World Schools Debating

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World Schools Debating is a form of debate in English that is based on the British Parliamentary Style and has found widespread use in national and international student debating competitions.

regulate

In the World Schools Debating, two teams of three students each debate a given topic in English. One team, the proposition advocates a thesis ( motion ), another contradicts this thesis.

During the course of the debate, each speaker gives a speech, usually eight minutes (6 minutes in the Junior League). After these speeches, the content of the debate will be summarized by both sides in a four-minute (three-minute in the Junior League) closing speech.

The order and task of the speakers is:

  • First speaker Proposition: defines the key terms of the thesis and develops the point of view of the proposition
  • First speaker opposition: refutes the arguments of the previous speaker (possibly also the definitions) and presents the point of view of the opposition
  • Second speaker proposition: refutes the arguments of the previous speaker, defends and deepens one's own point of view
  • second speaker opposition: refutes the arguments of the previous speaker, defends and deepens one's own point of view
  • Third speaker Proposition: refutes all arguments of the opposition and emphasizes your own point of view again and, if necessary, presents another, small argument
  • third speaker opposition: refutes all arguments of the proposition and again emphasizes one's own point of view; he can - if this was announced in the first speech of the opposition - put forward a small argument
  • Summarizing spokesman for the opposition: summarizes the debate from the opposition's point of view, emphasizing his own point of view
  • Summary speaker Proposition: summarizes the debate from the perspective of the proposition, emphasizing one's own point of view

During the speeches (summary speeches and the first and last minute of each speech excluded) the other side can ask questions ( points of information ) that can be either accepted or rejected by the current speaker. The summary speeches ( reply speeches ) are given by the first or second speaker of the respective team. They cannot contain any new arguments.

rating

The speakers are judged by an odd number (usually 3, in finals also 5–9) of so-called “judges”. These act as a kind of “judge” in that they rate the speakers with points. The evaluation takes place in three categories: Style (style: appearance and formulation), Content (content: content of the arguments) and Strategy (strategy: above all structure and integration into the overall picture of the page). So it is not only rated what someone says, but also how and in what order.

Style and content each result in up to 40 points, strategy up to 20. This results in a total number of points consisting of the added style, content and strategy points. The total number of points is theoretically 100; It should be noted, however, that this only corresponds to the theoretical number of points and that the real ratings are always between 60 and 80 points. The maximum number of points for a reply speech is theoretically 50 points, but in reality 40 points, i.e. exactly half the maximum number of points for a "normal" speech.

At the end of a debate, the points of the individual speakers of a team are added up by each “judge”, resulting in the total number of points for a team. The judges independently compare the scores of the two teams and thus make their judgment as to which team, in their opinion, has won the debate. Each judge has to choose a team, i. i.e., he must not come to a draw in his judgment.

The judges meet in camera after their personal judgment has been made and inform each other of their decision. The distance between the points of the two teams does not matter, only the overall judgments of all judges (i.e. which of the two teams from the point of view of the respective judge won the debate) decide on the actual victory of a team. If three judges are used in a debate, only a unanimous decision (all three judges for a certain team) or a split decision (two judges for one team, one judge for the other team) can be made.

history

The World Schools Debating format was developed in Australia in 1988 . It became popular internationally because it is relatively easy to learn and thus enables non-native speakers to debate in English.

Since the Debating Society Germany was founded in 1996 , the format has also spread increasingly in Germany. Up until now there are still the most active school teams in the greater Stuttgart area, where Debating started over 10 years ago. In the meantime, however, “Debating” is also becoming more widespread with more and more active school teams from other federal states such as Saxony, Hamburg, Bavaria and Hesse.

Competitions

See also