Using talking points to encourage students to agree or challenge their peers' contributions in a primary English class

Teacher: So would anybody like to share their opinions quickly? Erm, make sure you summarise your point, OK, whether you agreed or disagreed with that statement, yes? Go on, Essen.

Essen: ((Stands up)) I think it was, er, not right to kill the dogs, because the dogs have helped the crew, er, throughout the harsh conditions on the Arctic, er, and then killing them would just be a waste. Also, Shackleton has a big push on keeping the moral up, but the people who had very strong bonds between the dogs, their moral gone-, went down.

Teacher: OK, thank you. Quickly summarising what Essen has said, erm, it wasn't right for them to shoot the dogs because they developed strong bonds and a lot of the crew members developed these strong bonds and, if you're killing something that they're, you know, that they're very close to, you're very close to, how is that going to make you feel? Upset, heartbroken, distraught. Thank you very much. Who'd like to build on agree/disagree? ((Several hands raised)) Yes, Alex.

Alex: ((Stands up)) I disagree with Essen's point because on the boat they don't have any space and they're running out of food, so I think it was right for them to kill the dogs because they will just waste space and time for them, er, on the ice and they need food as well, so I think it was right.

Teacher: OK, so they needed the space and they were running out of food. ((Most hands raised)) Thank you. Er, Mysha.

Mysha: ((Stands up)) I agree with Alex and disagree with Essen, because it was right for them. Even though it was cruel, yeah, and they were forced to do it because they needed more space, erm, and, if they didn't kill them, yeah, I think they would die even more slowly and painful death.

Teacher: OK, so, if they didn't kill them immediately or shoot them immediately, the dogs would've died a cruel death; a painful, slow death. Thank you. Er, yes, Hafiza.

Hafiza: ((Stands up)) I think it wasn't right because-, to shoot the dogs, because, erm, because you know the dogs are dogs, dogs is like human beings, like it has some bond. Like dogs have hearts and sometimes, like, if dogs, if dogs (inaudible), if they kill the dogs, the dogs, they're leaving a strong bond with them and just dying, and it's quite sad for the dogs to be killed because they came all this way and they're dead; they shot them.

Teacher: Thank you very much. Well articulated. So you're saying that dogs have feelings and, you know, they've worked really, really hard and they've killed them at the end, after all the effort they've put through. Yes.

Hafiza: And they needed, 'cos, like, if they don't kill the dog, if they don't kill the dog, it would be like life or death. Like, if they don't kill the dog, they have to kill their self.

Teacher: OK, so you're saying, if they didn’t kill the dogs, they would've-

Boy 1: Life or death situation.

Hafiza: Yeah, life or death situation.

Teacher: They would've had to die. So it was a life or death situation. OK, thank you. Er, Anaya.

Anaya: ((Stands up)) I'd like to build on Hafiza's point, 'cos he's basically saying that dogs have a life and you wouldn't like it if someone shot you, and they just murdered them, basically.

Teacher: Dogs have a life and it's technically murder. OK, an interesting point, thank you. Mahir.

Mahir: ((Stands up)) I agree with Anaya, because they have a life, that counts as murder, erm, and right now you can go to prison for murder, and, plus, it could've just been like a raft or, if they had like a briefcase, they could probably (inaudible).

Teacher: OK. I have a question. Sorry, I just want to clarify something. I know you're saying that, OK, you know, it's equivalent to murder, but, if we're killing animals, what do we call that?

Class: ((Over-talking))

Teacher: It's not called-, yes, it's called animal abuse, yeah? Alright, thank you.