Welcome to ESLDebates.com, a growing project to create a wellspring of knowledge to improve the quality of debating that ESL students experience in the classroom. I hope to provide lesson plans, debating techniques and current topics to encourage discussion as well as articles on present controversies around the world.
Starter Debate Lessons
- Cryptocurrency Is the Future of Global Finance
- We Should Encourage Corporate Sponsorship of Culture and the Arts
- Can We Ever Expect Our Online Activities to Remain Private?
- Automation and AI Will Help Society
- and many, many more…
General Debate Lessons (with Video)
- Can a Cure for Diabetes Be Found Through Surgery
- How Does Science Fiction Influence the Real World?
- How to Revive Free Healthcare for Everyone
- Could There Ever Be Another World War?
- and many, many more…
TED Talk Debate Lessons (with Video)
- Ted Talk: We’re Building a Dystopia Just to Make People Click on Ads
- TED Talk: How the US Government Spies on People Who Protest — Including You
- TED Talk: How to Separate Fact and Fiction Online
- TED Talk: Beware Online Filter Bubbles
- TED Talk: We’ve Stopped Trusting Institutions and Started Trusting Strangers
- and many, many more…
Business Debate Lessons (with Video)
- Business: Foreign Direct Investment and Its Benefits
- Business: Corporate Social Responsibility at the Saïd Business School
- Business: Mercer’s View on Crowdsourcing and the Gig Economy
- Business: How Smart Is Today’s Artificial Intelligence?
- Business: The Big Debate on the Future of Work
- Business: JP Morgan’s Perspective on the Development of Islamic Finance
- and many, many more…
Debate ideas
- 50 Controversial Topics in Medicine: Laws, Policies, and Practises
- 50 Discussion Ideas for Double Circle Debating Lesson
- 5 Sensitive Debate Topics and Why They Are a Taboo
- 56 Debating Topics on Religion and Faith
- 47 Debate/Persuasive Topics On Media and Advertising
- 30 Debates On Women and Gender Equality
- 60 Controversial Discussion Topics with Teaching Ideas
- and many, many more…