During the fall of 2019, the chaotic American political landscape was charged with scandal, debate, and accusations. As a result, students would often bring local and national politics into the authors' high school English language arts (ELA) classes. Instead of ignoring the students' heated debates in the classroom, the authors decided to embrace…

In a nation and political climate where models of communication and respect for another's ideas are difficult to find, the authors take seriously their charge to support educational practices that prepare students to critically engage in a free and democratic society. As part of a summer high school outreach program, they sought to develop a…

The idea of joining a conversation through reading and writing is not new; in his 1941 book "The Philosophy of Literary Form: Studies in Symbolic Action," Kenneth Burke suggests that the acts of reading and writing are like entering a parlor where others are already conversing. The author explores the place of professional debate within NCTE and…

The daily demands of teaching leave little time for English teachers to contemplate the history of the profession. However, as they celebrate the centennial anniversaries of both the founding of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in 1911 and the first publication of "English Journal" in 1912, they are presented with a prime…

New teachers need to know about the political context in which they are working, and the best way to do this is to adopt and maintain a quiet watchfulness and avoid allegiances. Listening and observing, reserving judgments, reflecting on the motivations of the participants in the debate--these are the crucial behaviors for the teacher learning the…

The author, a high school teacher and forensics coach, describes ways to teach writing--including on-demand essays--that draw on successful practices she developed in coaching. Students learn the importance of using personal conviction and qualified thesis statements to build arguments, as well as learning "The Debater Four-Step," an effective…

Two high school teachers consider the use of and misuse of the term "sexism," the efficacy of using such a term and its connotations, and the need to fight social inequities with both words and actions. (RL)

One of the most important educational objectives of high school is to teach critical-thinking skills, and no class does this better than strategic debate. Professor Mike Allen, lead author in a definitive study on debate and critical thinking, lauded debate's promotion of critical-thinking skills. Additionally, researcher Joe Bellon discusses the…

Describes how a classroom "legislative forum" can help students develop critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills, and foster civic consciousness. (PRA)

Argues that participation in high school forensic activities can change students' lives. Maintains that the activity teaches lessons about language and communication that go beyond what can be learned in the classroom. Explains the benefits of forensics to teachers and how interested teachers can prepare themselves to become involved. (TB)

Describes a class activity in which students receive copies of requests for charitable contributions, research the charities and issues, write a persuasive appeal for the charities, and debate the merits of the various causes examined by the class. Argues that students learn to analyze persuasive appeals, separate emotional from factual arguments,…

Describes a method of teaching students to identify and analyze misleading or manipulative rhetoric used in political campaigns. Provides excerpts from student-written journals based on the 1992 presidential debates. Argues that such activities are beneficial in English classes. (HB)

The students, who debate develop the skills of critical learning, argumentation and presentation quickly. A high school teacher illustrates the way she combined essay writing and debate to address a range of language arts standards and also help students become better-informed participants in a democracy.

Describes a discussion model based on the reader-response approach which thrives on controversy and encourages students to become an active, responsible "community of interpreters." (MM)

Recounts the gratifications of being a debate coach, which include seeing the progress of students, the increased personal contact with students, and the interesting uses of the training. (EL)