DEBATE PREPARATION, TOPIC 5.

​
DEBATE TOURNAMENTS 2009.​
Coach:
Leonardo Sanchez G.
English Teacher, Graduate in Education and English Language.
ENGLISH DEBATE TEAM, DON ORIONE SCHOOL.​
This is the English Debate Team 2009.​

The entire document was built in colaboration with these people:​

Hector San Martin - 4​th​ grade A.
Paola San Martin - 4​th​ grade A.
Macarena Pinochet - 4th ​ ​ grade A.
Aline Pardo - 1​st​ grade B.
Cristopher Jerez - 2nd ​ ​ grade B.
Miguel Gomez - 1st​ ​ grade B.
Carol Guzman - 4th ​ ​ grade B.
Rebecca Rebolledo - 3rd ​ ​ grade A.
Eder Contreras - 3​ grade B.
rd​

Nayra Chandia - 2nd ​ ​ grade B.

Nicolas Malz - 2​nd​ grade B.
Ricardo San Martin - 1​st​ grade B.

Debate Arguments.​

Noten chiquillos que los subtítulos en cada uno de los argumentos corresponden a los
que los hicieron, para que cuando surjan dudas puedan preguntar a los autores
originales. Gramatical y ortográficamente, los textos están OK, solo hay que
practicarlos.​
Están los argumentos a favor, en contra, y la tabla resumen con los argumentos y los
posibles refutes. Con este documento, ustedes deben practicar el contenido y el
dominio, y buscar información de respaldo que puedan necesitar. De manera personal,
complementen cada argumento con el refute que mas le calce.​
Good Luck!!!​

 INDEX.​
Summary of arguments.
Proposition arguments.
Opposition arguments.
Debate instruction.​

 TOPIC DEVELOPMENT.​
Statement: This house believes that English should be established as the official language in all
schools.​

AFFIRMATIVE ARGUMENTS
# Argument
1 The English language helps
people to gain more culture.
2 The language in all subjects at
schools, should make students
improve vocabulary beyond the
standard English teaching
programs.
3 With a major knowledge of
English, our chances of working
and studying here and abroad
(and succeeding in it) are larger.
4 The government is now compelling It is OK to compel the use of
the use of English, and this will be English, but it is not necessary to
a tremendous opportunity to
develop English in the natural way.
5
6
NEGATIVE ARGUMENTS
Possible rebuttal
Knowing two different languages
does not necessarily mean to gain
more knowledge.
If an English program is good
enough, there will not be such an
improvement in vocabulary.
This reality is possible only if the
student is able to actually work or
study abroad. Also, there will be
not as much of a chance to go to
France just because you know
English.
transform all programs into english
# Argument Possible rebuttal
1 Knowing any language apart from
the native one means to know the
culture from which it comes from;
therefore, we may lose our own
identity and culture by replacing it
by English.
2 Implementing English as the
official language will imply teaching
English to all the teachers from the
country, and this means an
investment that will be almost
impossible to get.
3 We know that, nowadays, students
are not interested in learning
English, so the lack of interest will
rise if English becomes the single
language, provoking serious
problems in the students school
performance.
4 Many teachers would not want to
be instructed in English, since they
are accustomed to a certain
rhythm and may refuse to change
the way they work.​
5 All those who did not studied
English in this manner will face a
tremendous disadvantage
compared to those who do.
6 The system cannot impose English
as the teaching language because
those in higher levels in formal
schooling would simply get lost.

