With reports that financial literacy levels amongst adults in many countries lie below 70%, teaching students about finance and economics is more important than ever. As parents are not always confident in teaching children about money, educators have a vital role to play in helping pupils make informed financial and economic decisions throughout their lives.
It’s essential that educators have time-saving, engaging resources that enhance financial literacy and economics lessons to help students see the relevance of these topics to their own lives. Here are some of our favorite ideas in using debates and discussions to teach students about financial literacy!
Discussion activities and ideas to enhance students’ financial literacy
To open the world of finance to younger pupils, why not start a discussion about pocket money? For example, you can frame the discussion by asking if they think it should be compulsory for parents to give it to them.
Perhaps some of your older students are working in part-time jobs, whilst others prefer to focus solely on their education. How might they feel if part-time jobs were made mandatory for teenagers?
For students reaching the end of their compulsory education, you could start a debate about whether they believe higher education is essential for financial success. Whatever you choose, it is sure to lead to rich discussion amongst your students!
Kialo Edu also has a selection of ready-made debate topics that you can use for financial and economic education in your classroom! While these topics are usually geared towards older students, all of Kialo Edu’s Templates are fully customizable, meaning you can adapt them for younger students too.
Should tipping culture become a thing of the past?
When they reach their teenage years, your students may be eager to head out into the world of work and earn their own money with a part-time job. Many will end up working in the service industry, relying on their natural charm to earn tips to supplement their wages!
But is tipping an outdated practice? In this Kialo Edu discussion, students don’t need to earn the right to have their point of view heard!
Should governments provide a job guarantee?
Once students have earned their tips (or not, depending on the outcome of the previous discussion), they may begin the quest to secure a full-time job. However, this might prove more challenging than they anticipated. What would your students think if the government offered all people a guaranteed job at the end of their education?
This discussion has a wide range of potential claims and would provide a perfect framework for essay writing.
Should we shorten the 40-hour workweek?
After spending around 32 hours per week at school for most of their lives, a standard 40-hour workweek may come as a shock to students! With many companies trialing more flexible working hours, would students argue for its reduction?
You won’t need to spend your own working hours preparing for this discussion, as Kialo Edu has the perfect ready-made discussion template.
Should payday loans be banned?
We all hope our students will be financially successful in the future, but some may find themselves in difficult circumstances. Left with no other option, they may consider a payday loan. Giving your students the chance to debate the positives and negatives of these loans now can help them to make better financial decisions in the future.
You can borrow our ready-made template to start the discussion — and there’s no interest to pay!
Create your own discussions to further financial literacy
Feeling inspired by our ready-made discussion templates? You may want to create your own Kialo Edu discussion from scratch about the financial and economic issues students in your region face as they move from education into the world of work.
If you’ve used Kialo Edu to have a particularly profitable debate with students, have a query about the platform, or simply want to say hello, you can contact us directly at feedback@kialo-edu.com, or via social media.
