STRATEGIESFORTAKINGASTANDONAPOLICYISSUE

PolicyIssue:Describesacourseofactionthatcouldbetakenbyapersonorgroup ofpeople.Therewillalwaysbereasonsforandagainsttakingthecourseofaction. ItisstatedintheformofaquestionbeginningwithShould Example:ShouldintermediatestudentsatJohnM.JamesPublicSchoolbegiven detentionswhentheyarelate? Strategieshelpyoutoeffectivelypresentyourpointofviewonthepolicyissue.By usingthestrategiesyouwillhavethegreatestchanceofconvincingothersthatyour pointofviewiscorrectandifyoucantchangetheirmindsyouwillatleastbesure thattheyunderstandexactlywhyyouhaveyourpointofviewonthepolicyissue.

1) UseofFacts:
Youwillalwaysbeprovidedwithfacts,orbedirectedtowardsaplacetofindthose facts,onanissue.Usethesefactstobackupyourpointofview. e.g.,over40studentsarelateeachdayandthatistoomany

2) PersonalExperience:

Usesituationsfromyourpersonalexperiencetobackupyourposition. e.g.,ingrade6wenevergotdetentionsforbeinglate

3) ValueLadenLanguage:

Valuesareideasthatwerespectandtrytopromote(i.e.,honesty,loyalty,mercy,kindness, fairplay,equaltreatment,etc.). Inoursocietymostpeoplebelievethatthesevaluesaregood;theyrespectthemandtryto applythemintheirdailylife.Ifyoucanshowthatyourpointofviewontheissueisin defenseofoneofthosevaluesitwillhelpyoutoconvincepeoplethatyourpointofviewis correct. e.g.,itisnotfairtogetadetentionwhenyouarelatebecausetheteacherscanbelateand theydontgetadetentionvalues=fairplay,equaltreatment

4) UseofaRespectedSource:

Ifyoucanshowthatyourpointofviewissharedbyrespectedsources(i.e.,thelaw, Bible,expertinthefieldunderdiscussion)thishelpstoconvincepeoplethatyou areright. e.g.,anexpertinthefieldofEducationsaidthatitisfoolishtogiveDsforlates

5) PredictionofConsequences:

Youshowthat,byagreeingwithyourpointofview,goodsituationswillresult,or thatbyagreeingwiththeoppositepointofview,badsituationswillresult e.g.,ifyoudontlearntobeontimeatschoolyouwillnotbeontimeforworkandyou willbefiredfromafuturejob

6) EmpathicAppeal:

Yougetyouropponentstoseetheissuefromyourpointofview.Youaskhim/her tostandinyourshoes,sotospeak.Thisstrategytriestoinspiregenuinesympathy fortheproblemsofindividualstrappedinacontroversialsituation e.g.,howwouldyoufeelifyouwereMrs.FehrWilsonandalltheteacherswere complainingbecausesomanykidswerelate?Shecouldloseherjob.Shehastodo something!

7) UseofAnalogy:

Thisisthemostdifficultstrategytouseeffectively.Ananalogyisafamiliar situation,whichissimilartothesituationbeingdiscussed(samevaluesarein conflict). e.g.,Inthisissuedealingwithanewdetentionpolicy,thevaluesinconflictareorder andindividualfreedom.Apersonwhoisinfavourofthedetentionpolicywouldtry tothinkofasimilarsituationthatwouldmakehis/heropponentseethatthevalue oforderismoreimportantthanthevalueofindividualfreedom.

 1) Whichofthefollowingarevalues? a) education b) physicalfitness c) sand d) friendship e) teamwork f) money 2) Listthevaluesintheirorderofimportancetoyou.Whichvalueismost important? 3) Bepreparedtodefendyoursetofvaluesagainstthepointsofviewofother membersintheclass. 4) Whichofthefollowingarepolicyissues: a) Iwanttogotothestore b) ShouldcompaniesbeallowedtodumptheirgarbageandwasteintoLakeOntario? c) ShouldthedrivingageinOntariobeloweredto15? d) ShouldstudentsbeallowedtosmokeatJohnM.JamesPublicSchool? e) UniformsshouldbemandatoryinallOntariopublicschools. 5) Foreachofthepolicyissueslistedinquestion#4,givetworespectedsources whosepointofviewcouldbeusedindebatingthatissue. 6) Whatvaluesareinconflictineachofthepolicyissuesmentionedin#4?Pick yourvaluesfromthefollowinglist: a) Money b) Jobs c) Health d) Life e) Personal f) Protectionoftheweak g) Cleanenvironment h) Water i) Mentalhealth Ineachcaseexplainhowyoufeelthevaluesareinconflict. 7)Foreachofthepolicyissuesinquestion#4,developananalogy.

QUESTIONS