Students Gain Confidence in Debate Class

November 16, 2021

In David Boisclair's Debate class, students learn essential skills for being an active and engaged member of society. These include comprehensive research, understanding and anticipating an opponent's arguments, communicating in a clear and succinct manner, listening better, formulating the right questions, and connecting to an audience.

For the final exam, they participate in a Lincoln-Douglas style debate in front of their classmates. Students are assigned to argue for and against a resolution, and have time to rebut the argument made by their classmate. 

Students are graded on the quality and quantity of their evidence, their ability to successfully cross-examine an opponent, how well they analyze their opponent's arguments, their ability to formulate arguments against their opponent's case and their ability to defend their own case, how well they speak, and how well they use their time in the debate round).
 
Debate is a one-trimester Social Studies elective offered for juniors and seniors.
 
"Any student who wishes to speak, listen and think more clearly, or who wishes to gain more confidence in public discourse, should take Debate," Boisclair said.
Tags: Academic, English

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