Argumentree is a classroom debate tool where students argue a motion through a structured pro/con argument tree instead of a live shouting match. A teacher poses a motion, students add arguments for and against with evidence — asynchronously over time or live in one session — then rate and discuss each other's points before reviewing the argument map together. Every student participates, including quieter ones, because contributions are written and judged on merit rather than on who speaks loudest; evidence attaches to each claim; and the recorded map becomes reusable revision and assessment material. It works across grade levels and 66 languages. An alternative to classroom-only tools like Kialo Edu for teachers who want debate that builds critical thinking and leaves a reviewable result behind.
Argumentree turns classroom debate into structured, evidence-based reasoning. Pose a motion, have students add pro/con arguments with evidence, let them rate and discuss, then review the argument map together — so every student thinks harder and the debate leaves reusable material behind.
Best for: teachers running academic debate, humanities and civics classes, and any lesson where you want reasoning made visible and every student — including the quiet ones — taking part.
A structured debate makes reasoning visible, so students practice building and weighing arguments — not just speaking. See what structured debate is.
Because arguments are written and can be added over time, quieter and less confident students take part on equal footing — not just the few who speak up.
Students rate each other's arguments, so points win on strength and reasoning rather than on who spoke loudest or last.
Sources attach to the specific claim they support, so students learn to back positions with evidence instead of assertion.
The finished argument map is a recorded, navigable resource students can revisit to study the topic and their own reasoning.
One motion, a living argument tree the whole class builds, and a map you review together at the end.
Start from a clear motion of your own or browse debate topics for a ready question the class can argue.
Students add pro and con arguments with evidence, branching them under the motion — asynchronously over a week or live in one lesson.
The class rates and discusses each argument, so net support is measured and students engage with the strongest points on both sides.
Together you review the recorded argument map — which claims held up and why — leaving a resource students can revisit anytime.
Structuring a debate forces students to separate a claim from the reasons for and against it, judge evidence, and engage with the strongest opposing points. That is critical thinking made into practice, not a lecture.
Because every contribution is recorded in the argument map, you can see exactly what each student argued, how they backed it, and how peers rated it — a fair, reviewable record instead of a memory of who spoke in class.
The same structure scales up and down. With younger students, keep the motion simple and the argument tree shallow — a few clear reasons for and against, rated together as a class. With older students, motions get more complex, evidence standards get stricter, and the tree grows deeper as students engage with counterarguments to counterarguments.
Because participation can be asynchronous, a debate can run over a single lesson or across a whole unit, fitting the pace of the class. And because Argumentree supports 66 languages with translation, it works in language classes and multilingual classrooms too.
Planning a whole-class deliberation rather than a two-sided debate? See class discussion, or compare Argumentree with a classroom-focused tool in Argumentree vs Kialo.
The best classroom debate tool depends on how you teach. If you only need a live speaking exercise, a timer and a rubric are enough. If you want debate to build critical thinking and leave reusable material behind, use a structured-debate tool: one motion, a pro/con argument tree, evidence attached to each claim, and a recorded map you can review and grade. Argumentree is built for this — every student can add and rate arguments, asynchronously or live, across 66 languages. Kialo Edu is a well-known classroom-focused alternative; Argumentree serves classrooms alongside communities and organizations, so students can carry the same skill beyond the course.
Pick or pose a clear motion, split the reasoning into arguments for and against, and have students contribute. In Argumentree a teacher poses the motion, students add pro and con arguments with evidence — asynchronously over a week or live in one session — then rate and discuss each other's points. Afterward the class reviews the argument map together: which claims held up, where the evidence was strong, and where the group landed. The recorded map doubles as revision material and an assessment record.
Argumentree gives students structure instead of a shouting match. Each argument sits under the motion as part of a pro/con tree, evidence links to the specific claim it supports, and every student rates arguments so points are judged on merit rather than on who spoke loudest. Because participation is written and asynchronous by default, quiet students contribute on equal footing, and the recorded map lets the class revisit the reasoning long after the debate ends.
Yes — this is one of the biggest advantages of structured online debate. In a live, spoken debate a few confident students dominate while others stay silent. In Argumentree every student adds arguments in writing and can take time to research and phrase them, so quieter or less confident students participate fully. Ratings are based on the strength of the argument, not the volume of the speaker, so every contribution is weighed on merit.
Start your free trial, pose a motion, and let every student make their case. No credit card required.