Informed, open-minded discussions about the news
To have a high-quality conversation about current affairs, students need knowledge of the issue they're discussing as well as critical-thinking and communication skills: speaking, listening, problem-solving and creativity.
Topical Talk aims to do this in the following ways, and teachers can follow these principles in their classrooms too.
- Provide expert information: high-quality journalism, data and topic experts
- Encourage creativity and problem-solving: philosophical questions and hard choices call for good ideas and strong reasoning
- Encourage effective speaking and listening: teachers act as discussion-facilitators, not lecturers
- Expose young people to different perspectives: different arguments and voices presented
Importantly, these kinds of conversation need practise: a topical hour each week.
Supporting resources
The resources below are helpful whether your students are new to these kinds of conversations or practise them regularly.
Resources to use in your classroom