When I work with students on English essays, I often find that approaching the process as if it were a debate is one of the most effective ways to foster genuine understanding. Instead of beginning with rigid essay structures or formulaic topic sentences, I encourage students to speak through their ideas conversationally, almost like tossing a ball back and forth. In this dynamic exchange, I may present a claim—such as “Shakespeare represents love as both destructive and transcendent”—and the student is then invited to challenge, counter, or extend it. This back-and-forth dialogue naturally opens space for considering multiple perspectives, and it mirrors the critical thinking that underpins strong academic writing.

What makes this approach productive is the way it turns abstract arguments into living ideas. Students begin to see that each point requires not just assertion but also evidence, and together we work out what textual details or quotations might serve as proof. By rehearsing arguments in dialogue, they not only remember the key themes and techniques of a text but also internalise the logic of building and defending a claim. In this way, essay preparation becomes less about memorising a formula and more about developing intellectual agility—the ability to anticipate counterpoints, strengthen reasoning, and adapt arguments when challenged.

This method re-centres essay writing as what it should be: an exercise in constructing an adequate argument rather than filling a pre-set structure. The debate format encourages curiosity, fosters deeper retention of evidence, and gives students ownership over their ideas. By the time they return to the page, they are not constrained by formula but empowered to shape their writing around arguments they have already tested and defended in conversation.

Thea Macarthur-Lassen