ENHANCING ARGUMENTATIVE SPEAKING SKILLS OF LEARNERS THROUGH DEBATE ACTIVITIES IN ENGLISH LESSONS

Abstract

This article explores the pedagogical value and practical implementation of integrating formal debate activities into English language classrooms to enhance learners’ advanced argumentative speaking skills. Moving away from traditional, teacher-centered methodologies, the paper highlights how debates transform the educational environment into a dynamic, student-centered space that fosters cognitive flexibility, linguistic fluency, and rhetorical sophistication. The study analyzes the multi-dimensional benefits of debate, including elevated critical thinking, accelerated language automatization under pressure, and the reduction of foreign language speaking anxiety (the affective filter). Furthermore, it deconstructs five core competencies crucial for persuasive communication: clear articulation, logical reasoning, effective rebuttal, persuasive techniques, and respectful communication. Finally, a structured, step-by-step framework for classroom integration is provided, emphasizing topic relevance, linguistic scaffolding through signposting, strategic role assignment, and multi-dimensional rubric assessment. Ultimately, the article posits that classroom debates serve as an invaluable tool for bridging the gap between students' receptive language knowledge and real-world communicative autonomy.