Best part of Topical Talk?
Discussion question | This is for ages 14 to 16
What's been your favourite Topical Talk activity during the Festival?
Was it:
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Debates?
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Videos?
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Games and simulations?
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Discussions?
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Learning about the news?
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Something else?
Tell us what you think
You might want to structure your answer like this:
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been [choose the best part] because [explain why you enjoy this]. It helped me [explain how this helped you understand the news topic].
Comments (48)
In my opinion, the best activity in the Topical Talk Lessons is the discussion part because I could understand that I haven't understand before. During discussion, I could exchange my opinion with other's people opinion. This helped me learn and understand the topic. By reading other people's comment and opinion and also taking part in the discusion, I could study to accept other's people opinion and also seeing a problem from a lot of perspectives. I really enjoy discussing with others from all around the world.
The best activities in the Topical Talk lessons have been debates and learning about the news. When I hear something new to me in the news, I don't just sit there; I do research to learn more. This helps me form a strong , clear opinion for debates and discussions. I like debates because they help me understand other people's ideas and allow me to share my own thoughts. In my English class, we have learned how to write both balanced and one sided arguments so Topical Talk is really helping me upgrade my writing style and persuade others with more interesting facts.
Thanks for your time 🦋
I agree with you, because through the Topical Talk discussions amongst ourselves as students, I learnt how so many people think so differently just through the art of debating. It was a lovely event that taught me how to listen to peoples opinions and all. It made making decisions way easier for myself.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been discussions because they make the class exciting, interactive, and meaningful. I really enjoy sharing my opinions, hearing different perspectives, and learning how other students think about the same news topic. Discussions help me practice speaking English in a natural way, improve my confidence, and express my ideas clearly. They also make the lesson more fun because everyone participates and the classroom feels alive.Through discussions, I was able to understand the news topics more deeply, not just by reading them but by talking about them, asking questions, and thinking critically. I learned new vocabulary, better pronunciation, and how to build strong arguments. Discussions encouraged me to listen carefully, respect different opinions, and become more curious about the world around me.Overall, discussions are the best part of Topical Talk because they turn learning into an enjoyable experience. They helped me grow as a learner, become more confident in English, and understand the news in a smarter and more interesting way.
thank you topical talkers 🌹
Personaly, the best activity I've done in Topical Talk has been learning the news. I like that Topical Talk has made me interested in the news which i find boring and and useless before. I've enjoyed the news more and even started to have conversations with my dad about certain topics.
It made me realize the problems we currently face and how I've directed my opinions in response. Ive gain problem solving skills to gain answers for the question. Reading the news have also helped me learn new vocabulary and grammar as english is my second language.
As i read the news ive also read other people's opinions and hos they view current problems. I've learned to accept other people opinions. This helped me to understand that my opinions could be wrong, and i shouldn't judge people.
This was a new aspect in my life, and i hope to continue expanding my knowledge from the news. Thanks.
This is exactly the impact we want Topical Talk to have. Thanks for sharing, straightforward_lake.
Honestly, I think the best part of Topical Talk was how all the activities came together to create one powerful experience. The debates challenged me to think critically and defend my opinions with confidence. The videos made complex news topics clear and relatable. The discussions allowed me to hear perspectives I had never considered before. Even the games and simulations made learning feel active and engaging instead of boring.
What I loved most is that it didn’t just teach me about the news it helped me become more open-minded, thoughtful, and aware of the world around me. It truly changed the way I see current events.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons during the Festival has been the live debate because it felt really lively and fun. I enjoyed it the most because it didn’t feel like a normal lesson — it felt more like a real conversation where everyone’s ideas mattered.
It helped me understand the news topic better because I had to really think about what I believed and why. Hearing other people’s opinions sometimes changed my mind or made me see the issue in a new way, which made the topic much clearer and more interesting for me.
For me, the best part of topical talk was simply being in the festival.
I got my first stars when I won the first weekly competition, and that lit a fire under me. I had every motivation to get more, and in doing so I payed more attention to the news, and reflected on it.
Sometimes, when I wanted to get a star it forced me to be on a different side of the discussion, because there’s less people backing a side, therefore easier to stand out. It broadened my view, and made me think in depth. It made me think about the world around us, and recognize what impacts your opinions could have on other people.
Not only that, but the hub moderators recognized when I was thinking too close minded, and forced me to respond with the full question instead of the half I may have been stuck on.
