Debate and Spelling bee for Junior students

A friend, I think she is a teacher, from english mailing-list asked about the best way in conducting debate and spelling bee for junior school students.

Here's my suggestion for her.
- Spelling bee
This can be done in two stages. First you can go by rank. The vocabulary lists are given to all with in the same room and the students write their spelling down. After that you can take the top 10 or 20 it depends on how the number of participants.

Secondly you go for spelling (by pronounciating it). Whoever participants make mistakes on their spell - even one word - will fail to go further. And the lists of vocabulary is of course more difficult than the 1st stage. The one who can answer all correctly will be the winner.

I think to give you better idea you need to watch the film starred by Richard Gere, an obsessed father who assisted his daughter in spelling bee contest. I forget the title of the film, but something with the 'bee' word in it hehehehe... Anyone ever watch the film?!

- Debate
I don't know how well your students are in speaking english. But since this for junior school students, I think you can start by giving them the several topics to choose and which team will be taken the pros ideas and which will take the cons. Let each of the debate team have their own homework to say why they agree or disagree with the topics.

After that let them present their ideas to their opponent. And let the opponent respond to their ideas. You can give each team something between 30-60 minutes to each team to present their ideas, respond/answer to the opponent objection and solidify their ideas.

The one who can present their ideas well in term of logic, pronounciation and range of vocabulary will be the winner.

Taking Other People Opinion

There is a very famous story about taking other people opinion from Lukman The Sage from Ethiopia. His name has been honored as the name of surah in quran, Lukman. I don't know if you ever hear or read this story. To teach his son about taking other people opinion he had taken his son to go the market and bought a donkey. On the way home he rode the donkey and he let the son walk. On the road, seeing that, some people that they met commented about that action, "what a cruel father he is to let his son walk, while he is enjoying the ride himself". Hearing this, then they changed position, the son rode the donkey and the father walked and they continued the journey. On the way, they heard another people commented "what a disrespectful son. He let himself riding the donkey yet he let his father walked." Hearing this, then they changed position. Now both of them rode the donkey and they continued the journey. And still on the way the heard these people making comments on their act. "How cruel you two for riding this donkey and let it suffered by your weight." So now they made another change. This time they both walked and let the donkey followed them. Even in this situation they heard people made comments " What a stupid thing to do. You have the donkey for carried yet you don't even use it." Now hearing this comment, what do you think they're doing? Well, Lukman and his son carried the donkey on their back hehehehe... And still people commented on " what a stupid act! The donkey supposed to carry you, not you carried it," Then Lukman said to his son, "Son, that's what will happen to you if you ever let other people talk interfere you." So next time you felt hurt because of other people criticism, you can laugh and remember that donkey thing hehehehe... Eventhough seems absurd, I find it pretty funny but so true.