Explore the power of deductive reasoning in the realm of debate and how it can be a game-changer for debaters looking to strengthen their arguments and win competitions.
Delve into the strategic world of Points of Information (POIs) in British Parliamentary Debate and learn how to effectively utilize them to enhance your debating skills.
Discover the top extracurricular activities that high school students can participate in to enhance their skills and improve their college applications.
Discover the art of persuasion and learn how to write a compelling speech that captivates your audience. This blog post provides expert insights and practical tips for crafting an impactful ...
Public speaking is an art; the ability to enrapture an audience with one's words, movements, and ideas is a talent that is difficult to master. Every seasoned speaker knows that one of the most ...
Public speaking can be a daunting task, especially for those who struggle with self-doubt and anxiety. But it is an important skill to master, not just for academic or professional success, but also ...
Have you ever sat through a speech and felt bored or confused? Public speaking can be challenging, but one simple technique can make a significant difference in the impression you leave on your ...
So what exactly is body language? Body language refers to the nonverbal cues that individuals use to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and intentions. These cues can include facial expressions, ...
Hi there! Welcome back! In the first part of this article, you learned how to incorporate pop culture into your speech. Now, it’s time to focus on how to find, and then analyze, stories that are ...
Tip #1: Prepare Thoroughly Research the topic extensively Researching the topic extensively is crucial for overcoming nervousness before a debate. When you have a deep understanding of the topic, you ...
Importance of debate and public speaking skills Developing strong debate and public speaking skills is absolutely crucial for children as it has the power to transform various aspects of their lives. ...
In the first part of this article, you learned how the criteria of “analysis” is used to evaluate an impromptu speech. In this part of the article, we’ll examine the other two criteria: organization ...
The importance of communication skills in the workplace Effective communication skills are essential for success in the workplace. Whether it's presenting ideas to colleagues, negotiating with ...
When playing a tennis match, there is a clear and precise set of rules that governs the match. There are lines marking where the ball can and cannot go. There are timers to measure how long the ...
What are Public Speaking and Debating Skills? Public speaking and debating skills refer to the ability to effectively communicate ideas, opinions, and arguments in a public setting. It involves the ...
You already learned specific gestures that can ensure your delivery is smooth even when you’re under pressure. Now, let’s look at two more techniques that can help your delivery under pressure: stage ...
How Important is Being Confident? Confidence plays a vital role in the development of K-12 students. It is especially important for young learners to cultivate self-assurance as they navigate through ...
Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian astronaut, once described the experience of what goes on in one’s mind before being launched into space at speeds of up to 18,000 miles per hour. There’s no way to ...
Importance of public speaking and debating skills Public speaking and debating skills are incredibly valuable for K-12 students as they offer a multitude of benefits. Firstly, these skills assist ...
Introduction Taking part in a World Schools Debate is all very well, but without judging it is an incomplete experience! Yet there are many people who are not sure how to judge a World Schools ...
What exactly are public speaking and debating? Public speaking and debating are both important skills for K-12 students as they aid in the development of confidence, critical thinking, communication, ...
Importance of public speaking skills Public speaking skills are essential for K-12 students as they provide numerous benefits. Firstly, effective public speaking skills help students to express their ...
Do you ever get notifications on your phone that never seem to stop? They can be incredibly obnoxious. You feel your phone vibrate and get excited, thinking it’s a message from your friend, only to ...
Fishing is a time-consuming activity. You have to set the baits, buy worms, and take your boat to the desired location. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours before you even spot a fish! That is, ...
In the first part of this article, you learned how to analyze word prompts to build your thesis. Now, you’ll explore some analysis techniques for another type of prompt, pictures. Picture prompts ...
If you’ve ever strolled through a contemporary museum of art and looked at the exhibitions, you may have thought, “What am I looking at exactly?” like this unconventional sculpture by Rachel Harrison ...
What do five minutes feel like to you? You could tell us that it’s made of up 300 seconds, in which time corn on the cob could be microwaved, a round of commercials could be played, and one kilometer ...
