Course Description: This is the third course of Speech/Debate series. While this course continues to help students build up the Speech confidence and skills, it focuses more on Debate.
Below are the sample topics to cover in the class. Topics may vary in different terms.
Unit 1: Introduction to Debate
1. Introduce students to some basic concepts and terms.
2. Involve students in an informal debate.
Unit 2: Expanding on the concept of debate
1. Observe a live or videotaped debate.
2. Take part in an informal debate.
Unit 3: Affirmative Structure
1. Gain an understanding of the Affirmative philosophy.
2. Examine the speech of the first Affirmative.
Unit 4: Overview of Negative Strategy
1. Understand negative strategy.
2. understand the job of the first Negative speaker
Unit 5: Overview of Debate
1. Second Affirmative Constructive Speech
2. Second Negative Constructive Speech
3. The Break
4. Rebuttal by First Negative
5. Rebuttal by First Affirmative
Unit 6: The Great debate (Discussion, Preparation, Presentation)
Provide students an opportunity to prepare and debate in a formal style.
Debate is an excellent way to develop critical thinking skills. The process of researching a debate is one of examining the pros and cons of an issue, determining what the problems are and considering alternative solutions. The research and presentation of a debate is clearly a team effort, and participation in activities like debate explicitly develops the skills needed to work in teams.Instructor