Return to Index.​

 
PROPOSITIONS ARGUMENTS​
#1 – Rebecca Rebolledo.​
The technical professional education is a very convenient and exciting opportunity for
young people. As times goes by, more students are interested in these areas. In Chile,
the 46% of high school students are studying in the TP modality.
The international economy is re – valuing this way of preparation, and schools that have
these fields of preparation are not lingering their development, and are concerned of the
quality of education and the preparation of students, for their entry to the working world.
This is why these schools are preparing themselves to certifying their TP instruction,
making agreements with companies and industries in which the work of the TP students
is fundamental; even some universities are also interested in these kind of covenants.
We can see a tangible example in Don Orione School, Quintero, certified 5 years ago
and with important covenants with two local industries, and a recent agreement with
Universidad del Mar, in direct benefit of students who are interested in continuing higher
studies.​
#2 – Hector San Martin.​
Nowadays more people are professional that technical and now we need both, some
factories need more technicians than professionals, the technical students can work in
all kind of jobs that they know just like professionals, but the professional worker is more
specialized and the technicians can undertake more areas of some practical jobs, for
they are prepared in the basics of their area of expertise, and not only in some specific
topic like the professional worker.
Yes. The TP students are more specialized then the HC students, but the HC can keep
higher studies and with this studies they become more specialized than a technician,
and can not cover the areas that one technician can.
The TP students can keep higher studies only if they want to be more specialized en a
certain area, but they can work with the knowledges learned in high school, they are
more able than the others students to start working at an early age, just finishing high
school they can work, with no additional years of study, even getting a good job
position. Somebody can say “the technical jobs are not well valued nowadays” but this
is a mistake, the technicals are a fundamental part of our society.
Some years ago, our country suffered an “Engineering Boom”, caused by the amazing
amount of students getting graduated from engineering careers of our universities.
Nowadays, the population of engineers in relation to technicians is of 5 to 1, and
technicians are well valued as workers. This lack of technicians can be turned over if
the standard curriculum is added the compulsory TTC, providing more opportunities for
future development to students exiting the formal schooling. ​
#3 – Paola San Martin.​
In general, students become better prepared to start in the adult world. They get more
pressure during high school so they get accustomed to the rhythm of real life, and real
work. It is an extraordinary benefit for them, because they usually get inserted in
working life quickly, and sometimes, immediately. Another benefit is that they have all
the knowledge to start working right after school, so they they are not obliged to keep on
studying.
In our country technical professional education is not well considered, but that’s a
mistake: there are not so many employees with this kind of studies; statistically talking,
there are too many people with university studies and a lot less with technical
professional preparation. That’s the reality in Chile. Therefore, we can say that
becoming a technical professional is not as bad as most of people think.
In my school, most of students of the TPE, get immediately inserted in a job position,
and they get a good salary. That is what they expect from this kind of education; to get a
work right after school and not to keep on studying, and that is why they are satisfied.
They really feel more satisfied with what they get; I can see that in my school.
As long as they spend more time at school, they get better relationships with their
classmates. That’s another fact in this: they spend so many ours together that the also
learn how to work as a team, how to share tasks and responsibilities.​
#4 – Teacher.​
During schooling, the range of teaching contents is broader; therefore, students gain
more knowledge. This is because the amount of time exposed to the activities at school
will rise with the inclusion of a TTC, and student, whether they are aware of it or not,
should learn more. Also, the TTC is known to possess more learning – by – doing
activities, so the students will gain authentic knowledge as it is in real – world
experiences. The more a student knows and learns from educative experiences, the
best this student is prepared to face the adult world.

#5 – Macarena Pinochet.​
The schools themselves become better, since teachers and other personnel must be
better prepared, and methodologies, management issues and facilities have to be
constantly improved. This is because the school has to keep renewing the tools,
materials, books and all the things the institution needs to provide a better teaching. The
methodologies must be the state – of – the – art, for schools can not stay in the past.
The physical spaces also have to be renewed, so students feel motivated by having all
they need to obtain good results.​
#6 – Miguel Gomez.

The TP students have more practical training on their curriculum, this makes that the
teaching to them becomes faster and better. It is proven that a practical class is better
than a just theoretical class.
The curriculum becomes more holistic with TP programs plus scientific – humanistic
ones; in this way, TP students gain more knowledge and, obviously, a better education.
With both programs of study, the students will be more prepared for the future life, their
jobs and, if they want to, continuing studying on a university. ​

Return to Index.​

 
OPPOSITION ARGUMENTS.​
#1 – Teacher.​
Time is fundamental for every person, including students. The current model of class
scheduling -the full – time schedule- already absorbs much time from students, and
many of them are even now only studying to pass and not to gain a particular
development or a particular ability. Then let us imagine what would happen if, above the
already demanding schedule, we add a full TTC. Students would simply collapse, since
it will take more than 10 hours a day to finish a single school day. Eventually, the
workshops and extra activities would disappear, leaving no special activities for
students to develop their own tastes. Summarizing, we will change an already stuffed
system that includes spare – time activities for an even more stuffed one with no time to
anything but future preparation.​
#2 – Rebecca Rebolledo.​
Having a compulsory TTC, students may feel pressed to engage in job – seeking
immediately after leaving high school. This goes against the freedom of choice that all
students have once they exit the formal schooling.
This may result from the preparation of a TTC, in which the students have been
prepared only in the TP learning modules in order to enter the working world. By this,
students are not concerned in other areas of knowledge, and they might fall in the idea
of thinking that is not necessary to learn from the standard curriculum if they are able to
find a job once they leave schooling. The students immersed in the standard curriculum,
either HC or TP separatedly, have the chance of reaching more options, and having
more time to prepare their start in the working world, and even the chance to know more
things. Their learning opportunity is infinite, and in that way the are not to feel pressed.​
#3 – Nicolas Malz.​
Since time and effort are involved in the addition of extra programs to standard
curriculum, students may fail to achieve a good performance during high school.
Moreover, those student wanting to enter higher education may also decrease their
chances of good UST (PSU) scores, due to lack of preparation. This lack of preparation
may be caused by the increase of the amount of subjects, through the mixing of the HC
and TP curriculum. The mixing of subjects could cause an overload in the students'
study routines, and because of this, the students can lose the spare time the need to
recover from a school day. Moreover, students will be obliged to learn topics and
content that are not important for the career they may be interested in following once
they leave formal schooling. We can have this additional TTC and be ready to work
earlier, but the chances to fail in one or other job are bigger. If we continue studying in
higher education, we take more time to be ready, but our chances of failing are less,
since we are more mature, and we are, at least theoretically, better prepared. And
again, we must consider the fact of losing our spare time, since we are surrounded by
problems of different kind that cause constant stress, making it necessary to have some
time to recover physical and mental energy to engage in our daily activities.