This festival gave me something to look forward to, and to work on. It gave me something to reflect on, and work towards. I may not be the best in this festival, but I’m very proud of my work. Everyone participating should be, because no matter who you are, whether you’re resplendent_blueberry dominating the top of the leaderboard, or someone like me who’s doing their best, we’ve all worked together to create all these amazing discussions, and that can’t be done alone.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been debates because they pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to think beyond my own opinion. It wasn’t just about speaking — it was about listening, responding, and adapting in real time. Debates helped me understand that news topics aren’t simple; they have layers, perspectives, and consequences. They trained me to back up my ideas with evidence instead of emotion. More than anything, they made me realise that changing your mind isn’t weakness but it is growth.
Honestly, Topical Talk was very beneficial as it changed my worldview and helped me know about things that I didn't think of before. So, from my point of view, the best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been the debates.
I chose "debates" because I enjoyed listening to others to understand the FULL landscape and to think about things from different perspectives. I learnt that debates are not arguments. In a debate, each side is explaining his\her own point of view and the other is listening carefully to be able to reply. I learnt that in a debate, I should be listening and focusing not just waiting for my turn to speak. This helped me understand that it's totally okay to have counter arguments. In addition, it helped me think about topics widely and deeply by considering others' perspectives and carrying out research. Not only that, but also new skills are gained, such as listening, speaking, problem-solving and creativity.
In my opinion the vest part of topical talk is the tens of discussion about the various topics.
Discussion let us see hundreds of viewpoints leaving us the the whole concept covered. By looking at other's point of view, we can focus of sections of the topics that we didn't think of before. It also sparks creativity and inspiration by other comments.
As i thought again there wasn't any bad topic/way that wasn't acceptable and it left so inspiration in my mind.
In my experience in Topical Talk I have seen lots of activities. The main idea or activity I had face was debuting on you agree or disagree with a comment or an idea . Also a main activity is discussing a point either you have a good idea to add or you want describe something that another person did and maybe add to him. Another activity is knowing the news and in some topics we knew about how technology helped us in sports,daily life and in our world this was all the interesting points and activities I have faced .
The best activity for me has been discussions, but not just because I can share my opinion. I like that how ever discussion is like a puzzle-pieces of different perspectives, facts and questions come together to reveal the bigger picture of a news topic.
It helped me understand that a single article or headline is never the whole story. Listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions and connecting ideas from others turned learning into an active, creative process.
Discussions didn't just teach me news, the taught me how to: think, analyze and upgrade my skills with ever comment!
Signing of: Fairminded_fly
For me, the best activities at Topical Talk lessons were the games and discussions we did in class. The games were interesting to me because I understood much better what the main problems in the world were, and through them I sometimes had the feeling that I was in one of those problems, so it encouraged me to think about solving certain problem. Also, the discussions helped me to express my personal opinion and to see what others think. And sometimes other opinions have opened up new ways of thinking about the main issues.
In my opinion, I think that the best activity in the Topical Talk has been debates because they make the news feel alive instead of just something we read about. When we debate, we don't just learn facts, we challenge each other's idea, defend our opinions and sometimes even change our minds. That makes the lesson more exciting and meaningful.
It helped me understand the news topic more deeply because I had to look at both sides of an issue, not just the one I agreed with. Preparing arguments made me think more critically and pay attention to details I might normally ignore. Debates also improves my confidence in speaking and expressing my thoughts clearly.
I think debates are powerful because they turn information into conversation and conversation is how real understanding grows.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons for me has been discussions and games and simulations because of lots of reasons. The first has helped me understand points of view of different people, true examples in other countries of different situations and connecting with marvelous people that in other wayS couldn't be possible. Moreover, the second has helped me viewing problems through different points of view and even changing my mind several times in a single game, making me understand the topic deeply and why not to say it, in a fun way.
Firstly, discussions open your eyes to a lot of realities and truly make you think which has been enriching as well as productive. Besides, now I have a huge knowledge on several topics because of the investigations I had to do to write my comments and which preparation was also really interesting.
Secondly, games and simulations were the first view to the topics and made my head spin but in a really good way, showing so many things I couldn't even think about. Furthermore, it was able to include everyone at class and to make some interest born even in people who usually are apathetic towards this type of activity.
