Should schools ban smartphones? A ready-to-run debate lesson

Teacher notes — Should schools ban smartphones?

Level: Middle school, A2-B1 · Time: 45 min · Prep: print the handout

Before class

Write on the board: "How do I say ___ in English?" Point at it whenever a student switches to Korean. Do not translate for them on the first try.

Warm-up (5 min)

"Hands up if you looked at your phone before class." Follow with "Why?" — get three answers. You are only checking that they will speak.

Vocabulary (8 min)

Drill the five words. For addicted and responsibility, ask for an example rather than a definition — the example tells you whether they actually have it.

Reading and choosing a side (7 min)

Students read both argument lists. They pick a side privately, then stand on one side of the room. Standing is worth the noise; it commits them.

Debate (15 min)

Pairs face each other, one from each side. Three minutes each way. Then say "swap" — they now argue the other side using the frames.

Expected trouble

• The strong student monopolises. Fix: each turn is capped at two sentences.
• Everyone picks the same side. Fix: assign the empty side yourself, and tell them a good debater can argue either way.
• Silence. Fix: point at the frames on the board, and give the first half of the sentence out loud.

Wrap-up (10 min)

Class vote — did anyone change their mind? Ask one of them why. Then the written sentence.

Error correction

Collect three errors during the debate and put them on the board at the end, unattributed. Ask the class to fix them together. Never name the student.

If you have extra time

Ask: "What rule would be better than a total ban?" This usually produces the best English of the lesson, because nobody has a prepared answer.