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Hello everyone,
Sorry about the previous post – I made a mistake! Very well done this week – I really enjoyed teaching you and you were excellent. You clearly all have a very good amount of debating skills already and so we will focus on more advanced rebuttal and response techniques for the next few weeks, as well as some current affairs.
Next week we will do the following three motions and topics related to current affairs. These are all in the news currently (or in past two months) and the sort of question you might be asked to talk about at an interview.
Monday: This House Would Halt All Non-Essential, Commercial International Flights
Sources:
Wednesday: This House Believes That Governments Should Ban Unbreakable Encryption Services
This is very topical at the moment for a range of reasons. Most importantly, Whatsapp have now said they will share parts of your data with Facebook. More generally, lots of governments are now having difficulty decrypting communications on Whatsapp and Signal between people suspected of criminal activity. Should citizens be able to communicate completely privately if they wish to?
Sources:
Should tech giants slam the encryption door on the government?
Friday: This House Believes That We Should Fear the Rise of Artificial Intelligence
Try to skim-read this! https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/05/14/how-frightened-should-we-be-of-ai
Again, don’t worry too much if you don’t get a chance to read all of the articles! For this week, try to prepare a 3-4 minute speech for each side of the debates and a little bit of rebuttal. You were all excellent this week. One thing I want you all to work on is called signposting. This means, at the start of your speech, saying something like: “I have two points today. First, X; second, Y; third, Z. In conclusion, ABC”. This really helps add clarity to your speeches!
Best wishes,
James
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Hello everyone!
Sorry for the delay in getting these motions to you – great work this week!
The coming week’s motions will be as follows:
Monday: This House Believes It Is Fairer for the Government to Cancel A-Levels and GCSE
Reading List:
1. https://www.cityam.com/debate-should-national-exams-in-2021-be-cancelled/
Wednesday: This House Believes Britain Should Favour Alliance with US over EU after Brexit
1. https://ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-us-special-relationship-the-impact-of-the-new-presidency/
3. https://theconversation.com/us-uk-trade-deal-what-can-post-brexit-britain-hope-to-get-152037
Friday: This House Opposes the Use of Social Media for u16s
2. https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-children-be-allowed-social-media
3. https://thebadgeronline.com/2020/10/the-big-debate-should-social-media-be-banned-for-under-18s/
Best wishes,
James
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Hello everyone!
Very well done last week – good to see you’re enjoying and learning from the mix of Current Affairs and Debating.
Monday: THBT The EU Is Justified in Imposing Vaccine Export Controls On The UK
2. https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-weighs-coronavirus-vaccine-export-restrictions/
Wednesday: This House Would Ban Faith Schools
2. https://humanism.org.uk/education/education-policy/faith-schools-why-not/
3. https://newint.org/sections/argument/2011/11/01/religious-schooling-debate-on-faith-schools
Friday: THBT Sciences Should Be Prioritised by Schools Over Humanities
2. https://projecthumanities.asu.edu/content/oh-humanities-why-stem-shouldnt-take-precedence-over-arts
See you on Monday!
Best wishes,
James
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Hi everyone!
As mentioned, in our next session (Date TBC) we will be debating: This House would legalise the sale of human organs. We discussed some of the primary arguments for and against in our previous session; in particular, try to remember how we ran the argument for legalisation on the grounds that it generates better outcomes for all. This will be an important argument structure which you can repurpose for future debates.
1. https://debatewise.org/2623-human-organs-sale-of/
We will do this for the first 45 minutes of the session and we will then do 15 minutes of Current Affairs, probably based around UK and international politics. In preparation for this, please go to BBC News and pick one story about international politics (i.e no sport, no crime, no TV, no lifestyle). I will then ask you a couple of questions about the story, why you’re interested in it, and why it is important. This will help us to build up a general awareness of current affairs.
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 1 – 17/02/2021
Hello everyone!
Very well done last lesson; good points made by everyone and excellent to see everyone working on their arguments.
This week will be more current affairs-focused. The motion will be:
This House Would (THW) Introduce Domestic Vaccine Passports
Prop: Aidan, Jerry, Max, Linxi
Opposition: Emily, Luke, Ray, Haocheng
1. This is the best and most thorough analysis of pros and cons! https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/14/what-pros-and-cons-covid-vaccine-passports-immunity-certificates-travel
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56125142
Best wishes,
James
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Hello everyone!
Very well done last week. Some of you may have seen the recent news about the Shamima Begum trial (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56209007).
This week’s debate will be:
THBT The Government Should Be Allowed to Deport Foreign Nationals who Commit Crimes and Remove Citizenship for those who join terrorist organisations
No sides this week! Just think about the topic generally and I’ll assign teams in the lesson.
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 3 – 03/03/2021
Very well done for last week everyone! This week – in light of all the news about Harry and Meghan, as well as Prince Phillip – we will be debating:
This House Would Abolish the Monarchy
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/culture-traditions-politics-government/house-would-abolish-monarchy
2. https://debatewise.org/1835-should-britain-scrap-the-monarchy/
See you next week – back to the 5pm time!
