The Public Forum Debate Semester Course is designed to transform students into confident, strategic, and articulate debaters. Over the course of 14 classes (1.5 hours each), students will engage in dynamic discussions, hands-on practice, and real-world debate simulations, developing the skills necessary to succeed in both competitive and academic environments.
Why Choose Public Forum Debate?
Public Forum Debate is one of the most engaging and widely practiced debate formats. It encourages students to tackle real-world policy and ethical issues while developing logical reasoning, research skills, teamwork, and strategic argumentation. Whether they are preparing for debate competitions, sharpening critical thinking, or building confidence in public speaking, this course offers the perfect foundation for success.
What You’ll Learn in 14 Power-Packed Sessions
Throughout the semester, students will develop a strong foundation in debate structure, strategy, and delivery. Students will start by mastering the essential components of a debate, including constructive speeches, rebuttals, crossfire, summary speeches, and final focus. They will learn how to craft persuasive arguments, refute opposing points effectively, and structure their speeches for maximum impact. In addition to argumentation, students will develop research and evidence-based persuasion skills. They will practice "cutting cards," a method of preparing evidence for use in debates, and learn to analyze real-world policy issues through fact-based argumentation.
Public speaking is another major component of the course. Students will work on voice control, clarity, pacing, and engaging delivery to ensure their arguments are both persuasive and professional. Impromptu speaking exercises will train students to think on their feet, a crucial skill for responding to questions and counterarguments in live debates.
Beyond theory, this course is highly practical. Students will participate in weekly mini-debates, applying their skills in structured rounds before moving on to full-length debates. A highlight of the semester is the mock Public Forum Debate tournament, where students will put their training to the test in a competitive setting. Throughout the course, students will receive detailed feedback on their performance, allowing them to refine their strategies, strengthen their argumentation, and improve their speaking style.
Skills You’ll Walk Away With
By the end of the course, students will have mastered a broad range of valuable skills. They will have developed strong argumentation techniques, the ability to deliver persuasive speeches with confidence, and the capacity to analyze and counter opposing arguments effectively.
Students will also improve their research and evidence analysis skills, learning to gather, organize, and present compelling data to support their positions. The course will enhance critical thinking and logical reasoning, enabling students to assess complex issues from multiple perspectives.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is designed for students of all experience levels who want to refine their debate and public speaking skills. It is ideal for aspiring debaters looking to compete in Public Forum tournaments, future leaders, lawyers, or public speakers who want to develop persuasive communication techniques, students who love intellectual challenges and want to enhance their critical thinking and reasoning skills and anyone who enjoys debating ideas and forming strong, well-supported arguments.
Spots are limited, so sign up today and get ready to think critically, speak powerfully, and win debates like a pro!