Thanks for continuously reading this article. Surely, you have explored stage one of how to analyze your prompt: determine the author’s meaning. Time to proceed to stage two: taking a stance through ...
What do we have in common with tigers? Apparently, a lot. From Confucius to Madonna, humans have thought of all sorts of wise sayings to relate our lives to almost anything, including tigers. “Better ...
In the first part of this article, you have already learned what a story bank is and how to begin adding examples to it through clear titles. Telling a good story takes time, which is why in this ...
According to Google’s advanced algorithms, in 2010 there were nearly 130 million books written in recorded human history. Now assuming that a book takes, on average, five hours to read, it would take ...
Slumdog Millionaire is a British film that tells the story of Jamal Malik, an impoverished young orphan from an Indian slum. He takes part in a mainstream TV quiz show called, “Who Wants to Be a ...
Well done! You’re here because you probably have finished the first part of this article where you learned how to craft a well-timed and organized introduction. Let’s see an example: Sometimes, even ...
Have you ever heard someone say, “Give me two minutes and I’ll be there”? Frankly speaking, these two minutes can sometimes be five, ten, or even “I just woke up but will be there soon” minutes. ...
Extemporaneous Speech Have you ever been asked to give a speech or presentation without any prior notice or time to prepare? You're not alone. This is commonly referred to as an extemporaneous speech ...
Introducing Every Student's Favorite: Break-Time! Well we hate to dissapoint, but we won't be talking about the snack & chatting type of break-time. Maybe one day we'll write a blog post about ...
Round One, Debate! Are you gearing up for your first debate tournament? As exciting as it may be, it’s important to know what to expect, especially during the preliminary rounds. After all, it’s in ...
What to Do Before a Debate Tournament Starts? Debating is a valuable skill that has a lot of benefits for students. It helps with critical thinking, persuasion, and public speaking, among other ...
In the first part of this article, you already saw an example of a persuasive speech that showed the importance of stage movement and gestures and how they can help you memorize delivering your ...
What are the Benefits of Debate? In the decade that LearningLeaders has been helping students to develop lifelong public speaking and communication skills, one of the most common questions we hear ...
What are the Benefits of Debate? Critical Thinking Skills Critical thinking is an essential skill in today's world. It involves the ability to analyze information, questions, and problems in a ...
Do you know how important stage movements and gestures are? Your words must have emotion, and the best way to demonstrate that is through your stage movements and hand gestures. That’s why in this ...
What are the Benefits of Debate? Communication and Leadership Skills! According to multiple surveys, recruitment organizations and CEOs, the most important skill that the young learners of today will ...
What are the Benefits of Debate for Students? Global Experiences. Speech and debate offers many benefits - lifelong improvement in critical thinking ability, heightened academic performance, and key ...
As we continue looking at incorporating similes, metaphors, and hyperboles in stories and persuasive speeches, let’s focus on the body paragraphs. Here you add more details as you explain your ...
Toulmin Model of Argumentation – Counterargument According to the Toulmin process, a powerful way to conclude our argument is by pre-empting and answering a potential counter-argument. This can be ...
What is the Toulmin Model? The challenge in many types of speech, particularly in original oratory, extemporaneous speaking or, of course debating, is to make a series of persuasive arguments on the ...
Toulmin Model – Qualifier OK, so you’ve built a strong argument following the Toulmin model. You start with a clear and robust claim, then follow that with some evidence or data that supports the ...
Toulmin Model of Argumentation: Warrant and Backing The third and fourth stages in Toulmin’s Model of Argumentation concern a warrant that links the evidence to the specific claim you want to make, ...
[The snow glows white on the mountain tonight. Not a footprint to be seen. A kingdom of isolation. And it looks like I'm the queen. The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside. Couldn't keep ...
The Toulmin Argument: Using Data and Evidence In Toulmin’s Model, the use of data and evidence is absolutely critical in order to build credibility with the listener (or reader) and provide empirical ...