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 4 – 10/03/2021
Very well done everyone for last week! This week, in light of all the discussion of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, we will be debating: THW (This House Would) Ban All Medical Drug Patents.
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/science-censorship-ip-digital-freedoms-intellectual-property/house-would-abolish (This has to do more generally with “Intellectual Property” rights – but all applicable to medical drugs).
2. https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-problem-drug-patents-pose-for-developing-countries-45667
3. https://newint.org/features/2020/06/11/what-if-drug-patents-were-scrapped
Think particularly about who loses most if patents are allowed to exist.
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 5 – 17/03/2021
Very well done everyone for last session! Next week’s session will be: THW Legalise All Drugs. This is a very topical and very common debate.
3. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/20/15328384/opioid-epidemic-drug-legalization (Particularly interesting).
See you soon!
James
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Lesson 6 – 24/03/2021
Excellent lesson last week! Next week (i.e. March 31): THBT Countries Should Repatriate Historical Artefacts to Their Countries of Origin.
(Topical due to this: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/25/university-of-aberdeen-to-return-pillaged-benin-bronze-to-nigeria)
1. https://www.theweek.co.uk/103267/should-museums-return-their-colonial-artefacts (good balanced arguments on both sides)
2. https://debatewise.org/204-historical-artefacts-should-be-repatriated-to-their-country-of-origin/
3. https://debatingmatters.com/topic/western-museums-should-repatriate-cultural-artefacts/
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 7 – 31/03/2021
Another very good week – probably the best we’ve done so far. Next week’s debate is Easter-Themed: THBT Religion Has Done More Harm Than Good.
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/religion-faith-morality-society/house-believes-religion-does-more-harm-good
2. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/29-march/features/features/does-religion-do-more-harm-than-good
3. https://www.salon.com/2014/11/17/6_reasons_why_religion_does_more_harm_than_good_partner/
Also – everyone make sure you find someone for balloon debate!
Best wishes and good luck!
James
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Lesson 8 – 07/04/2021
Another excellent week! Next week slightly less topical but a very frequent debate which comes up at all levels of debating: THW Ban All Animal Testing.
Please everyone also think of someone new for the Balloon Debate.
1. https://www.peta.org/teachkind/lesson-plans-activities/animal-experiments-debate-kit/
3. https://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/arguments-against-animal-testing
See you next week!
Best wishes,
James
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Lesson 9 – 14/04/21
What I said last week was incorrect and Max was correct! Last Wednesday was not our 20th lesson; it was only our 19th. Once again, James’ students have defeated James. Sad!
Next week’s debate will be about nuclear energy in light of: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-56728068.
The debate topic will be: THBT Nuclear Energy Is Worth the Risks
1. https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/is-nuclear-power-worth-the-risk
2. https://theconversation.com/accidents-waste-and-weapons-nuclear-power-isnt-worth-the-risks-41522
3. https://theconversation.com/the-case-for-nuclear-power-despite-the-risks-41552
Best wishes,
James
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Week 10 – 21/04/2021 (Final Session of Program)
Very well done everyone for last week – it was a tricky topic with lots of factual evidence and I thought you all handled it very well indeed.
Next week, for the first week of the new program, we are going to do something slightly different: one debate and one discussion/presentation about a new topic.
Next week’s debate will be: THBT We Should Use Positive Discrimination to Achieve Diversity
3. https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~jesan20l/classweb/arguments.html (This is a good but quite basic introduction to the US approach, where it is called “Affirmative Action”)
We will be discussing and I will do a short presentation on: Introduction to UK Politics.
Best wishes,
James
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Week 1 – 05/05/2021
Another week, another excellent debate!
Next week’s topic will be one of the first debates I ever did: THBT Government Should Introduce a Fat Tax. (This means increasing the price of items which have high saturated fat, salts, and sugar).
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/economy-tax-health-health-general-healthcare-weight/house-would-implement-fat-tax
2. https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5056/economics/pros-and-cons-of-fat-tax/#:~:text=A%20’fat%20tax’%20is%20a,unhealthy%20and%20contribute%20towards%20obesity.&text=The%20argument%20is%20that%20a,more%20from%20low%2Dincome%20groups.
3. https://debatewise.org/2728-fat-tax/
Best wishes,
James
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Week 2 – 12/05/21
Very well done for this week – seems to have been a good topic which you all enjoyed discussing and we had a lot of good chat about. Thank you all very much to everyone for participating so enthusiastically!
Next week: THBT Space Exploration is a Waste of Money
1. https://debatewise.org/137-space-exploration-is-a-waste-of-money/
Best wishes,
James
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Week 3 – 19/05/2021
Very sorry for the delay – it has been a hectic week! Next week – THBT Parents Should be Allowed to Use Gene Engineering.
1. https://qz.com/564649/the-pros-and-cons-of-genetically-engineering-your-children/
2.https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/human-gene-editing-pro-con-opinions
3. https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/17/gene-editing-embryo-crispr/
Best wishes,
James
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Week 4 – 26/05/21
Hello everyone!
