THE DISCUSSION ON CHILD SOLDIERS
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘child soldiers’?
(2) Where do you think child soldiers fight in the world?
(3) What do you think of the people who force children to take up arms and fight?
(4) What do you think the children feel about fighting in wars?
(5) How do you think a child changes once he or she is given a gun and told to kill people?
(6) Do you think the emotional scars child soldiers suffer ever heal?
(7) What should the global community do to reduce the number of children fighting in conflicts across the world?
(8) Can you imagine fighting in a war at the age of nine or ten?
(9) Do you think child soldiers are happy?
(10) In what ways do you think child soldiers can be more dangerous than adult soldiers?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) What is the youngest at which people can join your country’s army?
(2) What do you think the average child soldier does every day?
(3) Do you think your country has ever used child soldiers?
(4) Do you think it’s OK to give children guns if they were the only and last chance to protect your country?
(5) Do you think there are enough global campaigns to highlight the plight of child soldiers?
(6) The United Nations says it is ok for fifteen-year-olds to fight. What do you think about this?
(7) The UN says using children under 15 is a war crime. Do you agree?
(8) Countries still celebrate the bravery of child soldiers during World War II. Do you think it’s OK for them to do this?
(9) Do you know about the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers?
(10) What is the worst case of the use of child soldiers you know about?
