Discussion: Where do you Stand? Animal Rights

This is a discussion topic for B2+ students on the topic of animal rights. Download the student handout and PowerPoint below:

The PowerPoint contains advanced language for expressing opinion, personalising the topic, agreeing and disagreeing. It was made with C1/C2 students in mind. If you’re teaching lower levels, the student handout may be more suitable, although I recommend supplementing it with a phrase sheet, perhaps try my FCE Speaking Phrases post.

Put students into small groups (3/4) or conduct the activity as an open class discussion. Before engaging in discussion on the topics, students must decide individually to what extent they agree or disagree with the given statement by circling one of the numbers from 1-6. The idea is that students will be more likely to take a stand and defend their point of view and less able to go along with the crowd if they’ve assigned their opinion a numerical value.

You could also introduce the phrase “to play devil’s advocate” and encourage students do it during the discussion. Another idea could be to assign a specific student from each group as the devil’s advocate for each topic, thus forcing them to come up with counter arguments to what their classmates are saying.

Here are the discussion topics:

• Zoos have a positive impact on society.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Big game hunting should be allowed the money from hunting licences should go towards conservation.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Humans shouldn’t step in to save endangered species; nature should be allowed to take its course.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I see no problem with testing cosmetics on animals.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I see no problem with testing medicines on animals.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• People in the future will view the way we treat animals today as barbaric.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• It’s not a square meal without some meat.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I could go vegetarian.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I could go vegan.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I’m willing to cut down on meat for environmental reasons.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Eating animals like dogs and cats shouldn’t be viewed as strange; we eat pigs, sheep and cows.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I would be able to tell the difference between real and synthetic meat.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• One day, all meat will be synthetic meat, grown in a laboratory.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Factory farming is necessary in order to feed the populations.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Eating meat is an important part of my culture.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• Sports involving animals (hunting, horse riding, bullfighting, etc.) are an important part of my culture and must be protected.

Strongly agree               1               2               3               4               5               6               Strongly disagree

• I could kill and butcher and animal for food.