in the classroom

Each suggested activity has been designed so it can be completed within a single lesson. You may wish to use all of
the resources in sequence, or just select certain activities.

Introducing debating

An introduction to what debates are, types of debate, where debates take place and why they are so important.

Formal and informal debate

Simple activities to get your students thinking about the different settings in which we debate important issues today and tips for keeping things civil.

Written and verbal debates

Encourage your students to consider the different formats debates can take.

How do Parliamentary debates work?

Encourage your students to consider why Parliament has debates and what happens during a Parliamentary debate.

Creating a classroom culture for debate

A source-based activity inviting students to compare and contrast modern-day and 17th-century rules for debates in Parliament.

Establishing the rules for a classroom debate

Ideas for collaboratively agreeing on a set of rules to follow when holding debates in the classroom.

Choosing a topic to debate

Suggestions for deciding what topic to debate.

Planning the content of your debate

Simple strategies to help your students identify, prioritise and support their arguments.

Deciding on a debating strategy

Things your students should think about when planning their debating strategy.

Choosing a delivery style

Tone, body language, humour and other features for your students to consider when speaking in a debate.

Using persuasive language

Simple activities to get your students thinking about how language can be used to persuade during a debate.

Running debates in the classroom: a visual guide

A visual guide showing you how to run a debate with your students, including a breakdown of who should speak and in what order.