Debate — Worksheet 3

Debate Topic: My Side — YES or NO:

How to use this worksheet. This is your live-practice sheet. You will use it during and right after a practice debate with your mentor. Keep it next to you the whole time.

Before you start, fill in the Debate Topic and your side at the top. Have your Worksheet 2 plan nearby too.
Work through the parts in order as the debate happens: your opening, then listening, then your rebuttal, then your closing.
Every part has a Clarify hint. Read it if you get stuck. It gives you a strategy, never the words to say.
It is okay to pause and take your time. Speaking clearly matters more than speaking fast.

PART 1

My Opening Statement Practice

Practice saying your opening statement out loud. Speak clearly and confidently.

1.My Opening Statement (write it out fully, using your plan from Worksheet 2):

Clarify — You already wrote this on Worksheet 2. Don't reinvent it here — copy your plan and practice it out loud. Say it a few times until it feels smooth.

PART 2

Listening to the Other Side

During the practice debate, listen carefully when the other team speaks.

2.What were the other side's main reasons? (List 1–2 points you heard.)

Clarify — You can't rebut what you didn't hear. Jot quick notes while they speak — even a few words is enough to remember their point later.

PART 3

My Rebuttal Practice

A rebuttal is how you respond to what the other side said.

3.The other side's argument I want to respond to:

4.My Rebuttal (how I will respond):

Clarify — Answer their point first, then swing back to why your side is still strong. A good rebuttal says "They said ___, but ___."

PART 4

My Closing Statement Practice

Your closing is your last chance to remind everyone why your side is right.

5.My Closing Statement (write it out fully, from your Worksheet 2 plan):

Clarify — Like your opening, this comes straight from Worksheet 2. Say it slowly and end strong — this is the part your audience remembers most.

PART 5

Self-Reflection & Feedback

After the practice debate, think about how it went. Be kind and honest with yourself.

6.What did I do well in the debate?

7.What is one thing I want to improve for next time?

Clarify — Pick just one thing to improve — not everything at once. Naming one small goal makes your next debate easier. And always name something you did well too!

💡 Tips for a Strong Practice Debate

Slow down. Take a breath before you speak. A clear, slow voice sounds more confident than a fast one.
Use your notes. Your Worksheet 2 plan is there to help you — it's not cheating to look at it.
Listen, then respond. You don't have to answer instantly. It's okay to pause and think before you rebut.

Reflection

Which part of the debate felt the easiest? Which part felt the hardest? Name one thing that made you feel proud today.

FOR MENTOR USE — STUDY THIS TOGETHER

Mentor Guide

How to run the practice debate with your student

1. What this worksheet builds

This is the doing sheet — the student takes the plan from Worksheet 2 and performs it live. It builds three skills at once: delivery (speaking clearly and confidently out loud), active listening (hearing the other side's real points), and on-the-spot rebuttal (responding to something they didn't script in advance). The goal is practice and confidence, not a polished performance.

2. How to set up a low-stakes practice

Keep it small and friendly — just you and the student, no audience. You play the "other side."
Make your points simple and clear so the student has something real but manageable to respond to.
Tell them up front: this is practice, mistakes are expected. Nobody is scoring or judging.
Go in order: their opening → you speak → their rebuttal → their closing. Let the sheet guide the flow.

3. Using the Clarify hints

Let the student attempt each part first; point them to the Clarify box only if they stall. The hints coach strategy ("jot notes while they speak," "answer their point, then swing back"), never the words to say. Over time, ask the student to tell you the strategy before they read it — that is the skill becoming their own.

4. Supporting the student

Let them use their Worksheet 2 notes freely. Reading from a plan while learning to speak is a support, not a shortcut.
Allow pauses. Silence while they think is fine — resist the urge to fill it or answer for them.
Praise effort and clarity, not winning. "You spoke so clearly" and "Great job listening" build more confidence than "You won."
If a rebuttal is hard, feed it back gently: "They said ___ — what do you think about that?"

5. Reviewing it together

Right after, do Part 5 together. Start by naming a specific strength you saw, then help them pick one small thing to improve.
Compare the work to the student's own earlier practice, not to anyone else's. Progress is the measure.
This is a quick, warm check-in — Worksheet 4 is the deeper reflection. Save the bigger conversation for there.