Canyons Middle School Debate League

Orientation

CSD MS Debate League Day 1Structured Learning

8:00 am – Welcome and Introductions

• Why should CSD have a MS Debate League?

• How is a league different from a class?

• What are the characteristics of CSD MS League?o Events

o Compensation

o Competition

• Logisticso Recruiting

o Tracking

o Continued participation

• Practices and Teaching

• Questions and Answer Session

Why Have a Middle School Debate League?

Alignment with Standards

Competitive Speech and Debate Activities Meet 15 of the National Common Core

Standards for ELA (including the newly adopted Utah Common Core Standards).

Meet all ten of the National Common Core Standards for Social Studies.

Meet 58 of 62 current Utah ELA State Standards.

College Board Standards for College Success (CBSCS) Meet all four components of the College

Board’s Literacy Standards for College Success: Reading Writing Speaking Listening

National Association of Secondary School Principal’s Breaking Ranks Endorses speech and debate for

Promotion of one-on-one direct instruction Instruction in evaluative criticism Support of community outreach Promotion of educational leadership

Alignment with School Learning Goals

Critical and Creative Thinking Effective Communicators and Collaborators Information Processors Self Management Civic Literacy

Advantages and BenefitsAdvantages and Benefits Unique benefits for gifted, special needs Unique benefits for gifted, special needs andand at-risk at-risk

students.students.

– A Georgia State study on speech and A Georgia State study on speech and debate showed that disciplinary referrals debate showed that disciplinary referrals (including expulsions, in-school (including expulsions, in-school suspensions and mandatory parent-suspensions and mandatory parent-teacher conferences) dropped by 50% teacher conferences) dropped by 50% after one year of participating in a speech after one year of participating in a speech and debate program; in the following year, and debate program; in the following year, it continued to drop an additional 46%.it continued to drop an additional 46%.

– Improves attendanceImproves attendance

Advantages and BenefitsAdvantages and Benefits

Higher performance on standardized tests.Higher performance on standardized tests.– 50% more likely to reach the college ready 50% more likely to reach the college ready

benchmark on the ACT.benchmark on the ACT.– African-American males are 70% more likely to African-American males are 70% more likely to

reach the college ready benchmark on the ACT.reach the college ready benchmark on the ACT. Higher GPAHigher GPA

– The average GPA is 20% higher than a non-The average GPA is 20% higher than a non-debating peer.debating peer.

– In Atlanta’s computer assisted debate project, In Atlanta’s computer assisted debate project, 77thth graders saw their cumulative GPAs rise four graders saw their cumulative GPAs rise four points on average.points on average.

Advantages and BenefitsAdvantages and Benefits

Participation in forensics results in a Participation in forensics results in a statistically significant improvement in statistically significant improvement in reading and writing scores.reading and writing scores.– Debaters improved scores by 25% more than Debaters improved scores by 25% more than

non-debaters.non-debaters.– The average debater improved by a year and a The average debater improved by a year and a

half compared to national norms.half compared to national norms. Improved access to content material.Improved access to content material. Improved graduation and retention rates.Improved graduation and retention rates.

– Average graduation rate is 40% higher than Average graduation rate is 40% higher than non-debating peers.non-debating peers.

– African-American males had a 70% higher African-American males had a 70% higher graduation rate than their non-debating peers.graduation rate than their non-debating peers.

Advantages and Benefits After High SchoolAdvantages and Benefits After High School

90% of speech and debate participants go to 90% of speech and debate participants go to college.college.

– 90% of debaters go on to earn at least 90% of debaters go on to earn at least one graduate degree.one graduate degree.

– Being a captain of a high school debate Being a captain of a high school debate team gives the student a 60% improved team gives the student a 60% improved chance of being accepted to an ivy chance of being accepted to an ivy league university.league university.

Most prominent litigators and appellate Most prominent litigators and appellate specialists participated in high school debate.specialists participated in high school debate.

Advantages and Benefits After High SchoolAdvantages and Benefits After High School

Advantages in business worldAdvantages in business world The ability to Develop a cogent argument The ability to Develop a cogent argument

with evidencewith evidence The ability to effectiveluy advocate for a The ability to effectiveluy advocate for a

positionposition The ability to make an argument in a limited The ability to make an argument in a limited

amount of time.amount of time. Workplace skillsWorkplace skills

– Digital Age LiteracyDigital Age Literacy– Inventive ThinkingInventive Thinking– Effective CommunicationEffective Communication– High ProductivityHigh Productivity

FAQs• Is it expensive?

– In the CSD League, schools will only pay for buses.• Does the advisor need to know debate?

– Not to begin with. CSD will provide training, materials, and support. Like your students, you’ll learn.

• Does this involve extensive time?– No. About 90 minutes of active practice time and 15-

30 minutes of management time per week and 5 evening/weekend competitions throughout the school year.

• Can I mess this up? - NO! Just by trying, you are providing your students

with a great opportunity.

Academic/Competitive Debate vs

Non-Academic Debate Club

Academic/Competitive Debate Non-Academic Debate Club

• Structured Formats• Evidence• Rate of Improvement of Skills

• Real-World Test of Knowledge and Skill

• Topics of scientific, historical, mathematical, economic, and political importance

• Bigger World View• Fun• A Wider Circle of Friends• College, Career, and Citizenship

Readiness

• Open “Discussions” or “Arguments”• Opinions• No Clear Guide or Requirement for

Improvement• Friendly Discussions

• Debate over superheroes

• Will know what their friends think• Fun• Same Friends• Will be able to argue with their

friends

What makes it a League? Resources

-money, professional development, awards, training/teaching materials

Common Events/Formats

-Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Extemporaneous, Oratory

Compensation

-For a coach, assistant coach, and judges*

Competition

-5 tournaments

Recognition

-Awards, NJFL distinction, district news, local media, CSD Middle School Debate Student of the Year

How will I….?

