Teachers often turn to debate as a structure to engage students in lively discussion on controversial topics; however, the results rarely live up to the teacher’s expectations. One of the main problems is that debate requires speaking from a position of certainty, and most selected topics require a mindset of curiosity, an appreciation of nuance, and a willingness to understand alternative perspectives. This session will articulate the limitations of a debate format, and then introduce several alternatives teachers can use to cultivate the 21st-century skills their students need to discuss challenging topics.

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