The big debate held at the Town Hall in Paris is now over

GREAT. we have done a good job. The debate was just fantastic. Each team defended their position and the winner was the mayor’s proposal , so 5 wind turbines will be built in the Champs de Mars.

The students from Mata Jove did most of the conclusions and a los of questions. Congratulatuions!!!!

Things to learn before going to Paris:

1.-Expressions for debating

Introduction:

· Have you ever thought about..?
· Did you know that..?
· I saw an interesting programme on TV about…last night. What do you think about that?
Beginning a discussion:
· Let´s start with..
· To begin I´d like to..
· First / secondly I´d like to talk about..
· Let us take a look at..

Presenting an argument:

· I´d just like to point out that..
· We think that..
· What I am basically saying..
Coming to the next point:
· Let me now come to my point.
· The..point I´d like to mention..
· My next point/ issue is..
Bringing in your partner:
· How do you feel about that?
· What is your view on this (matter)?

Agreement :

· You´re absolutely right.
· I completely agree with you on that point.
· Precisely. / Exactly.
· You´re right up to a point.

Disagreement:

· Are you sure?
· I wouldn´t quite say that.
· I can´t imagine that.
· That´s not true at all.
· It certainly isn´t.

Giving an opinion:

· In my / our opinion/ view..
· As I see it..
· If you ask me..
Making suggestions:
· If I were you, I would..
· Why don´t you..?
· The best thing would be to..

Expressions if you had been interrupted:

· Please, go ahead.
· No, thank you.
· Wait a minute, let me finish..
· I´ll take you in a minute.
· I´ll come to that in a moment..

Expressions to finish:

· To sum up..
· I´d like to summarize..
· In conclusion let me say that..
· For all these reasons the motion..

Wind turbines on the Champ de Mars

  

2.-Rules for the 30th March 2009 debate

THE TEAM Four teams of ten students (two students from each school per team) with two teachers per team to help them:-         two speakers with two assistants-         eight debaters in charge of the questions and answers to the other teams.  The committee: -         a chairman-         six  judges-         three  time keepers The audience:-         the remaining teachers and students-         guests  The teams will be made up one hour before the debates begins. Students must be prepared to speak against any other team and on either side of any motion. Therefore, each school must work on arguments for and against the motion: “wind turbines on the Champ de Mars”. One hour before the debate begins the teams will be informed about the motion they’ll have to defend and will have all the arguments at their disposal, each one written on a sheet of paper. They will have to choose together between all the arguments to build their case.   The first team, representing the mayor of Paris, will present the motion: “Big wind turbines on the Champ de Mars”  The second team will oppose the two projects on behalf of the inhabitants of Paris(environment, taxes etc.).  The third team, ecologists, will defend a second project: “Small wind turbines on the Champ de Mars”.  The fourth team will oppose the two projects on behalf of the defenders of the French patrimony and heritage and on behalf of the tourists.   THE DEBATE  In every team, a first speaker will have five minutes, at the stand, to present his motion (first and third teams) or his arguments against the motions (second and fourth teams). After each speech, a debater in all the other teams will have 15 seconds to address a question or a short statement to the team who has just spoken. Three different debaters from the team will have 30 seconds to prepare and then one minute each to answer the questions asked by the other teams. The team who asked the question may interrupt the answer once and with no more than a short sentence (for instance: “you’re not answering the question” or “what do you mean exactly by….”) After the first round of questions there will be a second round, so every member of the team can speak. After the first team has finished with his opening speech and has answered the two rounds of questions from the other teams, the first speaker from the second team will come to the tribune and things will proceed the same way for the second team as for the first, and so on with the third team and the fourth team. At the end of the debate, each team makes a closing speech, two minutes long. It is made by the second speaker of each team. The second team speaks first, then the third and the fourth. The first team comes last to defend their motion. To sum things up, there will be two speeches (5 and 2 minutes long), three answers (1 minute long each ) and six questions (15 seconds long) for each team, so, every one of them will speak for 11 minutes and 30 seconds and the debate will last 45 minutes, plus the time allowed to the committee.  THE BALLOT  The six impartial judges will allot points for Style, Content and Strategy. Judges should base their decision on how the debate has been argued.Speakers can be penalised for speaking for too short or too long a time, debaters can be penalised for speaking too long. One of the time keepers bangs the table at the end of the time limit.The other time keeper controls the questions’ length (15 seconds). After the chairman has communicated the result of the competition, the audience, the teams and the members of the committee (except the chairman and his assistants) will proceed to a vote by show of hands on the first motion and, possibly, on the second motion (ecologists).  

     3.-Evaluation Sheet for the Debate

-         Time: 5 minutes for the first speech: minus one point every extra 15 seconds.

-         2 minutes for the closing speech: minus one point every extra fifteen seconds.

-         1 minute per answer : minus 1 point every extra 15 seconds.

-         15 seconds per question : minus 1 point every extra 15 seconds.

-         Audibility, volume and enunciation:  the speakers have to speak clearly so as to be heard and understood by all the listeners, wherever they are in the room.

-         Presentation, eye contact and awareness of the audience: the speakers have to look at the audience and at the members of the committee. They have to show poise and confidence. The gestures must be varied and the movements motivated.

-          Clarity of the arguments: a clear and understandable delivery of the arguments is essential.-         Choice of the arguments: The arguments must be adequate, relevant and must correspond to the position of the group and to the questions posed. The speakers must be particularly attentive to the logical organization of their ideas.-         Fighting spirit: The teams are encouraged to use the weaknesses of their opponents; they have to use the most convincing, persuasive and striking arguments and mustn’t hesitate to interrupt the other teams’ answers since they are allowed to do so once by the rules. Every school must train volunteers willing to be part of the committee: One chairman,                                                                                                                                                          3 time keepers,                                                                                                                                                          4 groups composed of 2 judges, each group responsible for the evaluation of one  team (speeches, questions and answers to the other teams as they come, all concerning the motion being presented and discussed) The committee is thus composed of 12 members, namely 2 for each school plus two additional students from Rodin or Villingen-Schwenningen