To sum up, I think it was a lot of hard work of teachers, students and organizers that led to this marvelous creation which I enjoyed a lot. In addition, everyone was really respectful and the atmosphere couldn't be better. For this reason, once again, THANK YOU TOPICAL TALK AND EVERYONE THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE!!!
I think I really enjoyed researching, discussing topics, and meeting different people in Topical Talk.
Discussing diverse topics increased my creativity in writing, along with my critical thinking. It significantly increased my confidence and strengthen the way I speak about my opinions.
The researching I've done for Topical Talk has been very draining, I admit. But it helped me prove that researching isnt just a message to ChatGPT or a single google search. Researching has increased my literacy and understanding of many things that might come in handy in the future, too!
Talking to people from schools around the world also made me realize that not everyone lives by the same article and mindset. Even with that in mind, we all still are one community together-speaking out to the world and giving solutions every week.
The best part of Topical Talk is that it doesn’t feel like a lecture — it feels like a real conversation.
It takes topics that could easily be dry or overwhelming and makes them interesting and relatable. Instead of throwing information at you, it walks you through ideas in a way that actually makes sense. You come away feeling a little smarter, but not exhausted.
Another great thing is the balance — it’s thoughtful without being heavy, and engaging without trying too hard to be entertaining. It feels natural.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been researching the topics by myself because it made me feel more independent and responsible for my learning. Instead of just being given information, I had to explore different sources, compare viewpoints, and decide what I believed was accurate or important.
I enjoyed this because it felt more mature and realistic — like what real journalists or analysts do. Researching helped me understand that news is not always simple; there are multiple sides, hidden biases, and deeper contexts behind every headline.
It also improved my critical thinking skills. I learned how to question information, look for reliable sources, and avoid believing everything I see immediately.
Overall, researching made the lessons more meaningful because I wasn’t just learning about the world — I was actively investigating it.
The best part in topical talk is discussions and we appreciate so much and we hope others will join and we will welcome
I believe that the best part of the Topical Talk lessons has been seeing how other people perceive issues. In many of these topics, we require different perspectives in order to reach a meaningful understanding. All us Topical talkers come from different and diverse places around the world. Some issues affect others much more or in a different way. I sometimes only focus on what is best for me or who I care about, not what is best for everyone. This festival however, taught me so much about keeping an open mind. I learned about others experience and how policies, technology, and alliances affect their communities and daily lives. These have all changed the way I've viewed issues. For me, there is no longer a direct right or wrong answer to a certain issue as it affects people in all sorts of ways. It makes me weigh arguments before choosing a side to stand on. We all have our differences, beliefs, and, morals. Our uniqueness should not lead to partition or isolation but rather be a guiding part to having building truly authentic and effective conversation. We can all learn something from eachother if we consider all perspectives, not just our own.
This is my favourite part of Topical Talk because I get to hear other perspectives and learn from them, which is a skill I think is extremely important.
In my opinion, the best activity in Topical Talk lessons have been the conversations we had, even though they were discussions rather than debates as most of the students share the same/similar opinions on the topics we exchanged about.
On the other hand, going into topics that are likely to start debates (LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, the discrimination of minorities, religion, heavy use of AI and what resources AI uses etc.) can and will lead to said debates and can make people that feel underrepresented in their class uncomfortable - which is obviously the wanted result of this project.
Therefore, I believe this project was nicely organised and I think it was fun to exchange about currently relevant topics.
I really enjoyed the universal aid lesson because at first I didn't know what any of it was. But I also loved everything on topical talk as it taught us many things and encourages us to learn more. Im exciting to post a standpoint, and I can't decide which lesson I liked most for it. Ill probably go with the winter olympics as it was the most inclusive to me and it was very fun for me and my whole class. I also loved the zoom call when we first joined, because even though our camera didn't work, we still voted and listened to others opinions.
My favourite part of the topical talk festival was definitely when two people from topical talk (I forgot their names) came into our class and watched us to a lesson on international aid and they asked us questions about what we wanted to see next, what we think should be done about certain situations etc;
But my point is: topical talk and the economist foundation have encouraged us to learn new thinks and include ourselves in politics or important questions that we wouldn't usually think about. So I want to thank everyone in this "event" (I font know the right word) for teaching us and helping us understand more.
Looking forward to reading your standpoint!
