← Back to Ages 7-10 Games
⚡
Speed Debate
Students have 60 seconds to argue for a position then swap — fast talking fluency builder.
⏱ 15-20 min⚡ Medium energy👥 Pairs or whole class
📚 Vocabulary
• opinion language
• arguing
• agreeing
• disagreeing
• I think
• because
• however
🛠 Materials
• Timer
• Debate topic cards or topics on board
📋 How to Play
- Students work in pairs facing each other.
- Teacher announces a topic — "Summer is better than winter."
- Student A argues FOR the statement for 60 seconds without stopping.
- They must keep talking — even if they repeat themselves or hesitate.
- After 60 seconds Student B argues AGAINST for 60 seconds.
- Then both students swap positions and argue the opposite side.
- Class votes on who argued most convincingly.
- Move to a new topic and new partners.
💡 Teacher Tips
✓The key rule is students must keep talking for the full 60 seconds — no silences.
✓This is the single best activity for building spoken fluency quickly.
✓Use light-hearted topics — food, animals, school subjects, seasons.
✓Pre-teach argument phrases — I think, because, for example, on the other hand.
🔄 Variations
→Reduce to 30 seconds for beginners — increase to 90 for advanced.
→Whole class debate — one side of the room argues for, other side against.
→Write the arguments first before speaking them aloud.
Want full 50-minute lesson plans for Ages 7-10?