I hope you are all well. I am very sorry for the delay in uploading this week’s topic – I’ve been snowed under with exams!
Tomorrow’s topic will be:
THW Allow Prisoners to Vote
1. https://debatewise.org/2868-prisoners-right-to-vote/
2. https://felonvoting.procon.org/top-10-pro-con-arguments/
3. https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/duel-should-prisoners-be-able-to-vote
Best wishes,
James
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Week 5 – 02/06/21
Good work last week, very enjoyable. Next week, as discussed, we will do Introduction to UK Politics.
Have a brief look at the following:
1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zbtg87h/revision/1 (useful historical survey)
2. https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/parties/
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwvqtfr/revision/1
Best wishes,
James
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Week 6 – 09/6/2021
Great work last week! Next week: THW Introduce a Mandatory Salary Cap. This means the law would say: you are not allowed to earn or be paid more than a certain amount of money.
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/economy-business-employment-finance/house-would-introduce-mandatory-salary-capping
2. https://inequality.org/great-divide/debate-maximum-wage/
3. https://therift.eu/index.php/2019/05/27/should-there-be-a-maximum-wage/
Best wishes,
James
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Week 7 – 16/6/2021
Great work this week. Next week will be: THBT, assuming feasibility, We Should Seek to Make Contact with Extra-Terrestrial Beings. This is actually an extremely interesting debate and has a lot of facets to it (as you will see from the reading), and it should sharpen your debating skills in weighing off potential risks v. gains.
1. https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/should-we-call-out-space-aliens
4. https://www.space.com/26449-contact-intelligent-aliens-active-seti.html
Best wishes,
James
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Week 8 – 23/6/21
Great week this week! Next week’s debate will be: THBT We Should Allow Assisted Dying (“Euthanasia”)
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zynv87h/revision/3
3. https://care.org.uk/cause/assisted-suicide/arguments-for-and-against-assisted-suicide-and-euthanasia
Best wishes,
James
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Week 9 – 7/7/21
Hi everyone!
Like last week, we will split next week into two sections: current affairs and a debate. For current affairs, I will set you a few articles to read from this week’s news and we can discuss them. Please make sure you have done so!
1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-57799852
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57797297
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-57800981
Debate: THS the Right of All Countries to Own Nuclear Weapons
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/politics-warpeace/house-would-abolish-nuclear-weapons
3. https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/education/008/argwriting/003
Best wishes,
James
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Week 10
One of the best weeks we have had so far! Excellent arguments from everyone, especially with quite a difficult topic.
This week (Week 11 – Wednesday 28/7/2021) the debate will be more science-based and should throw up several interesting points: THW Ban the Sale of 3D Printers to Households
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/environment-pollution-science-censorship-ip-science-general/house-would-ban-sale-3d
2. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-dark-side-of-3d-printing-10-things-to-watch/
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/09/18/12-revolutionary-ways-3d-printing-is-changing-the-world/#:~:text=3D%20printing%20will%20be%20used,of%20lifelong%20anti%2Drejection%20treatments.
Please also have a look at these three (very interesting) news articles for next week:
1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57946842
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/57944242
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57950149
Best wishes,
James
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Week 11 – 28/7/2021
Hi everyone,
I’m very sorry for the delay this week – my previous upload to this forum was unsuccessful for some reason.
This Week: This House Would Ban the Sale of Violent Video Games.
1. https://idebate.org/debatabase/culture-video-games-education-general-internet/house-would-ban-sale-violent-video
2. https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-keep-having-debates-about-video-game-violence-121539
3. https://www.wired.com/2020/06/geeks-guide-videogame-researchers/
These three are quite long articles so no need to do any news this week, though the below is quite interesting:
1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-58021718
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58068299
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58068998
Best wishes,
James
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Week 12 – 4/8/21
Hi everyone!
Next week we will debate: THBT Smokers Should Have to Pay for Their Own Healthcare
1. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/24/nhs-smokers-obese-fair-treatment-saving-money
2. https://idebate.org/debatabase/health-addiction-health-general-healthcare/house-would-deny-smokers-access-state
3. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/should-smokers-be-denied-health-care-20171024-p4ywmi.html
In addition, please everyone bring one (sensible) news story from the week and share it with the class. The only rules are: No Sport, No Celebrities, No Video Games!
Best wishes,
James
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Week 13 – 11/8/2021
Excellent week this week! Next week the debate will be: This House Believes in the Right to Be Forgotten.
You will need to do a good amount of reading/preparation for this as it is a difficult topic and it will not make sense if you do not prepare. I will be very annoyed if you do not do any preparation; if you do not have much time, just read the first link!
2. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/18/393643901/debate-should-the-u-s-adopt-the-right-to-be-forgotten-online?t=1628943312032 (audio – you can dip in and out of this)
In addition, everyone please (as mentioned last lesson) bring one news story from the week and present it to the class!
Best wishes,
James
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