Description

Course Overview:

This course will focus on building confidence in public speaking through the development of foundational Debate skills.  During the course, students will engage in a variety of activities that focus on three key areas: speech structure, refutations, and speaking confidence.  A special emphasis will be placed on universally applicable analysis and critical thinking skills.  By the end of the course, students will be able to research and present a speech on a current topic.  

Materials:

• Laptop or iPad which can connect to the internet.
• Legal pad/loose leaf paper and pens (multiple colors of ink preferable but not required)

Behavior:

Respect each other and respect yourself.  Don’t be afraid to express your own voice or opinion and have the confidence to speak up!  

Curriculum:

Each class will have 20-30 minutes of lecture time followed by an activity and group discussion.

Below is a tentative schedule:

• Day 1: Introduction to Speech Structure and flowing.  Spar debates.
• Day 2: Warranting and Evidence.  Small group speech construction workshop.
• Day 3: Refutations.  Mock round with refutations of day 2 speeches.
• Day 4: Padding effective speeches.  Extemporaneous debate rounds.
• Day 5: Analyzing debates.  Mock round followed by post-round recap.
• Day 6: Delivering powerful speeches.  Tonal and Confidence Drills. 
• Day 7: The art of questioning, asking and answering.  Lots of cross examination.
• Day 8: Pre-round analysis and research.  Predicting debate exercise/prep for camp tournament.
• Day 9: No evidence round of camp tournament topics.  Discuss narrative speaking
• Day 10: Camp tournament!!

About the Instructor:

Nick is a rising sophomore studying at American University.  During his four years of competition, Nick championed the IHSA State Tournament, was a finalist at the Yale Invitational Debate Tournament, and placed third at NSU’s “Sunvitational” Tournament.  As a coach, Nick has coached 5 national finalists in this year alone, including the winner of the 2022 Middle School Harvard National Tournament and the winner of the 2022 Middle School Tournament of Champions.  Nick is excited and proud to be coaching the champions of tomorrow!