Activities to Teach Students to Choose Reasons to Support an Opinion
Giving an opinion or making an argument is an essential skill, and it is even more important to be able to back that opinion with evidence or reasons. Educators must teach students how to choose reasons carefully and make them strong enough to support their opinions, and this can be done through various activities.
1. Debate:
Debates offer the perfect opportunity to teach students how to choose reasons to support an opinion. Teachers can split the class into groups and assign them topics to debate. The students must research the topic and present a strong argument with supporting reasons. This type of activity teaches students how to look for relevant information, analyze it and articulate it in their arguments.
2. Use Real-World Examples:
Using real-world examples allows students to understand how to use reasons to support an opinion holistically. Teachers can pick a news article or a current event, share it with the class, and then ask students to express their opinion. After they have done that, students can be asked to identify reasons why they feel that way, citing specific examples from the article they read. This kind of activity prompts students to think critically, reducing opinions to specific reasons, and weighing the evidence.
3. Play Opinion Wall:
Divide the class into two teams and ask each team to write down their individual opinions regarding a topic on opposing sides of the classroom. While team members are brainstorming their individual opinions, teachers should ensure that students keep the reasons for their opinion in mind. After the brainstorming sessions conclude, all the individual opinions are shared, and teams must present their reasoning behind their opinions. This activity encourages students to use evidence to support their opinions, work as a team, and practice public speaking.
4. Use Role Playing:
In this activity, students must put themselves in another person’s shoes and make a case for their perspective. Depending on the age and skill level of the students, the teacher can ask them to present arguments in different roles – a lawyer, a judge, or a politician, for example. The teacher can then provide them with cases or topics, which they must articulate their opinions and reasons. This activity enhances creativity, improves empathy, and helps students practice persuasive writing.
In conclusion, reasoning is an essential skill, and it should be taught in schools through various activities that challenge the students to choose their reasons carefully to support their opinions. Activities such as debates, real-world examples, Opinion Wall, and role-playing can make reasoning more approachable and fun while fostering critical thinking skills, communication skills, and empathy.