Making Clear Claims "I think Marvel is better than DC!" Well, you might agree with me on this, and you might not. But I’m sure many readers will ask, "What do you mean by better? Are you talking ...
Um, last week I spent like two weeks in the hospital because, of, uh, you know, a minor accident. So yeah, basically a simple tooth infection turned into, like, a major issue, affecting, like, uh, my ...
What to expect at a debate tournament? A question that students often ask when new to debating is, “what should I expect at a debate tournament?”. Like any other activity, debating can seem confusing ...
Why do we use Assumptive Goal Setting? Goal-setting already seems to be complicated! With SMART goal-setting techniques and other ones out there, there is a lot to think about. In order to generate ...
Judging Public Forum Debate Judging a Public Forum debate (or PF debate for short) isn’t as daunting a task as it may seem. PF debate was designed, as the name suggests, to be accessible by members ...
Judging Ballots Many debaters are keen to try judging debates to expand their range of debate skills. Other debate judges are teachers, parents or coaches who want to help out in local tournaments. ...
The Marvel Universe has various types of superheroes: Spider-Man, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel. These are all different kinds of people with different abilities, but do you know any that have ...
Did you know that ice cream sales and shark attacks are highly correlated? The more ice cream people buy, the more times they are attacked by sharks. But does that mean you should stop eating ice ...
Yet Another Logical Fallacy! A very common logical fallacy in debating is called a hasty generalization, also known as the “general rule” fallacy. In fact, this is arguably the most common logical ...
Can you imagine playing an entire basketball match by yourself? Think of your favorite movie or TV show. Could it have been made by only one person? Do you think your school would function if it was ...
Introducing the Appeal to Authority Fallacy The Appeal to Authority is one of the most common types of argument in debate. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. Citing experts and authorities in ...
The fallacy of the excluded middle, or the concept of it, has been around since Aristotle's times. Today it remains a common rhetorical trick used by debaters to try to push unreasonable options on ...
What is a Straw Man argument? Have you ever been in a debate with a team where, instead of addressing your argument directly, they bring up something irrelevant or mischaracterize what you said? If ...
What is a slippery slope? The slippery slope fallacy in debating: What it is, how to rebut it, and how to avoid making it Are you looking to improve your debating skills? One of the most common ...
BP vs PF Debate BP Debate (or British Parliamentary) and PF Debate (or Public Forum) are two of the most popular debate formats in the world – BP more so at universities around the world, PF mostly ...
World Schools vs PF Debate World Schools Debate and PF Debate (or Public Forum) are two of the most popular debate formats in the world, particularly at High School level. However, it can be ...
BP vs World Schools Debate The world of debating is vast and complex, with many different rulesets used around the world. Of these widely accepted formats, the two most globally popular are World ...
Picture yourself in this situation: You’re in a mall having lunch with your family. You need to use the restroom, so you ask the server where it is, and they point you in a direction down the ...
Hi there! Welcome back. In the first part of this article, you learned about how you can start investigating your topics. In this part, you’ll learn how to put them to work so you can start writing ...
Public Forum Debate Format Introduction to Public Forum Debate Public forum debate format is one of the most popular debate formats in the world, particularly in the United States where many American ...
There is an ancient parable about a group of blind men who hear about a strange animal called an elephant. They want to learn what this animal is by going and touching it. The first man, whose hand ...
Should Zoos Be Banned? Do zoos do more harm than good? It’s a question that has been debated through history, and there's no easy answer. On the one hand, they can be great places to learn about ...
Do Violent Video Games Cause Violence? Do video games cause violence? This is a hotly contested topic in today's society, with people on both sides of the argument being very vocal. With its place ...
Easy Debate Topics to get you started Are you a high school student interested in joining the debate scene but not sure where to start? If so, you've landed in the right place! Choosing debate topics ...
Top 10 Debate Topics you should be comfortable with Do you feel that knot in your stomach when the teacher mentions it’s time for a classroom debate? Well, never fear! We’ve got the inside scoop on ...
