Devil's Advocate Discussion

Students argue against popular opinions, then switch sides halfway through.

Procedure

1. Present a statement most students would agree with.
2. Assign half the group to argue against it (devil's advocates).
3. Discuss for 7-8 minutes.
4. Switch sides — former advocates now defend the position, and vice versa.
5. Debrief: which side was harder to argue? What new perspectives emerged?

Tips

• Choose genuinely popular opinions so the challenge feels real.
• Remind students the goal is perspective-taking, not winning.
• This works well as a follow-up to Discussion and Debate when students get stuck in one viewpoint.