Perhaps not politics, but...

[ACPlayer]

If a moderator wishes to move it elsewhere ....

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As some of you may be aware I am spending a year teaching in a school in Honduras. In conjuction with the school administration we are starting a debate club here. The school is english medium (bilingual). I will be the guide and I have 10 students interested from 9, 10 and 11th grade.

So.... if any of you have participated in high school debate and wish to provide suggestions for structuring the debate, keeping it interesting for the kids etc, we would all be grateful.

We are starting with the outline from wiki on debate.

[lehighguy]

Don't follow "competitive" debate structure as used here in America. It's so retarded I don't even want to get into it. In fact, I highly suggest against anything where a judge has to pick a winner of the debate.

[cpk]

Actually, high school debate was fine in the US until their college student coaches started polluting it with all their postmodernist [censored]. I occasionally judge high school debate, and it's amusing to watch 16 year olds go on and on about Derrida and Baudrillard and the like.

[Nielsio]

Think about this in terms of structure:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent

[MelchyBeau]

I did IPDA debate in college. It basically works on the idea of extemporaneous speaking and basic logical arguements as well as knowing whats going around in the world.

http://www.ipdadebate.org/event.html

[Felix_Nietzsche]

When I was in the Toastmasters Public Speaking Club will held a debate each year. Our format was as follows:


Debate Proposition: Drugs Should Be Legalized

Round 1:
Construction Speech: 8 min (for the prop)
Cross Examination: 3 min (against the prop)
Construction Speech: 8 min (against the prop)
Cross Examination: 3 min (for the prop)

Round 2
Construction Speech: 8 min (for the prop)
Cross Examination: 3 min (against the prop)
Construction Sppech: 8 min (against the prop)
Cross Examination: 3 min (for the prop)

Round 3
Rebuttal 4 min (Against)
Rebuttal 4 min (For)
Rebuttal 4 min (Against)
Rebuttal 4 min (For)

The debate winners were then chosen by vote. It should be emphasized the winners were chosen by their skill and not whether you agreed or disagreed with the prop.

Also there needs to be a Debatemaster who can call a point-of-order should one side get out of control. Sometimes during the cross examination one side would try to filibuster the time away or sometimes the other side would interrupt the answer with the next question.

These debates force you to think on your feet.
Choose the prop well and be careful with its wording so that is is 100% clear...
This format allows for a team approach.

[lehighguy]

I considered joining debate team in college. I even went a week early freshmen year for like a training camp.

Arguement graphs? Talking like a gerbel on crack?

Ugh, it doesn't even look like a conversation.

[WillMagic]

[ QUOTE ]
I considered joining debate team in college. I even went a week early freshmen year for like a training camp.

Arguement graphs? Talking like a gerbel on crack?

Ugh, it doesn't even look like a conversation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, this is what it turns into when you have bad debaters (obviously my subjective opinion) and a bad format.

OP, you should definitely go with a parliamentary debate format. Encourage your students to start reading current events and opinion pieces as much as they can, and then stand them up and tell them to argue about different propositions. This will quickly improve their confidence and their speaking abilities.

Also I think the IPDA format sucks balls compared to the NPDA format which is simpler. Plus the problem with the IPDA is it allows ridiculous leeway in choosing what case you want to run...there's no requirement to remain topical.

C. Format of the debate
First Proposition Constructive: 7 minutes
First Opposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Second Proposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Second Opposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Opposition Rebuttal: 4 minutes
Proposition Rebuttal: 5 minutes

You can shorten this at the beginning because speaking for 8 minutes straight is tough for a newbie. If your kids get good though 8 minutes will feel cramped [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

for more on this format visit www.parlidebate.org

And I agree with whoever said that choosing the winner gets a thumbs down. Just get your kids speaking, reading. After the debate is over discuss it with the class. Which arguments were strongest, where people could have gone with their arguments, which arguments could have been shored up a bit, etc.

[ACPlayer]

THanks to the responders and specially for the web links.

Any and all other links and ideas are welcome.