Setting up a debating club at my university
February 13, 2011 10:48 AM Subscribe
I need advice on setting up a debating club at my university.
I’d like to set up a debating club at the university where I teach. Although the participants’ native language is generally German, their English is excellent.
As attendance will be voluntary, I would really like to encourage an atmosphere where people keep coming back and remains welcoming to newcomers or those whose English is weaker. These are my objectives ranked in approximate order of importance: fun, building a community, encouraging students to speak in English, developing debating skills and learning to think on their feet.
What tips do you have to make the club particularly successful? What do you enjoy most about your debating club? How can I make sure it is fun and useful? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. What questions have I forgotten to ask you?
Thanks a lot!
I’d like to set up a debating club at the university where I teach. Although the participants’ native language is generally German, their English is excellent.
As attendance will be voluntary, I would really like to encourage an atmosphere where people keep coming back and remains welcoming to newcomers or those whose English is weaker. These are my objectives ranked in approximate order of importance: fun, building a community, encouraging students to speak in English, developing debating skills and learning to think on their feet.
What tips do you have to make the club particularly successful? What do you enjoy most about your debating club? How can I make sure it is fun and useful? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. What questions have I forgotten to ask you?
Thanks a lot!
Best answer: You'll want to get in touch with these folks.
posted by 5Q7 at 5:15 PM on February 13, 2011
posted by 5Q7 at 5:15 PM on February 13, 2011
Best answer: First of all, what kind of debate are you looking to practice? There's policy, parliamentary, lincoln-douglas, british parliamentary... Although the formats are somewhat the same (affirmative vs negative), they differ in the style and what people generally debate about.
Second, do you want the students to compete with other schools?
Third, are you looking for something fun and light for the students to talk about or philosophical ideas and current events?
BTW, I competed in debate in college in the U.S. For the most part we debated about current events and domestic and foreign policy. Debate is fun! It encourages working with other people and adapting to each other's style of approaching things, boosts the student's confidence when they make an amazing argument, being well versed in obscure policies (maybe just me...). Commitment is hard; someone can be really intrigued in what happened in Egypt and another person can just be indifferent. It's not their fault, it's just something they're not interested in. Debate is fun because of the competition itself. Even when you lose, intelligent discussions about controversial topics is satisfying (instead of y'know, saying you stink!).
You don't have to follow the topics most debate people use (obscure current events, philosophical ideas) or even the debate jargon/structure. You just need claim, warrant, and impact (This website also discusses arguing against that).
Have fun and good luck!
I can clarify some more things if you want! If you have any questions, please feel free to message me!
posted by mrspeacock at 12:00 AM on February 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Second, do you want the students to compete with other schools?
Third, are you looking for something fun and light for the students to talk about or philosophical ideas and current events?
BTW, I competed in debate in college in the U.S. For the most part we debated about current events and domestic and foreign policy. Debate is fun! It encourages working with other people and adapting to each other's style of approaching things, boosts the student's confidence when they make an amazing argument, being well versed in obscure policies (maybe just me...). Commitment is hard; someone can be really intrigued in what happened in Egypt and another person can just be indifferent. It's not their fault, it's just something they're not interested in. Debate is fun because of the competition itself. Even when you lose, intelligent discussions about controversial topics is satisfying (instead of y'know, saying you stink!).
You don't have to follow the topics most debate people use (obscure current events, philosophical ideas) or even the debate jargon/structure. You just need claim, warrant, and impact (This website also discusses arguing against that).
Have fun and good luck!
I can clarify some more things if you want! If you have any questions, please feel free to message me!
posted by mrspeacock at 12:00 AM on February 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I also did intercollegiate debate - American parliamentary, for what it's worth, but I did go to Worlds and debate that style.
Given that your profile says you're located in Austria, I'd recommend Worlds Style debate. It's an easy style. Here are some videos so you can see how it works.
