Alexander (2012, p.4) states: Pupils need for both learning and life, not only to be able to provide relevant and focused answers but also to learn how to pose their own questions and how to use talk to narrate, explain, speculate, imagine, hypothesise, explore, evaluate, discuss, argue, reason and justify. This project aims to develop quality discussion and debate in upper KS2 (pre-high school) through climate change and environmental issues. 427BC is perhaps one of the ancient world’s best examples of an argument with something vital at stake with Diodotus arguing for clemency, and Cleon, “the most violent man at Athens”, opposing him. “The good citizen,” he insisted, “ought to triumph not by frightening his opponents, but by beating them fairly in argument.” We have seen the impact of arguments reflecting current agendas on the local, European and world stage: Brexit, Climate Change, world leaders and Social Media Intrusion have led to, not only heated arguments, but fights and even families and friends falling out. Have we lost the skill of debate? Can we not state our point of view without being insulting to those who hold a different belief? We want to create a positive learning outcome from recent public outbursts of anger and argument. We will, in this project, show children and young people how to debate fairly and to forge new skills to listen, explore other peoples' viewpoints and yet remain friends. This project will develop critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking experience (on a transnational stage), good oracy skills, conflict resolution, empathy, confidence and presentation skills. An independent evaluation of the first phase of The Plymouth Oracy Project proves that Oracy development improves pupil attainment, behaviour, confidence and attendance. Furthermore, disadvantaged pupils make significantly more progress and close the gap to their more affluent peers. This project will build upon the successes of the project to date and develop best practice materials and outcomes for discussion and debating in Key Stage Two and into Key Stage 3.
* Improve language skills of pupils across the countries. To finally debate together in English as well as working in our home languages as well. * Learn debating skills so that arguments do not happen and that the learners would go on to educate their peers and families about the skill of debating whilst remaining friends. * Forge new partnerships and give potential to new research into language use * Provide a platform for young people to debate together the important subject of climate change. * Use the topic of climate change as a centre to base our debates on, thereby learning more about the topic as we went.
The Great Debate was a project concept discussed prior to application stage by all parties in a different Multiplier event. We knew that language and debating skills were often lacking. We wanted to create a positive learning outcome from recent public outbursts of anger and argument. We wanted show children and young people how to debate fairly and to forge new skills to listen, explore other peoples' viewpoints and yet remain friends. The key aims of the project were to develop critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking experience (on a transnational stage), good oracy skills, conflict resolution, empathy, confidence and presentation skills. We carried out an independent evaluation of the first phase of The Plymouth Oracy Project which proved that Oracy development improves pupil attainment, behaviour, confidence and attendance. Furthermore, disadvantaged pupils make significantly more progress and close the gap to their more affluent peers. This project was implemented to build upon the successes of the project to date and develop best practice materials and outcomes for discussion and debating in Key Stage Two and into Key Stage 3.