Speech & Debate for Teens - The Essentials of Competitive Debate
This 8-week course will provide debaters with a deep-dive into competitive debate through active coaching, team exercises, and team-driven Public Forum & Policy debate rounds.
Seattle Debate Academy
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(525)
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What's included
8 live meetings
11 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Students will be asked to complete a small amount of research each week (30-90 minutes) to familiarize themselves with topics prior to each week's debates.Assessment
Students will be given final evaluations.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Throughout this 8-week course, students will develop their skills in argumentation, public speaking and rhetoric by engaging complex topics during competitive debates. Students will learn the essential concepts of speech & debate and by the end of the course, will be familiar with debate formats common to High School & Collegiate debate leagues. Most importantly, the course is designed for learners to have fun while engaging with complex debate topics! Debate topics will be both challenging and relevant to current events (e.g. fracking & universal basic income). Effective research on topics will be essential. In addition to basic research (no more than an hour per week will be required) done ahead of classes, students will actively utilize note-taking and research during debate rounds to track and counter opposing arguments. Team collaboration and camaraderie will be heavily emphasized during debate round prep, and teams will be frequently rotated. Weeks 1 & 2: Review of common logical fallacies and effectively delivering contentions with appropriate evidence. Practice mini-debate and a full competitive Public Forum debate. Weeks 3 & 4: Research & evidence weighing drills. Discussion on common contentions that debaters will encounter across different resolutions. Competitive Public Forum debates. Weeks 5 & 6: Clinic on solvency, critiques, and effective cross examination. Competitive Policy debates. Weeks 7: Discussion on effective public speaking, including tone, and volume and body language. Competitive Public Forum debate. Week 8: Final Tournament This course will provide students with a ground-up introduction to competitive debate and while previous speech & debate experience will be helpful, students within the recommended age group (13-16) do not need any previous experience in debate.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
525reviews
Star Educator
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 teachers have a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature from University of Florida
Bachelor's Degree in Economics from University of Southern California
Welcome!
We're a very small team of educators who strongly believe in the transformational power of debate. We find that when debaters are having fun and working together as a team, they readily find the motivation to unpack even the most rigorous and academically challenging topics. This then translates to debaters having substantially more confidence and intellectual curiosity to create great ideas and then really share them with the world.
Our current and former competitive debaters have competed at the highest levels, with many of our students reaching and even winning nationals in Public Forum, Policy, LD and Parliamentary Debate.
Even more importantly, we find that well-coached and moderated debates are an enormously powerful tool for learners. Having the ability and confidence to share ideas, defend ideas, and expose weaknesses in ideas is something that can truly carry students throughout their entire lives - as does having the wisdom and humility to change your mind and realize that everyone is sometimes mistaken.
We're always available for questions and otherwise, never stop learning!
To learn more about our coaches, please copy and past this following URL:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGOQyFywFw/SHzG7YqUAIlGTNGSNqLMcQ/view?utm_content=DAGOQyFywFw&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editorReviews
Live Group Class
$145
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
85 min
Completed by 83 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
4-6 learners per class