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons have been discussions because it is good to all share are feelings and say what we think is right and we can also learn about each other helping to communicate fluently and know how others feel and there say for the topic. It also helped me to learn about the topic even more through there ideas and many more by reading others comment you can also disagree and agree but it is okay to do that as everyone has there own opinion it also helps us to know everywhere around the world and to see topics from multiple perspective learning more and building better answer and questioning when needed. Topical talk has made me better at discussing and looking at the topic with more knowledge and maturity helping me to grow. I hope this has enlightened you to become a better topical talker I hope I get 1 to 3 stars on this for now see you topical talkers!
The best activity in topical talk is about how we all interact because it made me enjoy interacting with my mates and those who were invovled . In the lesson I enjoyed talking to different pupils, expressing my opinions e t c . When typing my ideas on different or various news topics, I realized that I do understand and share my own ideas based on the topic discussion in the topical talk section.
The best part of Topical Talk for me has been the research part of making a comment, with the Economist I can keep up to date with what is happening in the world and be confident that my comments are factual. I believe that no matter where you live it's always important to read/listen to and care about the news . To not care or be ignorant about the world's problems because it doesn't affect you is a privilege that not many people have and you should not take it for granted.
Another part that I loved about Topical Talk was reading everyone's thoughts from all over the world, it opened my eyes to different possibilities and problems I had never even thought of. I started Topical Talk because I believe in being aware and informed on everything that is happening in the world and in being able to emphasize with others and put yourself in their shoes.
Thanks Topical Talk for all the amazing and eye opening topics !
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons have been debates because listening to different viewpoints unlike my own has both strengthened my sense of character as well as my ability to dissect and evaluate arguments beyond face value. Seeing how people rationalized their own viewpoints and ideals in contrast to mine showed me how, while we can all have different opinions, the process to get to those opinions must be informed; based off of facts and evidence. The lessons also showed me how different I am when not placed under societal limits about the topics I could talk about. In school, for example, there were certain 'lines' I could not cross. Certain 'taboo' or touchy subjects which I was to avoid at all costs due to the surrounding environment, i.e. religion. While the Topical Talk didn't have a topic regarding religion, it did have topics which I personally felt were unsafe. Talking about things such as gender inequality, while great in its own right, leads to everybody regurgitating the same opinions over and over again since the question is: 'Do you believe women should have equal rights?'. Which, of course, I want humans to be equal. Compare that to talking about voting for example, 'Do you believe that, in a given system built off of democracy, citizens who pay tax should be allowed to vote regardless of age?' It forces you to pick a side, which I admire. Centrism can be useful but being a centrist on everything means you lose your own personal identity which makes you, well, 'you' so to speak.
From my perspective, the best part of Topical Talk has been expressing my opinions and proposing practical solutions to global challenges. Two years ago, I never imagined that I would be participating in international debates and discussing real-world issues — especially at my age. It has truly changed the way I see the world.
Topical Talk has given me the confidence to speak up and the courage to believe that young people’s voices matter. I sincerely hope that our comments are not only read but also taken seriously by leaders and decision-makers. Perhaps one day, a president or policymaker will read a student’s idea and turn it into real action. That possibility alone is inspiring.
What makes this experience so special is that it encourages us to think critically about creating a future that is more equal, fair, sustainable, clean, innovative, and compassionate. The next generation should not only inherit the future but actively shape it with intelligence, creativity, and responsibility.
I often wonder what the future will look like — better or worse? I believe it depends on whether young people are given the opportunity to think, speak, and lead. Topical Talk is helping to build that opportunity and empowering the new generation to become thoughtful global citizens.
My dream is that rulers, presidents, and leaders around the world will truly listen to students’ voices, because sometimes the most powerful ideas come from young minds.
Thank you very much for reading
My favorite aspect in Topical talk in the learning and discussion aspect. Topical talk has made me improve my critical thinking skills, forcing me to think in other prespectives before said and done. It is really important to be open minded enough to accept peoples opinion and study it to form our own conclusion---and Topical Talk has given me the platform and opportunity to train this skill! As a non-native english speaker, my time in Topical Talk also helped me level up the way I convey messages to make it more impactful with certain word choices. With the weekly topics, I often times also have to research them to be knowledgeable enough to give my thoughts in the comments, this forced me (for the better) to read articles---to be frank, something that I rarely did. I enjoyed my discussion people around the world, thank you Topical Talk!
