B1 Debate Motions for Late Teens (16-18)
Watch a tutorial on how to run this activity with your class
Explore More Questions
B1 Debate Motions for Late Teens (16-18)
Teenage classrooms come alive during debates in a way they rarely do during other activities. The competitive element, the team dynamics, and the permission to argue all tap into what 16-18 year olds are naturally drawn to. These 75 motions are written for B1 teens, covering school life, social media, fairness, youth culture, and personal freedom. Motions like 'Students should choose their own subjects from age 14' and 'Social media does more harm than good for teenagers' hit topics where every student has a position to defend.
The motions use simple, direct language that B1 teens can understand immediately. There is no formal debate jargon and no complex conditional structures. This means students can focus entirely on thinking up arguments and finding the English to express them, rather than deciphering what they are supposed to be debating.
Why teens love debate more than discussion
Discussion asks students to share opinions politely. Debate gives them permission to disagree, challenge, and persuade. For many teens, this permission is what unlocks their willingness to speak in English. The team structure also helps: students who would never volunteer an opinion individually will argue passionately when they feel accountable to a team.
Managing energy in teen debates
Teen debates can get loud and unfocused without structure. Use short speech times (60-90 seconds), enforce a preparation period, and require that speakers address a specific point from the other side. In YapYapGo, the speech timer and round tracker keep the activity moving. Colour-coded teams (green for and red against) make it visually clear who is speaking next.