Hey there! It’s nice to see you come back. Just keep on reading and surely, you’ll learn about hooking your audience with questions and quotes! By the end of this article, your hooks will be ...
Hello everyone. I'm, like, really nervous, so please listen to me. OK, um, I spent a long time preparing for this topic and I hope I remember everything but, like, please excuse me if I forget or ...
Hi there! Welcome to the second part of this article where you will be learning how to craft the body of your speech and how you can end it with a bang! The middle of your speech is where you explain ...
You may have seen in recent years how important it is to have "Good Communication Skills". Whether it's listed on a job application, a college requirement, in relationships, school work...the list ...
These sound like very complicated means of communication, right? But I can gaurantee you use these methods on a daily basis when going about your day. You may not know it, but effective communication ...
Debating is a great way for high school students to develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills. It can also help them become more informed and engaged citizens. However, choosing a ...
Imagine you’re in a supermarket. Your dear parents have asked you to get some watermelons, bananas, body soap, paper towels, and fresh milk. This supermarket is the largest one in town, and it ...
It feels like you can’t go anywhere without hearing about ChatGPT these days. In the last week alone, I’ve had the topic brought up to me in an airplane, at a dinner party, and even by a server in a ...
Public speaking is one of the most common fears, with many people experiencing anxiety and nervousness when they are called upon to speak in front of others. Whether it's a presentation at work or a ...
Feedback is an essential component of debate adjudication. It helps judges provide constructive criticism to debaters, which can help them improve their skills and performance. Constructive feedback ...
What is Signposting? Signposting is the practice of explicitly stating the main points of an argument before or after presenting them. It helps the audience understand the structure of the argument ...
Welcome back! In part one of this article, you learned the format of impromptu speaking rounds, saw some example prompts and learned how to choose the one you will speak about. Now let’s look at some ...
What do you think of when you hear the word “argument?” People raising their voices, hurling words at each other back and forth? Well, yes, too often this is the case. However, the word argument also ...
In seven minutes, you can: · Listen to the “Peanut, Butter, Jelly” song four times. · Run a mile. · Say the word “pancake” 910 times. · Fall asleep. · Wait to get a spot on the Prince Charming Regal ...
"Be sincere. Be brief. Be seated." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt Although former U.S. President FDR made the above remark on the topic of general communication, his guidance rings especially true when ...
If you're a debater, no matter your experience level, you've probably heard of rebuttals. Although critical to a good debate, you may not know how the best rebuttals work or how to employ them on the ...
Why do we use Backwards Planning and What are the Steps? Backwards planning is a useful tool for generating Action Plans to accomplish your goals. An Action Plan is essentially a comprehensive list ...
Let’s head over part two of this article. In the first one, you had the chance to learn the basics of the World Schools debate format. Now that you know how your teams are formed and what the motions ...
Introduction to World Schools Debate Online World Schools Debate, also known as WSDC, is one of the most common debate formats in the world. But of course, for most of that time, World Schools Debate ...
Debate is the art of persuasion. It's a way to use our words to convince others that they should take our side. It's been around for thousands of years, and it continues to play an important role in ...
Introduction Debate is a great way for students to develop their public speaking skills and critical thinking abilities. It's also a fun way to learn about topics that are important to them and the ...
"The difficulty lies not in the choice itself, but in making one at all." - Michael Hauge Warren Buffet is known as an ultra-successful investor. He has been at the top of the Forbes list for many ...
World Schools debate, also known as WSDC, is one of the most common debate formats in the world. It's most typically used in school debates, hence the name, and it's the debate format used in the ...
If you're reading this article, you're probably a parent, a teacher, or someone else who works with children—and you're probably wondering why communication skills matter, and how best to teach them. ...
Every Leader gets into disagreements... In fact, it’s a pre-requisite for the job! Imagine if you never had any disagreements - that would mean that what you want to do is the same as what everyone ...
We all have dreams. We all imagine the amazing things we hope to do in the future, the experiences we want to have, the things we want to achieve… And even though each person is different, I’m sure ...
