42 Adopting the Braver Angels Debate Format for Classroom Discussions
The Braver Angels debate format offers a structured, respectful approach to classroom discussions, fostering an environment where students can engage with diverse viewpoints without fear of personal attacks or hostility. This format emphasizes civility, active listening, and critical thinking, making it a valuable tool for classrooms aiming to cultivate meaningful dialogue. ETSU has a special affinity for this group as we hosted one of their first workshops of this type on a college campus in 2017. This chapter presents the key components and benefits of this structure.
Key Components of the Braver Angels Debate Format
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Moderated Format
- A trained debate chair moderates the discussion, ensuring that the debate adheres to pre-established rules and remains civil.
- The chair’s role includes managing speaking times, guiding questions, and maintaining an atmosphere of mutual respect.
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Indirect Addressing
- Participants address the chair as “Mr./Ms./Mx. Chair” rather than speaking directly to each other.
- This approach minimizes personal confrontations and redirects the focus to ideas rather than individuals.
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Structured Speaking Time
- The debate begins with opening speakers delivering prepared speeches, typically four minutes long, arguing for or against a specific proposition.
- These speeches set the tone for the discussion and provide clear, well-reasoned positions for the audience to consider.
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Guided Q&A
- After each speech, the chair facilitates a question-and-answer session. Audience members direct their questions to the chair rather than the speaker, maintaining a neutral and respectful tone.
- This step encourages thoughtful inquiries and deeper engagement with the arguments presented.
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Open Floor
- Following the initial speeches, the floor is opened to all participants.
- Students can deliver shorter speeches, share personal perspectives, or ask questions, ensuring inclusivity and a wide range of voices.
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Non-Competitive Approach
- Unlike traditional debates, the Braver Angels format does not focus on determining a winner.
- The goal is to foster understanding and explore the nuances of different viewpoints rather than convincing others of a single “correct” position.
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Respectful Language
- Participants refer to each other as “the speaker” or “the proposer,” which helps maintain a tone of respect throughout the discussion.
- The chair may also set ground rules for language to ensure the dialogue remains constructive.
Benefits for Classroom Discussions
By incorporating the Braver Angels debate format, instructors can create a safe and inclusive environment for exploring complex or contentious topics. Here’s how the structure supports student learning and engagement:
- Encourages Deep Listening: The indirect addressing and respectful language require students to focus on the substance of the argument rather than the person delivering it.
- Promotes Critical Thinking: Structured speeches and guided Q&A sessions push students to analyze arguments, identify gaps, and formulate thoughtful questions or counterpoints.
- Reduces Emotional Conflict: The moderated and non-competitive nature of the format helps de-escalate potential conflicts, making it easier for students to discuss polarizing issues.
- Builds Communication Skills: Participants learn to articulate their positions clearly, listen actively, and respond constructively, skills that are valuable in academic, professional, and personal contexts.
- Supports Inclusivity: By opening the floor to all participants and guiding the discussion through a chair, the format ensures that quieter or less confident students have an opportunity to contribute.
Adapting the Format for the Classroom
To implement the Braver Angels debate format effectively, consider these adaptations for educational settings:
- Provide Clear Guidelines: Share the debate rules and expectations with students beforehand to familiarize them with the process.
- Select Engaging Topics: Choose propositions that are relevant, thought-provoking, and connected to the course content.
- Assign Roles: Rotate the role of the chair among students in future debates to build leadership skills.
- Incorporate Reflection: After the debate, ask students to reflect on what they learned, how their perspectives evolved, and how they felt about the process.
- Utilize Online Tools: For hybrid or online classes, consider using breakout rooms, polling features, or online Q&A tools to facilitate the debate.
By adopting the Braver Angels debate format, instructors can transform classroom discussions into opportunities for collaborative learning, respectful dialogue, and intellectual growth.
High-Impact Tips from ETSU Instructors
I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate how you went about this debate today. If I’m going to be honest, I have been so nervous about this day since I found out we would have a debate in class, but I truly think it was beneficial for everyone (even if others don’t think so). I think that this setup for a debate was super interesting, and it helped people speak up about their beliefs more than they would have if it had been a normal debate. I’ve told you before, but I truly do appreciate the culture of your classes and that is one of the few reasons I even worked up the courage to speak my opinion and belief today. I also enjoyed getting to hear my peers’ thoughts and beliefs on this topic without it being a “heated” conversation. I think we can all learn from each other even when we do not see eye to eye. If you ever have Political Differences as a topic in this class again, I definitely would keep this as an assignment!
-Email from student in COMM 4356: Intercultural Communication
As I prepped to teach my Intercultural Communication class on Nov. 13, 2024, I was wracked with anxiety. Just a week after a historically contentious and polarizing presidential election, I would be facilitating an in-class “Braver Angels” debate on abortion access. Braver Angels is a nonprofit that focuses on depolarizing America through structured debates, workshops, and other events that engage people from across the political spectrum. After learning about Braver Angels through a CTE workshop in October, I thought their debate format sounded like a great fit for my Intercultural Com class’s unit on communicating across political difference.
However, by the time the morning of the debate rolled around, my doubts were mounting. Students posted “research briefs” outlining their position on the debate ahead of class and it became evident students in my classroom held very different positions on this issue. I was worried that, in the course of the debate, the sense of community and respect we had cultivated throughout the semester would be lost.
Despite my misgivings, we moved forward. We began class by reviewing previously discussed strategies for communicating across difference. I then explained Braver Angels debate guidelines, such as “direct questions to the debate chair, rather than naming individual speakers,” which help to prevent conversations from becoming too heated or adversarial. With a bang of my “gavel” (my phone), we started the debate. Students were initially hesitant to speak, and we sat in silence for some minutes. Eventually, one brave student raised her hand and shared her perspective. Other students posed thoughtful questions to the speaker. We then heard from a student with an opposing view, and continued from there. As class drew to a close, there were suddenly hands up all across the room. Students did not want the debate to end!
During our debrief, students shared that they enjoyed the debate and especially the opportunity to ask questions and hear different perspectives in a non-combative manner. Multiple students reached out after class to share that they found the activity impactful, including an email from a student containing the message above. I’m so grateful for my brave, thoughtful students! I encourage other instructors to explore what a Braver Angels debate could bring to your classroom.
Brianna August-Rae | COMM 4356: Intercultural Communication
Sources and Attribution
Primary Sources
This section is informed by and adapted from the following sources:
- The Fund for American Studies (TFAS). Braver Angels Debates Encourage Civil Discourse in TFAS Classroom.
- Available at: TFAS Website
- American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). Frequently Asked Questions: Braver Angels Collegiate Debates.
- Available at: ACTA Website
Use of AI in Section Development
This section was developed using a combination of existing research, expert-informed insights, and AI-assisted drafting. ChatGPT (OpenAI) was used to:
- Synthesize key concepts from Braver Angels debates into a structured and accessible guide for fostering civil discourse in the classroom.
- Clarify best practices for using structured debates to encourage respectful, critical engagement with diverse perspectives.
- Enhance readability and coherence, ensuring that debate strategies are both research-based and practically implementable in various educational contexts.
While AI-assisted drafting provided a structured foundation, all final content was reviewed, refined, and contextualized to ensure accuracy, pedagogical effectiveness, and alignment with cited sources. This section remains grounded in institutional best practices and respects Creative Commons licensing where applicable.
Media Attributions
- CTE Badges (6)
