DEBATE CLUB #7: Education : Should schools focus more on life skills than academic knowledge?

Why should I read Voltaire when I cannot even understand my bank account statement? Students are facing an increasingly competitive job market when they finish school and many feel unprepared for both work and personal lives. Many young people lack basic life skills like financial literacy, time management, and critical thinking. In a world with endless sources of information at their fingertips (smartphones!) what role does formal education play in preparing them?  Come to tonight’s Debate Club and share your opinions!

VENEZ NOUS REJOINDRE POUR PARLER DE CE THÈME ! 

C'est l'occasion rêvée pour pratiquer votre anglais dans une ambiance détendue. Animées par des professeurs qualifiés de langue maternelle anglaise, les séances de conversation du Debate Club sont conviviales, engageantes et efficaces !

VENUE & TEACHERS

• AIX: 19h00 to 20h30 with Angela Folkes
• MARSEILLE: 19h00 to 20h30 with Sheila Evans

QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE

Do you think schools currently prepare students well for real life? Why or why not?

Which life skills should every student learn before graduating from school?

Is academic knowledge becoming less important in the modern world? Explain your opinion.

Should subjects like financial literacy, communication, and time management be compulsory in schools? Why?

Can students learn life skills outside of school, or is school the best place to teach them?

Would focusing more on life skills make students more successful in their careers? Why or why not?

What important life skills do you think schools often fail to teach?

If schools spend more time teaching life skills, what academic subjects might lose importance?

Should schools teach practical topics like taxes, budgeting, and job interviews? Why?

Do you think universities and employers value life skills as much as academic results?

How could schools balance academic knowledge and practical skills effectively?

In your opinion, what is the main purpose of education: gaining knowledge or preparing for life?

VOCABULARY

academic knowledge

adaptability

assessment

career preparation

communication skills

creativity

critical thinking

curriculum

decision-making

emotional intelligence

financial literacy

higher education

independence

job readiness

leadership

life skills

personal development

practical skills

problem-solving

real-world experience

responsibility

self-discipline

teamwork

time management

vocational training

work ethic

SEARCH THE WEB FOR IDEAS!

Find articles and/or videos on the web and come prepared to share the information you have found with the others.

SUGGESTED SEARCH WORDS FOR THIS SUBJECT

arguments for and against teaching life skills in schools

countries that teach life skills in school

examples of life skills curriculum in schools

life skills vs academic knowledge in education

SUGGESTED WEBSITES FOR MATERIALS

https://www.bbc.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/?gl=GB
www.guardian.co.uk
www.independent.co.uk
www.nytimes.com

KEY PHRASES

For general phrases for debates, CLICK HERE