"There has never been and will never be one single leadership theory that completely explains why leaders succeed. There is no silver bullet and no substitute for context and experience." - Michael ...
"Great discussions don’t happen by accident." - Michael Hauge Congratulations! You’ve been voted as Class President, Team Captain, or into another leadership role for a student club. You’re excited ...
In part one of this article, you learned about using humor to make your speeches more engaging. But your humor won’t work without good delivery. Not the pizza delivery you snack on while writing your ...
What are SMART Goals? Although it may seem that SMART Goals have been in the corporate lexicon forever, they are a comparatively new addition to the corporate strategy and personal productivity ...
Do you know what the word “mortified” means? Let me tell you. It was my first time traveling by myself. I was at the airport going through security – and you know how scary that can be, right? ...
No matter how old or young you are, everyone has a story to tell. What’s great about public speaking is that it gives you a platform to share your story with the world. Whether you’re competing in ...
You may be one of the lucky ones. You might know exactly what motivates you and drives you forward. However, for most of us, the answer to ‘What motivates you?’ is unclear and changes as we get ...
What a start to the year at LearningLeaders HQ! After a busy first year of our online programs we kicked off 2023 with a Seasonal Learning Event - Debate Without Borders. The theme of this event was ...
Welcome back! In the first part of this article, you learned about sovereignty and self-determination and how it comes into play in debates about IR. As you can see, IR debates often center around ...
The Cambridge Union Society is one of the oldest and best-known university debating societies in the world. But how old is it, when does it meet and what does it do? Read on to learn a bit more about ...
If you're reading this, you already know what a BP debate is and how it works. So now all that's left is know how to win one. Simple, right? Well, not exactly. If you've ever been in a debate ...
When I say 'online classes' some of you will be reminded of the Covid-19 lockdown era. Others will recognise it as a part of their everyday life. However you see it, "Remote Learning" is here to ...
In the midst of World War I, France, Britain, and Germany were fighting fierce battles against each other on the Western front, but then Christmas came and they decided to take a break. Not only did ...
The British Parliamentary debate format, also known as the BP debate format, is known for a wide range of topics which can range from social and economic issues to philosophical and ethical ...
British Parliamentary debate, also known as BP debate, is one of the more complicated formats of Parliamentary debate. For this reason, it is usually tackled by debaters who have already mastered ...
Hi there! In the first part of this article, you’ve covered how to use your delivery skills to dominate your judge’s notes. Now it’s time to focus on the content of your speech. The key thing here is ...
In recent years, public speaking and debate have become widespread around the globe. Many debate and speech competitions are open to elementary school students. Public speaking and debate can help ...
As technology continues to evolve, we are seeing the integration of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in nearly every aspect of our lives. From healthcare to transportation, AI has made significant ...
The famous French football player, Lacazette, once said, "I don't care how people judge me." Well, he’s never done competitive debate. If he had, he’d not only care about how his case is judged, but ...
In the previous part of this article, you have learned six strategies for crafting strong POIs. In this part, you’ll learn about “diagonal engagement” – that is, OG engaging with CO and OO engaging ...
If you've ever watched a crime drama, you've probably seen an interrogation scene. The detective sits opposite the suspect in a small, dingy room lit only by a flickering lightbulb. They grill the ...
In the first article, you’ve learned what pre-emption is, the three steps you can take to identify what you need to pre-empt, and how to pre-empt your opponents’ impacts by claiming the opposite ...
There’s an old saying that offense is the best form of defense. Attack first to prevent your opponents from attacking you. In debate, this saying is absolutely true, and if your pre-emptive attack is ...
In the first part of this article, you’ve already learned which arguments you should prioritize in your rebuttal and one advanced strategy you can use when rebutting arguments. The next rebuttal ...
Popular Public Speaking and Debate Formats We hope you enjoyed Part I & II of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: Introduction to Public Speaking and ...
Where Students Apply Public Speaking and Debate Skills We hope you enjoyed Part I of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: Introduction to Public Speaking ...
