Does Real Change Start with Young People or Adults? | Debate class lesson

This debate lesson asks students to decide whether real change begins with young people or with adults. Learners build the vocabulary needed to discuss activism, leadership and influence, then read a short text presenting both viewpoints before examining two opposing perspectives in detail. The core skill of the lesson is acknowledging the other side: students learn how to concede a valid point from their opponent and then argue their own position more persuasively. They also analyse two weak responses — one that dismisses the other side entirely and one that refuses to take a position at all — before writing their own balanced-but-decisive sentence and taking part in a full class debate.

This is Lesson 10 in the Debate Class course.

Learning objectives

• Use topic vocabulary to build arguments about social change and activism
• Understand and compare two opposing perspectives on who drives real change
• Acknowledge an opposing argument before presenting a counter-argument
• Identify why dismissing the other side or refusing to choose weakens an argument
• State a clear opinion and support it with two reasons in a spoken debate

Lesson coverage

• Key vocabulary and definitions: leadership, innovation, experience, motivation, movement, influence, activism, credibility
• Vocabulary drag-and-drop practice using debate-style sentences
• Pick and Talk discussion questions
• A short reading about youth-led and adult-led change, with comprehension questions
• Perspective A: change starts with young people
• Perspective B: change starts with adults
• Debate strategy: acknowledging the other side, with sentence starters
• Two weak debate responses to classify: Ignoring the Other Side and Giving Up
• Strategy practice: writing a sentence that recognises both views but states an opinion
• Final debate question with a checklist for building a strong argument
• Reward game and teacher feedback form

Suitable for teenage and adult ESL learners at intermediate to upper-intermediate level who are developing critical thinking and formal discussion skills.