For me, the most powerful part of the Topical Talk lessons has been the interactive elements, especially the debates and role-play activities. They didn’t just teach me information — they changed the way I think. Through discussions, I was exposed to opinions and real-world examples that I would never normally encounter. Listening to others made me question my assumptions and sometimes even rethink my original stance.
The simulations were particularly impactful because they placed us inside the issue rather than outside it. Instead of simply reading about global challenges, we experienced the pressure of making decisions with limited information, competing priorities, and different interests involved. At times, I changed my mind more than once during a single activity, which showed me how complex these topics truly are.
Another important aspect was how inclusive the activities were. Everyone had a role, and every voice mattered. Even students who are usually quiet became engaged because the format made participation feel natural and meaningful. It created an environment where learning felt active, not passive.
I truly hope my reflections earn a star ⭐, as this experience has meant a lot to me.
Thank you!
my opinion, the best activity in the Topical Talk Lessons is the discussion part because I could understand things that I haven’t understood before. During discussion, I could exchange my opinion with other's people opinion. This helped me learn and understand the topic. By reading other people's comment and opinion and also taking part in the discusion, I could study to accept other's people opinion and also seeing a problem from a lot of perspectives. I really enjoy discussing with others from all around the world.Discussion let us see hundreds of viewpoints leaving us the the whole concept covered. By looking at other's point of view, we can focus of sections of the topics that we didn't think of before. It also sparks creativity and inspiration by other comments.
Discussing diverse topics increased my creativity in writing, along with my critical thinking. It significantly increased my confidence and strengthen the way I speak about my opinions.
My best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been the discussion because it made me see topics from different perspectives that I didn't even think of. It showed me a wider way of reasoning instead of staying on one. I really liked having these discussions because it gave me the ability to brainstorm with my peers. This discussion helped me to not only know why something is happening but also the reason for it happening.
I honestly think that the best part of topical talk is discussions because at first, I thought I will be awarded stars easily, but the discussions thought me that to get a star I must think quite intellectually check my spellings and be grammatically correct about my sentences. This has helped me significantly because it has changed the way I think in my school. It also makes me egger to learn more to know how I can upgrade my comments in various aspect and get a star. It has also enlightened me on different people and different cultures from all around the world because I get the chance to interact with them and share my opinions with them. THANK YOU.
The best activity in the topical talk lessons has been the discussions, reasons because hearing from other people points of views from around the world makes me want to know so much more, it is like indirect research both from young adults. The fact that you can also share your views about either you agree or disagree, it is not just a one man opinion. It is various opinions coming together to use their mind and be creative which can be solutions to problems around the world. It has actually helped from when i started until now.
I agree because, topical talk discussions have been amazing so far, I learnt so much by listening to people's view points and gaining knowledge from them. When I listen to opinions topical talkers post I also go back to do some research so I can come back ready to share my own opinion. Discussions have helped me to build my confidence and knowledge.
In my opinion, the global discussions (the "Connection" factor), which is the crown jewel of Topical Talk, and here is why I picked it: it is one thing to talk to your classmate or friend when you are having a small argument about a particular thing, but it is another big thing to be talking to another student from a different state, background or country who either has the same opinions as you on a particular topic or has a different opinion or perspective from you on the same topic. The "Discussion" aspect helps us to understand one another's opinions and perspectives. For example, let's say there is a discussion on the temperature or climate around you. Since I come from Nigeria, in Africa, I would say that the climate is sunny and the temperature around me is hot or warm, but someone in the U.K would say that the climate is snowing and the temperature is cold. This is a clear example of us sharing our own opinions through our different perspectives in our different locations. And this has helped me understand the different opinions and voices of people here.
I have been enjoying this festival so far and my best activity is debates. At first I could not understand what was happening but It thought me how to challenge my self and think critically and defending my ideas with evidence, which made my experience very engaging and exiting.
One thing that I appreciate most is listening to other people's view points and even though I may disagree, it made me reconsider my assumptions and strengthening my reasoning which showed me that complex global issues require critical thinking rather than quick judgments.
The experience also strengthened my public speaking and reasoning skills which was not as developed. It thought me how to structure my arguments, respond confidently and support my points with relevant examples and illustrations.
In conclusion, debate has so far been my best because it has embedded skills that can help me even when I become an adult or even in my old age. Thank you very much topical talkers and those that have made it possible.
