Topical Talk

Topical Talk: headline discussion

Discuss and debate various ethical issues related to recent headlines.  

Collage of pages from the “Topical Talk: headline discussion lesson” teaching resource showing the cover and lesson plan

Published 15 August 2025

About this lesson

Conflict, climate, social media, politics. All these topics are covered by Topical Talk Headlines.

What connects today's biggest news stories? And what questions do they spark?

Use this lesson to help students:

  • Discuss how global issues are connected and affect one another
  • Debate ethical and political questions from multiple perspectives
  • Consider the responsibilities of individuals, governments and organisations in solving these challenges

Skills and knowledge

  • Speaking

    Step 8: Using facts
     I use facts and examples to support my communication
    Did you use facts and examples in your discussions?

  • Listening

    Step 7: Active listening
    I show I am paying attention
    Did you pay attention to others and decide when to give them a talk token?

  • Knowledge

    I know that conflict, climate, social media, and politics overlap as news topics
    What is an example of each of these news topics?

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