• Pay NJFL fees?

-submit bills to EBL• Register for tournaments?

-on a google.doc that we will send you the link to

• Know what to teach?

-We’ll teach you… when?

• Track students and attendance?

- a simple table, a roll book, sign-in sheets

• Get students to participate?

… Recruit!

Advertise Have application—(pass out to possible debaters) Hold a social Have a debater go around to classes (High Schools can

help with this) Make announcements Give extra credit Do a Spar in an assembly or in classrooms, with kids who

are smart and funny. Or do it yourself, with another teacher, or against a student.

Send letters home, outlining all the benefits of debate

Most importantly… how will I get paid?

See contract

To Teach…

Teach format, vocabulary, show example

Add topic

Do research

Try it

Learn from the try, refine, try again

Do “Drills”

Do stop/starts

Practice applicable skills—speaking, thinking researching, cross examination, note-taking (flowing)

Learn about the topics

The Events

Policy Debate *

Lincoln-Douglas Debate*

Extemporaneous Speaking

Oratory

*= required for compensation/district and state event

Policy Debate

Debaters work in pairs (teams) to address the school year's topic, either from the affirmative side (to propose a plan to solve a problem with the topic), or the negative side (to prove how the affirmative's plan is flawed). Argumentation includes a constructive case, cross examination, and refutation. Skills learned include research, policy analysis, case building, refutation, questioning, organization and communication.

This year’s topic:

The State of Utah should establish a policy significantly decreasing plastic waste.

PolicyTime limits:

1st Affirmative Constructive (1AC) —5 minutes

Cross-Examination- 2 minutes

1st Negative Constructive (1NC) —5 minutes

Cross-Examination- 2 minutes

2NC - 5 min

Cross-Examination- 2 minutes

2AC – 5 min

Cross-Examination- 2 minutes

1st Negative Rebuttal (1NR) – 3 minutes

1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR) – 3 min

2NR – 3 min

2AR – 3 min

3 minutes prep

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln Douglas debate is an event in which a student competes against another student to discuss affirmative and negative arguments of value. Topics center around the question of what ought to be instead of what is. For example, many topics invoke concepts like justice, morality, and duty. The Lincoln-Douglas debater learns value analysis, research skills, logical argumentation, political theory and philosophy, techniques for asking and answering questions, effective note taking, and oral presentation skills.

Topic: Individuals have a moral obligation to reduce plastic waste in their communities.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

1st Affirmative Constructive (1AC) – 4 minutes

Cross Examination (CX) – 2 minutes

1st Negative Constructive (1 NC) – 5 minutes

Cross Examination (CX) – 2 minutes

1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR) – 2 min

1st Negative Rebuttal (1NR) – 3 min

2nd Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR) – 2 min

2 minutes prep

Extemporaneous Speaking

A speech concerning analysis of current events. A contestant draws three questions, selects one, then has 30 minutes to prepare a speech in response. The contestant utilizes files of published materials (books, magazines, newspapers, online sources) s/he has compiled as a resource for answering the question. At the completion of the 30 minute preparation period, the student speaks on the topic for up to 5 minutes.

Oratory

Orators are expected to research and speak intelligently, with a degree of originality, in an interesting manner, and with some profit to the audience, about a topic of significance. Although many orations deal with a current problem and propose a solution this is not the only acceptable form of oratory. Your oration may simply alert the audience to a threatening danger, strengthen its devotion to an accepted cause, or eulogize a person. An orator is given free choice of subject and judged solely on the effectiveness of development and presentation.

Speeches should be 6-8 minutes.

Competition

Why compete?

• Acquisition, Automaticity, Application

The debater who doesn’t compete is like:

• The basketball player who never plays in a game.

• The musician who never performs.

• The lawyer who never goes to court.

Skills are only as solid as their application.

Tournaments

Each CSD Middles School League tournament will be:

• 3-4 rounds

• On a weeknight

• Positive learning experiences

• Held in conjunction with CSD high schools

Tournaments

In Policy and LD, students will debate 2 affirmative and 2 negative.*

Awards will be determined off of win/loss records and speaker points.

In Extemp and Oratory, students will speak in three rounds. They will be ranked in order of performance and rated on speaker’s criteria.

Awards will be determined based on low ranks and high ratings.

Final rounds may be held.

Tournaments

Students should:

•Attend once registered*

•Dress up- this does influence credibility

•Act professionally

•Learn

Tournament Dates

CSD NJFL Fall Tournament: October 24, 2013

CSD NJFL Winter Tournament: January 23, 2014

CSD NJFL Spring Tournament: March 4, 2014

CSD District Debate Tournament: TBD

State Debate Tournament: April 24, 2014 @ Corner Canyon High

Timeline

Early September –Begin recruiting, hold opening social, introduce argumentation, plan for practices

October 1- Meet assistant, begin holding practices

October 24th-First Tournament/ Experiential Learning

Continue weekly practices

January 23rd-Second Tournament

Continue Weekly Practices

Resources

• NJFL handbook: www.nationalforensicleauge.org

• Utah Debate Handbook: http://utahdebate.org

• www.cahssa.org

• Speaking Across the Curriculum

• District’s debate weebly page: http://csddebate.weebly.com/

• Utah Debate Coaches Association: http://www.utahdebatecoaches.org