Well, I feel that throughout the festival, we have been given the opportunity to take part in quite a lot of activities, and it has helped us all and taught us new things that will be useful to us in the future. Even though all the activities have been fun, I think that the best of all of them are learning about news, the discussions and the debates.
The Topical Talk Festival has taught me a lot more about the world around me through the news in different parts of the world like the elections in the United Kingdom, the ongoing Winter Olympic Games and the various questions NATO is facing today. I think it is good exposure as I learnt things that I wouldn't have learned on my own.
Also, during the course of the festival, I learnt a lot from others during the discussions and debates. They helped me to see things from a different perspective.
In summary, I've learnt quite a number of things throughout the festival, and it just keeps getting better.
For me, the best activity in the topical talk lessons has been all the discussions and the topics because the topics are amazing and help you in many ways like improving your vocabulary and teaching you new things. I also love the discussions because I was able to share my views, opinions and ideas with other students all over the world like me and also got to hear some really good ideas from very amazing writers/students. Another amazing thing I liked was hearing from all the professionals and never in my life did I think that I would hear real life voice from someone like Matt Damon because I am a very huge fan. My favourite topic was "No Tax, No Vote", and I liked this topic because it made me test and question some of my opinions and others opinions and see many things from a different perspective. I got three stars on the topic but that was not the main thing for me, I made new friends even though I don't know their real names or how they look but I am happy and it also taught me that I should not write excellently only because I want a star or some stars but it taught me to calm down and enjoy the topics and connect with others and I may not have a lot of stars or be on the leader board but now I have better vocabulary, debating skills, writing skills and ethics. It helped me more because I gained more confidence. Overall, this showed me and taught me a lot of new and amazing things and I am very grateful to be here and have this opportunity and I am really sad that this is coming to an end but all that you guys have taught me will never be forgotten.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been the voice activities, especially when Matt Damon talked about how public figures help in providing aid. I enjoyed this particular aspect because I really admire many public figures, and I figured, why not comment on how public figures can actually influence the society around us and create an impact? This lesson also helped me understand that we shouldn't ignore the problems that affect the society around us; instead, we should see it as an opportunity to make an impact in the society around us and also be problem solvers. The Topical Talk lessons has really helped me understand my environment and solve the problems too. Thank You.
I don't really have a best moment in topical talk, not that the lessons, discussions, videos, and quizzes were not worth it, but the fact that everything here was confounding. Topical talk really increased my social skills in my interaction with unknown individuals. So I would say that every message sent, every video watched and everything done was worthwhile. I really appreciate the fact that my viewpoints were put into consideration and were corrected where needed.
Best part of Topical Talk? For me, it’s the way it pushes me to think deeper and not just accept the first idea that comes to mind. I like that I can express my opinion freely, even if others disagree, and still have a respectful discussion. It makes me feel more confident in explaining my thoughts and defending them with clear reasons. I also enjoy hearing different perspectives because sometimes they completely change how I see an issue. It doesn’t feel like a normal lesson — it feels like a real conversation about the world.
The best activity in the Topical talk lessons have been listening about the news, which really intrigued me into finding out more and thinking beyond my limit. During lessons and discussions I can freely express my opinions with the other person and discuss on what I think is the best choice or decision.
I used to not care about the news and thought it was quite boring, but Topical Talk has helped me realise that I am interested in certain topics and news and that actually being aware about the news at a young age can be an important life skill for when I’m older. Another thing I also realised, is that many people have different opinions and views, which I personally didn’t agree with. With this realisation I have researched to find out more and to create a debate against them, sharing my opinions and views.
I enjoyed listening to the news because scrolling through the comments and reading various opinions have sometimes changed my mind in following their side. This has helped me actually understand the topic better and observe what they say and to try and make the same impact they have.
To add it all up, this festival has really helped me understand about certain topics I was never really aware of and what problems they can cause if nobody knows about it. It has been a pleasure to discuss with others around the world and know about their experiences. I have been very interested and is glad to be apart of this festival.
The best activity in Topical Talk has been games and simulations because they made me feel like I was really part of the news, not just reading about it.
For example, when we talked about aid, we role-played different parts, like governments, charities, and countries needing help. It made me realise that aid is way more complicated than I thought; it’s not just about giving money, it’s about managing it well so it actually reaches those who need it.
In the discussion about NATO, I disagreed with some people. I thought NATO doesn’t matter as much anymore because of problems like what happened with Russia. But one person disagreed with me, saying that the benefits NATO provides outweigh the issues. This taught me that there are different perspectives to consider.