#4 – Aline Pardo.​
Not all schools are prepared to allow a TTC in their facilities, since generally this implies
labs, machinery rooms and, of course, resources in relation to the TTC the institutions
want to teach.
The authorities, although, give money to the schools to pay some of the inner
functioning, but these resources are only enough for basic requirements, like a
laboratory, and nothing more, so these labs, for example, lack the necessary
implements, such as material, machinery and so on.
Finally, we must think of the institutions that are municipal – funded, for these
institutions do not have the necessary resources to work having only one kind of
instruction (either HC or TP; therefore, the challenge of providing students with both
modalities will be unreachable in terms of funding.​
#5 - Miguel Gomez.​
In this moment, in our country, there are not enough teachers to teach all TP students.
Because of this, many professionals or well experienced technicians, without
pedagogical training, would perform as teachers, and the quality of the education given
would decrease. Having pedagogically inexperienced instructors at school would not be
the best for students. Also, it will be common that not many teachers with degrees
would perform in schools, causing the complaints of both parents and students; even
more, some instructors may not even know how to teach the students.
I believe that implementing classes that are not commonly taught by teachers may
cause an entry of inexpert instructors and may decrease the interest of TP teachers in
teaching these subjects, and this would provoke an alarming decrease in the quality of
TP education itself, and also student might not want to enter higher education, under
the belief that TP studies are enough to start working and make themselves a living;
that is to say, the Chilean employees may get less prepared for their job positions,
helping to the decreasing of the progress of the country.​
Summary speech – Paola San Martin.​
My name is Paola San Martin, I am a fourth grader and that implies that, besides all the
subjects that I have, I must get prepared for a good UST (PSU) score. According to the
statement we are debating here today, I may be getting new subjects, but I do not need
them. I want to keep on studying in higher education; so, what would happen to the
students like me, no matter the grade, if they are given more subjects? They may be
stressed or collapsed by the increase of subjects. Definitely, it will not be beneficial to
us, counting all the subjects that we already have, that we are given even more. For
some people it is even useless to have this addition of TTC to the curriculum, because
they would like to study something completely different to what they have during
schooling.
I ask you this now: would we have any spare time with all those subjects? We all know
that spare time is necessary for us.
Technical professional education must not be compulsory to us; it should stay just the
way it is, so we have the opportunity to decide which way to take, either having a TTC
or preparing yourself to enter higher education.

Return to Index.​
 
Debate Instruction.​
Dear people:​
Before everything, you have to remember that you are a team. As a team, yo have to
make links between one topic and another, in order to give the idea of continuity of the
topic as each of you is talking. Even though we talked about this during our last
meeting, and you wrote some of the phrases to make connections, I will provide those
phrases here, both in English and in Spanish, and a couple of pieces of advice for you
to practice.​
In particular, the second and third speaker must consider to say one of these phrases
before starting their points:​
 
As my team mate said, Como dijo mi compañero,
In addition to my team mate information, Agregando a la información de mi
compañero,
To continue with the idea, Continuando con la idea,
Appart from our previous argument, Aparte del argumento anterior, otro punto
another important fact is that . . . importante es . . . (​ util para cambiar de
punto)
Continuing with our arguments, Continuando con nuestros argumentos,

The summary speaker can use any of these phrases to start the final speech:​
 
We agree / disagree with the debate Estamos de acuerdo / en desacuerdo con
statement because . . . el enunciado del debate porque . . .
Opposite to what our contendants said, Al contrario de lo dicho por nuestros
oponentes,
Summarizing our points, Resumiendo nuestros puntos,

A final reminder: the debate itself is a challenge to the oral ability and display, more than
to the quality of the arguments. Remember to speak calmly and softly, but sure that you
know what you are talking about.​

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