As mrspeacock said, there are quite a few styles of debate. Parliamentary (and specifically worlds style and British parliamentary, or BP) is one of the most accessible. It's oratorical, not the kind of lightning-fast verbal chess that might be too hard (or unappealing) to your students. (It was very unappealing to me.) Worlds style involves 4 teams of 2, and involves resolutions ("This House believes gambling ought be illegal"; "This House believes Robert Mugabe ought step down", etc.). For more technical information, there's plenty of online resources, and you can feel free to memail me.
Worlds debating style will also allow you, should you choose, to compete at European tournaments and, of course, the Worlds University Debate Championship.
But your main objective is fun! That's great. In general, you'll want to make sure you get the general club stuff incorporated. You'll want an executive board or club officers; you'll want social events with the debaters to keep them coming back. I found extra-club events to be key in recruitment as well as retention. Another key thing in making it fun is making sure people feel competent in debating. Even if you don't want to compete regionally, feeling incompetent or easily embarrassed speaking to the team can make people shy away from debate clubs. Encouraging people to practice, holding workshops on specific topics ("What you need to know about the Middle East", "How to give a great first prop", "Case extensions 101") will make people more confident in their ability to not embarrass themselves. One thing I found that helped was setting up rounds so that no one was out of their league - nothing like being the worst debater in a round, every time, to discourage you. (However, that can be a great learning experience.)
I've written a mini-novel here. Mrspeacock is right about the claim/warrant/impact format. If you have any questions about the technicalities, or my experience running a debate club, let me know!
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:24 AM on February 14, 2011
Given that your profile says you're located in Austria, I'd recommend Worlds Style debate. It's an easy style. Here are some videos so you can see how it works.
As mrspeacock said, there are quite a few styles of debate. Parliamentary (and specifically worlds style and British parliamentary, or BP) is one of the most accessible. It's oratorical, not the kind of lightning-fast verbal chess that might be too hard (or unappealing) to your students. (It was very unappealing to me.) Worlds style involves 4 teams of 2, and involves resolutions ("This House believes gambling ought be illegal"; "This House believes Robert Mugabe ought step down", etc.). For more technical information, there's plenty of online resources, and you can feel free to memail me.
Worlds debating style will also allow you, should you choose, to compete at European tournaments and, of course, the Worlds University Debate Championship.
But your main objective is fun! That's great. In general, you'll want to make sure you get the general club stuff incorporated. You'll want an executive board or club officers; you'll want social events with the debaters to keep them coming back. I found extra-club events to be key in recruitment as well as retention. Another key thing in making it fun is making sure people feel competent in debating. Even if you don't want to compete regionally, feeling incompetent or easily embarrassed speaking to the team can make people shy away from debate clubs. Encouraging people to practice, holding workshops on specific topics ("What you need to know about the Middle East", "How to give a great first prop", "Case extensions 101") will make people more confident in their ability to not embarrass themselves. One thing I found that helped was setting up rounds so that no one was out of their league - nothing like being the worst debater in a round, every time, to discourage you. (However, that can be a great learning experience.)
I've written a mini-novel here. Mrspeacock is right about the claim/warrant/impact format. If you have any questions about the technicalities, or my experience running a debate club, let me know!
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:24 AM on February 14, 2011
Best answer: (online resources should link here. Also, I met the Qatar Debate team at Worlds a few years back - that documentary looks great!)
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:26 AM on February 14, 2011
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:26 AM on February 14, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks very much everyone - you've certainly all given me some food for thought. :o)
I appreciate it.
I'm not really looking to get involved in competitions (at least not yet), but I do want to set it up in such a way that it has a solid foundation upon which we can build a great club.
Thanks again.
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 8:51 AM on February 14, 2011
I appreciate it.
I'm not really looking to get involved in competitions (at least not yet), but I do want to set it up in such a way that it has a solid foundation upon which we can build a great club.
Thanks again.
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 8:51 AM on February 14, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Here is an interview with the young coach of the team. Even if you don't have your students watch it, I think it's worth your time, and you may get some ideas for things that work to help less confident students participate better.
posted by BlooPen at 11:12 AM on February 13, 2011