Teaching Debate to PhD STEM Students — with Anila Ruth Scott-Monkhouse

Teaching Debate to PhD STEM Students — with Anila Ruth Scott-Monkhouse

Author: TESOL Pop October 7, 2025 Duration: 15:05

University lecturer Anila Ruth Scott-Monkhouse joins Laura to share how she’s using academic debate to help STEM PhD students become more confident communicators. In this episode, Anila shares how debate boosts her students’ teamwork, critical thinking, and language skills. You’ll also hear how she integrates controversial topics, intercultural collaboration, and real-world research into her EAP classes.


Watch with closed captions.


TALKING POINTS

  1. Why Debate? The benefits of debate for science students — from thinking on your feet to tackling tough questions at conferences.
  2. Debating the Unexpected: How students explore both sides of controversial issues, often arguing a side they don’t personally agree with.
  3. Not Just Language Practice: Why students are judged on the quality of their arguments and not their grammar.
  4. Teamwork & Mediation: What happens when physicists, chemists, and engineers work together across cultures.
  5. Winning Isn’t Everything: How structured competition builds confidence, curiosity, and deeper engagement in class.


ABOUT

Anila Ruth Scott-Monkhouse teaches general and academic English to undergraduate and PhD STEM students at the University of Parma, Italy. With qualifications including a degree in foreign languages, the Cambridge DELTA, and the CertPT, she brings a strong background in language education, assessment, and teacher training.

Anila’s work explores teaching and assessing ESP/EAP, task-based learning, and the role of emotions in the classroom. She’s a regular conference presenter and has published widely on learner needs, teacher development, and academic communication. Above all, she’s passionate about helping learners and educators thrive through reflective practice and meaningful challenge.


RESOURCES & REFERENCES

🔗 LinkedIn

🔗 Academia.edu

🔗 ResearchGate


SUPPORT US

💻 Sponsor us

Buy us a coffee

⭐ Leave a review wherever you listen


THE PRODUCER'S EDIT

Get inspired to record more. Weekly stories, insights, and content tips for standout educators delivered to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here


CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Special thanks to our guest, Anila Ruth Scott-Monkhouse

Production by Communicating for Impact


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

TESOL Pop
Podcast Episodes
Setting Students up for Success in the Workplace – with Leo Wu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:07
English language trainer Leo Wu shares insights into tasks he uses in his classes to support his Business English learners in developing essential soft skills for the workplace. In this episode, Leo explains why communic…
Is Generative AI Making Cheating Easier? with Eve Conway [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:21
In our 100th episode, TESOL Pop's co-founders Laura Wilkes and Eve Conway dive into the evolving world of generative AI and its implications for education. The explores challenges and opportunities tools like ChatGPT pre…
What to Prioritise When Teaching Pronunciation – with Gemma Archer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:14
Gemma Archer shares insights from her latest book: Teaching English Pronunciation for a Global World co-authored with Robin Walker. In this episode, Gemma talks about prioritising intelligibility over native-likeness in…
Let's Plan a Podcast using Visual Templates – with Emily Bryson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:40
Emily Bryson shares how visual templates can enhance learning by providing a creative way for students to brainstorm and plan projects, such as podcasts. This episode includes practical demonstrations and tips on incorpo…
Decolonising the Language Classroom – with Dr Amina Douidi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:04
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant Dr Amina Douidi talks about racial basis in teaching, materials, and assessment in the context of the language classroom and shares actions we can take to address the problem.C…
Teaching Active Listening Skills with Shweta Ramkumar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:44
Communications Coach Shweta Ramkumar shares insights into teaching active listening skills to healthcare professionals. In this episode, Shweta explains what active listening is, why it's important and how we can develop…