DEBATE
PROCEDURE.
THE TOPIC OF THE CONFERENCE IN LAGOA IS “Sport as a way of
social inclusion and a tool against discrimination and intolerance”
In GENOA: “Sports as a mean to overcome
physical problems”
After the first transnational meeting in Brno in
October, 2016, the teachers involved in the project agreed that the debate
should have the following rules:
-Each team represents one country, and it is formed by
3 or 4 students. There are 5 countries
-The students prepare an opening speech that has to be
read out during the debate. In order to make it easier, all the speeches will be available to all the students 2 days before
the debate, so there will be no problem to understand them. Besides, the
students have time to prepare some questions, so they won´t have to improvise.
-The opening speeches will last 2 minutes. They will be read out by 2 students of each team.
All 4 students need to be standing in front of the audience.
-When the countries motion for a moderated caucus,
they raise their placard and speak out. If there are many topics suggested
(each country will suggest topics to be discussed), the chair decides which
ones to discuss. Maximum 4 motions ( 6 minutes each one), as time for this part
would be 25 minutes.
-The goal is to rewrite the initial opening speeches
during an unmoderated caucus, adding everything that has been discussed in the
caucus. In the end, each country reads their final speech, presented as a
resolution with recommendations. The country who had read the last in the
opening speech is the one who starts.
-Finally, the countries vote for the best resolution.
Each country has one vote (must vote for other delegation´s resolution). The
country who gets more votes is the one whose resolution is adopted.
The parts of the debate are:
1-
WELCOMING-
The chair welcomes the participants, takes attendance
calling each country (Italy…”present”; Spain…”present”) and reminds the
procedure and timing of the debate.
“Welcome to the First ERAMUS+ Conference! I hereby call this meeting to
order (bang the gavel). My name
is……., and I will be your chair today! I am here to moderate this meeting and
make sure that each country has an opportunity to share its opinion. I also
guide us between the different parts of the meeting—the speaker´s list, the moderated
and unmoderated caucuses, and voting procedure.
2.- EXPLANATION
OF THE RULES. The flow of debate today will be the following:
o Opening Speeches: which is where each country
presents its position on the topic. The students come to the front of the floor
and look at the audience. There will be no questions. Each country will have 2
minutes to speak. Remember that If you have a pre-written opening speech, you
should look at the audience and not only look at your paper. You will be facing
the delegates when you speak.
o Moderated Caucus: This is the formal debate,
that will be introduced by one of the countries. Students simply stand in place
when speaking, there´s no need to come to the front of the floor. Remember that
you need to mention the specific topic you want to discuss and the time in this
way: "The delegation
of….motions to move into a 10 minutes moderated caucus with a speaking time of
45 seconds related with…(here you mention the topic") At this point you will have the opportunity to ask questions to other
countries and exchange ideas based on what has been offered in the opening
speeches . Total time : 10 minutes
o Unmmoderated Caucus: This is the informal debate.
During this session, you will be free to mingle and try to reach agreements
with other countries. You should begin to form blocs and write agreements outlining your shared ideas. You
should change your initial ideas, adding ideas from other countries. Countries
with similar positions should write a text together (2+3?) This session will
last 10 minutes.
o Resolutions voting procedure: This is when each resolution
will be read out loud. As there are 5 countries, they should present only 2
texts, and vote. After each resolution is read, we will vote on the resolutions
created. For a resolution to pass, at least 4 countries need to vote in favour
of the resolution.
3.- OPENING SPEECHES, àthe 5
countries present their speeches ( 2 minutes).
a.
The speech has to focus on the context (the importance
of the topic, the role of education, some mention to how social or physical
disabilities affect our country and the initial resolutions the country has…),
concluding with key ideas to discuss later.
4.- MODERATED
CAUCUS, where countries motion with different questions
inspired in the other countries´speeches. (10 minutes)
5.- UNMMODERATED
CAUCUS: students mingle and discuss freely, clarifying what
has been discussed in the moderated caucus, for 10 minutes.
6.-
RESOLUTIONS AND VOTING PROCEDURE: each country or group of
countries reads out its resolution. It has to be inspired on their opening
speech but focusing on specific decisions, mentioning other countries
contributions. VOTING: after 3
minutes of discussions within each team, they decide which resolution must be
voted. One country= one vote.
The chair ends with “Thank you delegates for your hard work today. It is so great to see
that XX resolutions passed. At this point I hereby officially conclude the
third ERASMUS+ conference.”
This is the outline for the opening speech.
Introduction:
·
Basic facts
about the issue, why is the issue important to European countries?
·
Basic facts
about your country, introduce your country’s relationship with the issue.
DomesticAction:
·
How is the
issue affecting your country?
·
What has
your country done about the issue?
·
How
successful was the action?
International Action
&Collaboration:
·
Has your country done anything to tackle the issue internationally?
Has your
country worked with other countries?
Resolutions&Conclusion:
·
What do you suggest for the future? Why? How would it
happen?
·
Conclusion: Strong ending that brings home the point!
Why is this problem important? What should the world be doing now and in the
future to tackle it?
This is the GUIDE TO WRITING RESOLUTIONS
- Preambulatory clause is written with gerunds and commas (Bearing in mind, taking into account, being aware that, pointing out that, emphasising the idea that…)
- Operative clause is written with present simple suggestive verbs and semi-colons(the delegation of…encourages…; suggests…; supports the idea of…;, urges the creation of…;)
- Each clause (preamble or operative) should relate to ONE IDEA
- Any operative clauses should have some connection with a preambulatory clause as background and the reason for needing the operative clause
- Remember to be SPECIFIC!
- Questions to answer in a resolution:
- What? (What problems should be addressed? What will we do to address them?)
- Why? (Why should we address the problems? Why does this affect my country/my school and countries/schools around the world?)
- How? (How are we going to fix these problems? How will we get the money? How will we get people to do what we suggest?)
- Who? (Who should be fixing these problems? Who should be educated about it? Who should be paying?)
- Where? (Where are the problems occurring? Where should we help?)
- When? (When does this need to be solved by? When is a realistic goal of reaching this resolution?)
