There are clear gaps in the analytical and critical thinking skills of school children. According to the results of the last PISA test, only every seventh young person can distinguish between fact and opinion. The people who assessed the state exam in the Estonian language in 2022 found that more and more often, students’ work shows difficulties in argumentation. We see that the school system has not adapted quickly enough to a society characterised by information overload, polarisation and the spread of misinformation. There is a need to rapidly develop the critical thinking and reasoning skills of students.
Through the debating method, young people learn to critically evaluate the information around them and to express themselves in a structured way, while getting used to analysing and understanding different points of view. By regularly expressing their ideas in class, young people gain the confidence to do the same in society and thus become active citizens.
The funds raised in the donation environment will be used by the Debating Society to train teachers to use the debating method both in the classroom to teach subject competences and in more depth in the form of elective subjects or leisure activities. There is a great need for debating skills training in society, but it takes consistent communication with schools and teachers to explain the importance of debating education and to find the teachers who are prepared to contribute to this in one way or another.
During the project, we will actively train new teachers, run a teacher training programme, create teaching materials and provide mentors for new teachers. A support network for teachers will be launched in 2023 to support teachers who, in addition to their main activities, actively contribute to developing young people’s critical thinking, argumentation and self-expression skills. All this supports an increase in the number of teachers and thus the availability of high-quality argumentation education.
How will your contribution help?
- €5 pays for 1 hour
- €10 pays for 2 hours
- €25 pays for 5 hours of active support for teachers
The organization is included on the list of income tax incentive non-profit organizations. Learn more about relevant tax topics: Donations and taxe
