Course Objectives

• Give students an introduction to the basic concepts of non-policy debating, including cases, point structure and rebuttal.

• Provide students the opportunity to participate in a range of debates on different topics across the term.

• Allow students to practice their skills and receive feedback to help develop their speaking skills.

Bookings for Term #1 are now open! 

Describtion

Debating Wallabies is an excellent way for beginner students to take their first steps into the world of debating!

Debating is a unique skill that involves preparing cases as a team, developing robust arguments, thinking quickly on your feet and learning to refute others’ points. As part of this program, students will be introduced to several of the fundamental skills and principles of debating, and will also regularly put what they have learned in practice in-class debates.

Whilst Debating Wallabies always covers the basics concepts involved in value debating – cases, arguments and rebuttal – the focus of the program changes every term:

• Term #1 looks at how to best develop cases as a team;
• Term #2 focuses on deeper argumentation and making strong points;
• Term #3 emphasises persuasive debating to help students better persuade their adjudicators; and
• Term #4 hones in on rebuttal, and how to best tackle your opponents.

Whilst it’s recommended that students give each of these streams a try, there is no particular need to start with any of them, meaning students are welcome to join at any time!

As with all our programs, we make sure that every classroom environment is nurturing for each individual, and that all the activities are lots of fun for all students! This is the perfect course for both shy and outgoing students to begin their journey into the exciting (and initially potentially nerve-wracking) world of debating.

Our term #1 focus

Term #1 runs from early February to mid-April each year.

The key to winning any debate is not any individual performance – instead, it is how well a team works together that determines their success.

Our Term #1 program focuses on Value Cases, and how debaters can work as a team to best persuade their adjudicator. In addition to the other essential debating skills – argumentation, rebuttal and persuasive speaking – students will take a deep dive into the world of undefined terms, criteria and burdens, and how they can use these tools to link their points with what they need to prove as a team to win debates.

These are then tied into a range of speaking activities and debates, all with plenty of personalised feedback, to help them put these concepts into practice.

Over the course of the term, students will have the opportunity to:

• learn a range of introductory concepts and principles, including case theory, burdens, argumentation and rebuttal, focusing on ‘value’ type debating topics;
• gain lots of exposure to speaking activities, which will help them build confidence and develop good speaking habits and techniques; and
• practice their budding skills in a supportive environment, alongside peers of a similar age and ability level.

Given that debating revolves around comparisons, students should spend as much time weighing the benefits of their own case with the deficiencies of their opposition. It doesn’t matter how well you build up your own case – if you cannot bring down the arguments raised by the other side, it will all be for naught.

In our Debating Wallabies program, students are provided with a range of tools, from the truth & importance divide to ‘even if’ Rebuttal, that will allow them to take down even the most well-constructed argument in a ‘comparative’ debate. When integrated with the fundamentals of case structure, point development and persuasive manner, this recipe of skills can make for a potent combination in any debate.

By providing students with the essential tools and techniques to attack their opponents and defend their own case, students are much better equipped to win debates and engage more effectively with others in their day-to-day lives!

By the end of each program, students will have:

• a feedback sheet, prepared individually for them by their coach, which goes through what they’ve improved on, and what still needs some work;
• a certificate recognising their achievements;
• a course booklet that covers everything they’ve learned throughout the program;
• the speech that they prepared for their final presentations; and
• hopefully a better understanding of how value-based debating functions!