Intermediate Speech and Debate is the second part to my year long Speech and Debate curriculum.  Students can take the course out of order since this section focuses on different material. This section also is designed to give experienced students opportunities to further develop skills in research, critical thinking, and oral communication. Students will have the option to participate in a variety of activities including individual speech events, and various forms of debate (Public Forum). In addition to classroom participation, students will compete in an end of session tournament to showcase what they have learned.

After going over all National Speech and Debate Association events, students will choose 1-2 events they will work on throughout the course.  Students can choose to continue to focus on Lincoln Douglas Debate or choose to compete in one of the following:   
Speech Events:  Monologue, Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation, Original and Standard Oratory, and Dramatic/Humorous Duos. 
Extemporaneous Speaking:  Domestic and Foreign

I have taught/coached this class for many years in a traditional setting and coached our High School Speech and Debate team for almost 10 years.  I worked for a non-traditional Charter School.  We won several State Championships in various events and even had students move on to Nationals.  It is hard work but so rewarding.  Students will be given a grade rubric with expectations for all projects. We follow all National Speech and Debate Guidelines for all events.  You can find out more about the NSDA and see past debate topics by going to:  https://www.speechanddebate.org/    
 
These are student-guided projects.  In other words, the student chooses what event they wish to compete in and I will coach them on skills they need to succeed.  Some skills that we work on are body posture, eye contact, hooks, fillers, facial expressions, research, credible versus biased sources, faulty arguments, working quickly, developing research databases and thinking quickly when put on the spot.  The skills and friendships students gain from this class last a lifetime.

Weekly Breakdown Sample:

Week One: Introduction to Speech Events- Monologue, Standard and Original Oratory, Dramatic/Humorous Duo, Prose.
Week Two and Three:  Introduction to Domestic and Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
Week Four:  Introduction to Policy Debate and Public Forum
Weeks Five through eleven:  Students will choose the Debate or Speech path.  Group and Individual coaching will begin for the rest of the course. 

Students may choose more than one event with the instructors approval.  Their final exam is a tournament held at the end of the session (Week 12).  All students will be given a final critique.