Debate Topics for Teenagers That Actually Get Them Arguing (in English)

The challenge of running debates with teenagers is not getting them to argue - it's getting them to argue in English. Teenagers will argue passionately about things that matter to them and say nothing about things that don't. The most common reason teenage debates die is that the topic was chosen for its pedagogical tidiness rather than its relevance.

This list is organised around topics teenagers genuinely care about: school, social media, phones, music, gaming, fairness, freedom, and their future. Every topic has genuinely defensible positions on both sides.

YapYapGo is a classroom speaking practice tool for ESL and EFL teachers. Debate mode assigns positions randomly - so teenagers argue positions they may not personally hold, which removes social risk and produces better language. A debate timer handles the structure.

School and education (A2-B1)

1. Homework should be abolished completely.
2. School uniforms are a good idea.
3. Mobile phones should be banned in classrooms.
4. Students should be allowed to choose all their own subjects.
5. Exams are a fair way to judge students.
6. Schools should start later in the morning.
7. Physical education should be optional.
8. Students should be paid for good grades.
9. Schools should teach social media skills.
10. Single-sex schools are better than mixed schools.

Social media and technology (B1-B2)

1. Social media does more harm than good for teenagers.
2. Everyone under 16 should have a screen time limit.
3. Influencers are a negative influence on young people.
4. Gaming is a waste of time.
5. Teenagers should be allowed to have TikTok without parental monitoring.
6. Social media companies are responsible for teenagers' mental health.
7. Smartphones should be banned for under-13s.
8. Fame on social media is not a real achievement.
9. It is better to have many online friends than a few real ones.
10. Artificial intelligence will make human creativity unnecessary.

Friends, family, and freedom (B1-B2)

1. Parents should be allowed to read their teenager's messages.
2. Teenagers should have a curfew.
3. Young people today have more freedom than previous generations - and that's a problem.
4. Peer pressure is more positive than negative.
5. Teenagers are more mature than adults give them credit for.
6. It is better to have a few close friends than many acquaintances.
7. Best friends should always be honest, even when it hurts.
8. Competition between friends is healthy.
9. Teenagers should have a part-time job.
10. Being popular at school matters for the rest of your life.

Tool tip: YapYapGo's Debate mode is particularly effective with teenagers because the random position assignment means they're arguing a role, not publicly committing to a view their friends might judge. A visible classroom countdown timer creates the urgency that keeps teenage debates energetic rather than drifting.

Society and fairness (B2)

1. Celebrities earn too much money.
2. It is better to be rich and unhappy than poor and happy.
3. Fame is more important to young people than happiness.
4. Young people today have a harder life than their parents did.
5. The voting age should be lowered to 16.
6. Famous athletes are overpaid compared to teachers and nurses.
7. Social media should be taxed to fund schools.
8. Teenagers should be treated as adults in the legal system.
9. Climate activism by young people is making a real difference.
10. Young people should take more responsibility for the environment.

Future and ambition (B1-B2)

1. University education will not be important in 20 years.
2. It is better to follow your passion than choose a safe career.
3. Being famous would make your life better.
4. Success is more about luck than hard work.
5. Money is the most important factor when choosing a career.
6. Teenagers should travel before going to university.
7. It is better to be an entrepreneur than to work for someone else.
8. The most important thing in life is financial security.
9. Everyone should do some form of community service before they are 20.
10. The world will be a better place when my generation is in charge.

Lighthearted debates (any level)

1. Cats are better pets than dogs.
2. Summer is better than winter.
3. It is better to be an only child than to have siblings.
4. Tea is better than coffee.
5. Books are better than films.
6. City life is better than country life.
7. Morning people have a better life than night owls.
8. It is better to be very good at one sport than OK at many.
9. Video games are a form of art.
10. Music is more important to daily life than sport.

For more on running debates with teenagers specifically, see our post on ESL speaking activities for teenagers. For the non-threatening debate formats that work best with anxious teenage speakers, see non-threatening debate for lower levels. A random student picker adds energy to the sharing phase.

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Sources:

• Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press. - Relevance to student lives as the primary driver of teenage engagement.
• Horwitz, E. et al. (1986). Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern Language Journal. - Assigned positions reduce the social risk that makes public argumentation anxiety-inducing for teenagers.