It even connects to real life. When organisations like the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement or the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) give aid, they probably have to make hard decisions just like we did in the simulation. They have to figure out where to send help, which problems to prioritise, and how to manage resources. This makes me respect how complicated and careful global decisions really are.
The benefit of Topical Talk is that I gained knowledge, critical thinking skills, and confidence to voice my opinions. I'm excited to try the Standpoint activity to see even more views and maybe change my mind again.
So yes, (games and simulations plus discussions) are my favourite because they help me experience the news and think deeply about it.
The best activity in Topical Talk lessons in my opinion was learning about the news and also debates because when it comes to debates you really have to do a lot of research into the topic and also having your opinion in the debates and using evidence to help you with your opinion. Having debates really made me more interested in the topic and also more interested about having debates and talking about my opinion .Learning about the news was also my favorite part too because I heard about the news around the whole world which makes me wonder about what was happening over there. Those activities not only made me more interested about what was going on around the world and hearing people's opinions but it also helped me with my writing skills and how I put evidence to support my statement. I really like discussing with people, debating with them, and also learning more about my writing skill and topical really did help with all of that stuff.
Thank you Topical Talkers.
The most enjoyable thing in the Topical Talk lessons has been debates because they make the lessons more fun and engaging. When we have debates, we all get a chance to express our views and hear other people’s perspectives. Sometimes I get to hear ideas that I had never considered before, and that makes me think even harder.
It helped me to better understand the news topic because I had to consider both sides of the issue, not just my own views. Debates also helped me to feel more confident in speaking and expressing my ideas clearly. I realized that even when we disagree, we can still respect each other.
That’s why debates have been my favorite part of the Festival!
The best activity in topical talk was the discussios. They gave me things to ponder about in my free time something that lets me consider thinking about while also having other opinions in mind. it gave me a good view of how some people see things and how to think outside the box when it comes getting pros and cons about a specific topic.
In fact, right before writing this comment I went to to look at what other people had to say not just the ones with the stars but also the ones that get overlooked.
Until now I've enjoyed this competition quite dearly, spending time give reasons for why my opinion is atleast decent filles me with pride even when I don't get a star.
The best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been writing comments on the news articles because it gave me the chance to express my opinion freely and think more deeply about the topic. Instead of just reading the news and moving on, I had to stop and reflect on what I actually believe. As a result, I became more aware of different perspectives and more careful about forming my own ideas.
What I really enjoyed is that reading other students’ comments sometimes changed the way I looked at the issue. For instance, someone might highlight an economic impact while I was only thinking about the social side. Therefore, the discussion in the comments section felt like a real exchange of ideas, even without a live session.
In addition, writing regularly helped me improve my English. I started paying more attention to how I connect my ideas and explain my point clearly. From my perspective, this activity was not only interesting but also very useful because it trained me to analyze the news instead of just consuming it. That’s why it has been my favourite part of the Festival so far.
I would actually choose something else. For me, the best experience that I faced in the Topical Talk was taking stars. It made my day and made me feel fantastic. In my own point of view, when I see professional people (economists) like my idea by giving me stars, I see myself as a professional writer. Stars in the Topical Talk are like the hands that push me forward to be better. Stars make me feel proud of myself and make me have self confidence in my school quizzes or debates. Stars in the Topical Talk are one of the main factors that encourage me not to give up or even stop.
On the other hand, imagine that you worked really hard in something, yet you did not succeed. Will you be happy? The answer in absolutely no. I feel horrible when not taking stars. I can spend 3 to 4 days without taking a single star. I thought that these comments would take a star however they did not take a star. This actually helped me a lot. This made me learn from my mistakes and by time I begin changing my technique in writing to better. I was enhancing my performance every day.
Thank you, Topical Talk since you encourage us with stars and make us excited.
From my perspective, the best activity in the Topical Talk lessons has been the discussion part since I have learned from others opinions about actual topics that maybe we do not really discuss in our everyday life even though they are there. In the discussion I have been able to share my opinion with others and also read other student's comments.
In my view, sometimes is better for us to learn by listening to others, or in this case, by reading their opinions instead of focusing just on our own view. Everyone in the Topical Talk had the opportunity to share their views and if someone disagrees, we learned how to reply to they being polite.
Thank you for your time!