“自由辩论是我们探寻真相的重要途径。”这是著名作家富兰克林.松嫩贝克在书本《灵魂食物：改变思维 改变人生》当中的名言。

而本周五，CBIS PYP六年级的同学们为了探寻超学科主题”共享地球“中动物实验的真相，自发地组织了一场充满思维碰撞的英语辩论。

Free debate is an important way for us to explore the truth", said the famous author Franklin Sonnenbeck in his book "Soul Food: Changing Thinking and Changing Life".

This Friday, to explore the truth of animal tests in the interdisciplinary theme "Sharing the Planet", our G6 students spontaneously organized an English debate that was full of thought collisions.

本次辩论的辩题为：人类是否应该使用动物进行产品实验。

该辩题来源于一节常规英语词句探究课，孩子们就课本中有关“动物实验”的定义进行争论，并主动要求开展班级辩论。

在辩论前期准备中，孩子们自主选择立场，并运用学习技能（ATLs）当中的研究技能进行资料审核与收集，并在辩证分析资料后形成自己的观点与论据；同时，他们也运用社交媒体，例如微信群去共享资讯与传递“秘密情报”，充分地体现了他们作为现代学习者的社交技能；孩子们的思维更在“问题预设”中得到充分发展，他们需要运用思维技能预判对方的问题，并利用相关论据进行回应。

The resolution for this debate is "should humans use animals for product experiments", which is originated from a regular English vocabulary-sentence class where children questioned the definition of "animal experiments" in the textbook and actively requested a class debate.

In the preparation phase for the debate, children independently chose their stance and used the research skills in Approaches to Learning (ATLs) to examine and collect data, and form their own arguments and evidences after data analysis. At the same time, they also used social media, such as WeChat groups, to share information and transmit "secret intelligence", which fully reflects their social skills as modern learners. At the same time, children's thinking was fully developed in the process of "problem presumption" since they need to use their thinking skills to anticipate the other party's questions and respond with relevant evidences.

在正式辩论当天，孩子们的表达欲高涨。

他们各自发挥自己独特的专长，擅长演讲的一辩们在立论环节自信地阐述己方立场、观点与论据；而擅长思辨的二辩三辩们将手中的问题与论据化作思维弹药与盾牌，在数回合的观点切磋碰撞中向评委们观众们展现自己的思维之光；擅长聆听与总结的四辨们俯瞰全局，精炼地总结己方对方的观点论据，并有力地重申己方的立场，为辩论画上圆满的句号。

On the day of the debate, the children's desire for expression surged. They all utilized their special talents. The speakers who excel in speeches confidently articulated their own stance, arguments, and evidences during making of constructive speech. The critical thinkers, the second and third debaters turned their questions and arguments into thinking ammunition and shields, showcasing their light of thinking to the judges and audience through several rounds of free debates. The listeners and summarizers, the fourth debaters overlooked the overall situation, summarized the arguments and evidences of their teammates and opponents in a concise manner, and forcefully reiterated their own positions, drawing a successful conclusion to the debate.

在辩论结束后，六年级带队老师Mr.Jimmy不仅感叹，自己也是一位学习者，从孩子们的身上，他学习到了思辨能力对于学习者的重要性，也看到了唇枪舌战间越辩越明的真相。

After the debate, Mr. Jimmy, the sixth grade English teacher, exclaimed that he was also a learner. From the children, he learned the importance of critical thinking skills to learners and got closer to the truth as the debate went on.