Journal Article Critique 14

Citation:

Othman, mala.,  Sahamid, Husniah., Harrith, Muhammad., Hashim, Rosnani., & Mohamad, Faizah. (2015). The Effects of Debate Competition on Critical Thinking among Malaysian Second Language Learners. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 23 (4): 656-664.

This article journal mainly discuss how debate competition can develop students’ critical thinking. The participant of this research are forty second language learners in Malaysia, aged 16 years old. The researcher conducted this research with pre-test and post test. Also, a survey was undertaken to gauge their perception of the thinking process they had experienced.

In debate competition, two teams will debate over a problem that called ‘motion’, in front of the judges or adjudicators. They have to provide a better argument with strong facts and the way they deliver their argument also being scored by the judges. After listen to the opponent group, they have to be able to do rebuttal over the opponent’s argument. In this case, critical thinking play a big role. because, if we do not think fast or our argument is not strong, the opponent group will see it as weaknesses and it easier for them to rebut our argument.

As a result, in the pre-test and post-test there are some improvements in the students’ critical thinking. Also, in the survey that given to the students, it shows that the majority of the students (83,8%) response positively that debate competition can improve their critical thinking.

Journal Article Critique 13

Citation:

Yang, Chien-Hui.,  &  Rusli, Enniati. (2012). Using Debate as a Pedagogical Tool in Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers’ Learning and Critical Thinking. Journal of International Education Research, 8(2), 135-144.

The main purpose of this article journal is to implement debate as pedagogical tool to enhance pres-service teachers’ learning on the subject matter and investigate the effect of using debate in teacher training in Singapore context. The participant of this study are fifty-six pre-service teachers

In this article the researcher explain six benefits of debate as a pedagogical tool. One of those benefits is that debate found to be useful in reducing biases and understanding critical issues from different perspective. Well, in my opinion, I really agree with this statement. Because in making decision or argument, we have to think about our own perspective, the facts, and other opinion. Debate helps students to learn about the evidences supporting both sides and reasons behind individuals’ beliefs and actions.

           

Debate is a good way to promote higher order or critical thinking. If we want to rebut the opponent’s argument, we have to gather relevant and accurate information as well as think about it critically to strengthen our argument. Beside we have to think critically, we have to deliver our argument in well-organized way in a short time.

In the conclusion part, based on the students’ point of view, it is proven that debate can develop their critical thinking compared with textbook reading and lectures and there are only 1.8% of students who are strongly disagree that debate is an effective way to promote their critical thinking.

Journal Article Critique 12

Citation: 

Zare, Pezhman.,  & Othman, Moomala. (2013). Classroom Debate as a Systematic Teaching/Learning Approach. World Applied Sciences Journal 28 (11), 1506-1513.

The main purpose of this article is makes an attempt to introduce classroom debate as an instructional strategy. Using debate tehnique will develop our critical thinking because if we face some problems, we have to consider from the fact, other perspective and that makes us think critically. We have to communicate with our team to make a strong argument.

Classroom debate build up academic language skills, second/foreign language fluency and public speaking skills. The student also response positively that debate technique could improve their critical thinking and their speaking ability.

Personally, I think that using classroom debate is an effective way because so many students stated that they feel shy to speak in front of other people that they do not be acquainted with. However, I think they will not that shy if they talk in front of their own classmate. So, I think classroom debate could be a technique to build up their confidence. First, they do not shy to talk in front of their classmates, then slowly, they will be able to talk in front of other people that they do not know if they practice debate at least once e week in learning activities.

 

Journal Article Critique 11

Citation:

Fauzan, Umar. (2016). Enhancing Speaking Ability of EFL Students through Debate and Peer Assessment. EFL Journal, 1(1), 49-57.

The main purpose of this journal is to know the effectiveness of debate and peer assessment in order to enhance speaking ability of third semester student in English Department of IAIN Samarinda. The method of the research is CAR because the problem to be solved come from classroom setting. There are two criteria to determine whether the method is success or not, those are score improvement and classroom atmosphere.

Debate can be included as an effective way to enhance students’ speaking ability because it enables them to express their opinion and their thought in debate practice. Peer assessment is also an effective way because it makes the students aware of their mistakes but they do not avoid threat. The student will accepted the correction so that the speaking accuracy will raised.  In this research, the researcher use two cycles. In the cycle I, the goals of the research did not reached yet because the students participation is only 64% which should be 70%. Because the improvement of the pre-test to the test on the cycle I is not significant, the researcher made some improvement of the implementation of debate practice that made the students’ speaking ability improved in cycle II.

In conclusion, Debate and peer assessment can improve students’ speaking ability because the students’ speaking ability was improved 20% from the pre-test and the atmosphere of the class also improved because the students become active. It encourages them to creatively explore the language.