--- title: "Developing Communication Skills through Debate: How to Engage Students Emotionally, Imaginatively, Intellectually and Playfully" description: "Calling all EAP teachers! Do you worry that you spend too much time in lessons supervising and explaining how to study? Do you feel that your students are too dependent on you and that they may be unprepared for the rigours of academic life? This talk is designed to give you techniques and approaches that foster learning autonomy, so that learners can feel empowered to make their own learning decisions and develop their own strategies. One example of this is that teachers may help students to understand all the language and discourse features of a text, but then find that for the next reading, students are still experiencing the same comprehension problems. This can be frustrating, and push teachers to spend the majority of their lessons repeating information, without seeing much progress between sessions. Without giving students space and support to reflect critically on their own learning, it might become difficult to adequately prepare them for the level of independent study required. Therefore, the introduction of better meta-cognitive techniques can have a direct and tangible effect on both the learners’ and teacher’s sense of success. In the session, attendees will be given a brief introduction to some of the research and literature behind the benefits of meta-cognitive techniques, and then explore different activities that help learners reflect on their academic skills. We will also look at student reflections on the use of MCT and how it helped created agency in their learning, and how they have been able to incorporate these techniques into their own independent study." image: https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hubfs/Language%20(central)/Events/FOELT/FOELT%202022/Developing%20Communication%20Skills.jpg --- [![Trinity College London - purple logo](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hubfs/Drama%202020%20Resource/Trinity%20College%20London%20-%20purple%20logo.svg) ](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars) [![Trinity College London - purple logo](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hubfs/Drama%202020%20Resource/Trinity%20College%20London%20-%20purple%20logo.svg) ](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars) ## English Language Webinars Trinity organises events and various webinar series throughout the year. Most Trinity-organised events are free, but may require advance registration. [![](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hubfs/Language%20(central)/Events/FOELT/FOELT%202022/Developing%20Communication%20Skills.jpg) ](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/developing-communication-skills) # Developing Communication Skills through Debate: How to Engage Students Emotionally, Imaginatively, Intellectually and Playfully Letizia Cinganotto and Manuela Kelly Calzini presented on 'Developing Communication Skills through Debate: How to Engage Students Emotionally, Imaginatively, Intellectually and Playfully' at the 7th online [Future of English Language Teaching Conference](https://learn.trinitycollege.co.uk/foelt). See the video recording below:   Abstract The main focus for students to learn English is to be able to use English in oral communication. Debate is an excellent activity for language learning because it engages students in a variety of cognitive and linguistic ways and is a potentially effective speaking pedagogical tool that can scaffold learning processes in ways that can lead to language development. Furthermore, in addition to providing meaningful listening, speaking and writing practice, debate is also highly effective for developing argumentation skills for persuasive speech and writing. This highly interactive session aims to offer insights into the essential elements of debate and how the practice of debating can encourage creativity and thinking skills whilst offering motivating contexts for learners to communicate with one another, developing their ability to think critically, build cohesive arguments, and improving their delivery, listening and response skills. The speakers will also introduce participants to key debating techniques and strategies that can inspire teachers in organising language classes where learners assume active roles in the contemporary classroom. Examples of techniques and strategies for integrating debates and classroom discussions into your practice will be demonstrated. Web tools and digital repositories to support debating skills within international communities will also be highlighted. Finally, the speakers will consider the implications of using debate with reference to assessment and national and international tests because assessment is a key component of learning and if students are able to see how they are progressing, they are also able to determine their next learning goals.   About the presenters Letizia Cinganotto Letizia is a full time Senior Researcher at INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research), Italy. She holds a PhD in synchronic, diachronic and applied Linguistics. She has far-reaching experience in continuous professional development for teachers, teacher trainers, head teachers. She is a member of different working groups and scientific committees on CLIL and language learning both at national and international level. She has presented papers at national and international conferences and published articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and recently five volumes on CLIL.   Manuela Kelly Calzini Manuela Kelly Calzini is an experienced teacher and teacher trainer working mainly in EFL Education and Continuing Professional Development Programmes. She is lecturer at the University of Florence (Primary Education Sciences), an ELT author and regularly contributes articles in teacher publications. Manuela is currently Senior Academic for Trinity College London in Italy.   Her main research interests are Very Young and Young Learners, Manuela is also a member of the Society for Storytelling.   Video Topics: [Teacher Education](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/teacher-education), [The Future of English Language Teaching Conference](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/the-future-of-english-language-teaching-conference), [FOELT 2022](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/foelt-2022) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Upcoming ### Popular topics [![Tag - Assessment grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Assessment%20grey.png?width=131&name=Tag%20-%20Assessment%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/assessment) [![Tag - ESP Grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20ESP%20Grey.png?width=236&name=Tag%20-%20ESP%20Grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/english-for-specific-purposes-esp) [![Tag - SFL grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20SFL%20grey.png?width=167&name=Tag%20-%20SFL%20grey.png) ![Tag - Steps grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Steps%20grey.png?width=126&name=Tag%20-%20Steps%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/esol-skills-for-life) [![Tag - Foelt grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Foelt%20grey.png?width=78&name=Tag%20-%20Foelt%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/the-future-of-english-language-teaching-conference) [![Tag - GESE Grey-01](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20GESE%20Grey-01.png?width=82&name=Tag%20-%20GESE%20Grey-01.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/gese) [![Tag - ISE Grey-1](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20ISE%20Grey-1.png?width=67&name=Tag%20-%20ISE%20Grey-1.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/ise) [![Tag - Teacher Education Grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Teacher%20Education%20Grey.png?width=176&name=Tag%20-%20Teacher%20Education%20Grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/teacher-education) [![Tag - Teaching online grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Teaching%20online%20grey.png?width=160&name=Tag%20-%20Teaching%20online%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/teaching-online) [![Tag - Technology grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Technology%20grey.png?width=236&name=Tag%20-%20Technology%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/technology-and-innovation) [![Tag - Transformative Grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Transformative%20Grey.png?width=220&name=Tag%20-%20Transformative%20Grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/transformative-teachers) [![Tag - Trinity Stars](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Trinity%20Stars.png?width=133&name=Tag%20-%20Trinity%20Stars.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/trinity-stars) [![Tag - Young learners grey](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Language%20(UKI)/Webinars/Tag%20-%20Young%20learners%20grey.png?width=153&name=Tag%20-%20Young%20learners%20grey.png)](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/young-learners)   [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2885273/2f66724b-93f5-4a32-a608-edc23cfd2f6b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2885273/2f66724b-93f5-4a32-a608-edc23cfd2f6b) ### Choose a series/event - [Transformative Teachers](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/transformative-teachers) - [The Future of English Language Teaching](https://resources.trinitycollege.com/teachers/english_language/webinars/tag/the-future-of-english-language-teaching-conference)