Learning Through the High School Debate Program
During my thirty-one years of teaching high school English, I spent many of them coaching various literary events. The one I enjoyed and appreciated most was coaching the debate team. I found that high school debate teaches students in at least three important ways.
First, debate teaches students teamwork in much the same way that sports activities do. In fact, the kind of teamwork that is learned in debate may be more applicable to an individual’s life than teamwork learned in sports because it involves communication in a direct way. In debate, students may be working with one or more people in a very direct way, and they will work with several people indirectly. Usually, students will have a partner with whom they must plan their strategies during the preparation of their case and practice supporting one another as they deliver their arguments during practice sessions. In addition, there are also opportunities to support the other teams representing the school in their efforts to polish their cases and share resources. Debaters learn that when they help others, it makes the whole school look better.
Second, debaters learn to structure their arguments in a way that is easy to follow and to use clear and concise wording. Their delivery is carefully timed to meet requirements. If they go over time they are stopped. Debaters learn good organization of their thoughts, and they learn to present their cases in a convincing way.
Third, debate teaches students to evaluate evidence they find as they prepare to debate. This is a skill that is much needed in these days when we have access to so much bogus information. Debaters follow strict guidelines for seeking information, and their opponents are quick to point out questionable sources. They learn early that they must select sources that are reliable and up-to-date.
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