Skills Students Are Learning from Public Speaking and Debate From U.S. presidential debate to TED talk to group discussion, we emphasize the importance of public speaking and debate. But what exactly ...
They say that it takes two to tango. We say that it takes two to debate. Why? Because without your opponents, it’s impossible to build and respond to the most engaging tool in debate: rebuttal. ...
Build A Habit Practicing at Home We hope you enjoyed Part I, II, & III of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: Tips on Improving Public Speaking & ...
Give Feedback as A Parent We hope you enjoyed Part I & II of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: Tips on Improving Public Speaking & Competitive ...
Topics for Practicing at Home We hope you enjoyed Part I of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: Tips on Improving Public Speaking & Competitive Debate ...
Build A Habit Practicing at Home Public speaking and debate require students to practice consistently. Practicing only during class time can help students improve but cannot push students to extend ...
Previously, you already learned how to make clear claims in your arguments and your rebuttals. It's now time to break down the other part of your argument – the analysis. Once you’ve composed your ...
How to Help Students Prepare? We hope you enjoyed Part I & II of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: What is Public Speaking and Competitive Debate? ...
What Does a Competition Look Like? We hope you enjoyed Part I of this blog series! If you haven't got a chance to read it yet you can do so here: What is Public Speaking and Competitive Debate? (Part ...
Why Is It Important for Public Speakers and Debaters to Compete? Unlike traditional school subjects, public speaking and debate do not have a standard test to see if a student has hit high marks. But ...
Did you know that ants leave maps for other ants, so they can find their way to food sources and bring it back to the hive? There are many different paths leading back to the hive, but they’ll all ...
In part one of this article, you learned that to use your prep time in BP effectively, you need to read the motion carefully, identify your burdens and the comparative, and select your key arguments ...
If you’ve watched any skateboarding videos, you’ve probably noticed that a typical trick doesn’t last more than a few seconds. To the untrained eye, the trick might seem like something easy that just ...
You already learned about importance as a criterion for judging Original Oratories. In the second part of this article, let’s focus on how speeches are judged for relatability and originality. So, ...
Why should students focus on feedback? I today’s day and age of online learning, which spans across continents and cultures, one’s ability to effectively communicate with confidence comes to the ...
Ever wondered how judges evaluate Original Oratories? When we think about sports like tennis or basketball, it’s pretty easy to judge each game. Strict rules, clear lines, and even modern ...
You already learned about causality, sign, and generalization warrants. In this article, you’ll learn about three other types of warrants: analogy, authority, and principle. Let’s begin with the ...
There is a theory that adding humor to a serious topic is sort of like pouring water into a big jug with only one teabag. If you pour too little water, then the tea might be a little bit too intense ...
In the first part of this article, you have learned how to use purposeful animations and humorous images to grab your audience’s attention. In this part, you’ll now learn ways to create a clear and ...
Walt Disney once said that animation offers a medium of storytelling and visual entertainment, which can bring pleasure, joy, and information to people of all ages everywhere in the world. Why not ...
In the previous article, you have already learned how to identify common social issues. Our next step is to learn a few basic strategies to make these common issues a bit less obvious and predictable ...
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a woman who wanted to change the world. She saw working-class citizens struggling to make ends meet all around her and wanted to do something about ...
New to the Art of Persuasion? Check out Part One here! There’s an old Spanish proverb that says, “among the safe courses, the safest of all is to doubt.” In the language of Original Oratory, this ...
Do you know why many Disney villains aren’t persuasive? It’s not just because good always trumps evil. Some villains only try to appeal to the emotions of their victims, like Jafar from ‘Aladdin,’ ...
There was once a choose-your-own-adventure story about a boy who had lost his memory and found himself stuck on Mars. When he woke up, he was given the option to: · A: Explore the crash site of his ...
If I offered you a double fudge brownie and a slice of double fudge cake, which would you take? It depends right? Some people enjoy the dense chewiness of brownies while others prefer the fluffy ...
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