THE DEBATE ADVANTAGE:
In addition to the exciting competitive opportunities that the academic debate affords our students, the activity of debate itself provides several educational advantages to the students that participate. Besides the obvious advantage of being able to give fantastic speeches under pressure, debate also teaches reading comprehension, high-level research, strong critical thinking skills, global and cultural awareness, a sharpened sense of social justice, well honed writing and communication skills, a true understanding of teamwork, strong work ethic, goal setting, increased self-confidence, higher academic involvement, healthy sportsmanship as well as the opportunity to make life-long, like-minded friends and to get accepted into the most competitive international universities.
English Language Acquisition:
Debate is also an exciting and fun way for students to practice their English with native and non-native English speakers. Debaters are reading, writing and preparing debates in English as well as speaking in English with an effort to persuade judges who will give them instant feedback immediately after each round. There is a strong desire for students to perfect their English so as to earn more victories in the debate. Students also take on the use of phrases and words that they are reading in their debate research as well as emulating their peers, coaches and judges whose English they admire. This rapidly accelerates a student’s comprehension, reading and speaking levels in a short period of time.
Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Debaters are WELCOME!
Debaters will have a choice to be trained after school from 3:30 to 5:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays OR Tuesdays and Thursdays (2 days a week) OR they may also choose the later sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 pm Mondays and Wednesdays OR Tuesdays and Thursdays (2 days a week). You may also select from Semester 1 (mid-August through mid-December) AND/OR Semester 2 (mid-January through mid-May).
Flipped Classroom/Blended Learning:
All debaters will have access to asynchronous modules that explain the basics of debate, recorded mostly in 5 to 8 minute videos with short questions to check for understanding. At the beginning of each session they will be allowed to ask questions and comment on the modules they have watched before engaging in a practice debate round to hone the skills which they are learning. Debaters will then be observed and side coached by world class debate coaches who will give them immediate feedback as a group and individually during and after each debate round.