English Debate Club About Debate What is Debate

English Debate Club

About Debate: What is Debate? "You may be right and I may be wrong but with an effort, together we may get nearer the truth. ” - Karl Popper Debate is a formal contest of argumentation between two teams or individuals. But more broadly, and more importantly, debate is an essential tool for developing and maintaining democracy and open societies. More than a mere verbal or performance skill, debate embodies the ideals of reasoned argument, tolerance for divergent points of view, and rigorous self-examination. Debate is, above all, a way for those who hold opposing views to discuss controversial issues without descending to insult, emotional appeals, or personal bias. A key trademark of debate is that it rarely ends in agreement, but rather, allows for a robust analysis of the question at hand. Perhaps this is what French philosopher Joseph Joubert meant when he said: “It is better to debate a question without settling it, than to settle a question without debating it. ”

Debate and Democracy Debate is not a forum for asserting absolute truths, but rather a means of making and evaluating arguments that allows debaters to better understand their own and others’ positions. This sense of a shared journey toward the truth brings debaters closer together, even when they represent opposing sides of an issue or come from vastly different cultures or social classes. In so doing, debate fosters the essential democratic values of free and open discussion.

Debaters are able to see both sides of a coin. Debating teaches people to look at both sides of a problem, thus debaters have this skill usually more developed than other people (and are able to find positives even there where the others give up).

About Debate: Why Debate? "Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress” - Mohatmas Ghandi The process of debate offers profound and lasting benefits for individuals, for societies, and indeed, for the global community as a whole. With its emphasis on critical thinking, effective communication, independent research, and teamwork, debate teaches skills that serve individuals well in school, in the workplace, in political life, and in fulfilling their responsibilities as citizens of democratic societies. Once students have learned how to debate, they are better able to critically examine the pronouncements of their political representatives and to make informed judgments about crucial issues.

Debate helps to build up selfconfidence. It can be argued that, in general, debaters are more self-confident than their peers, because public speaking helps them discover not only their weaknesses, but also their strengths. Moreover, debaters tend to learn quickly (especially from their own mistakes) and are always willing to work on improving their skills, thus building up their knowledge, with which usually self-confidence comes.

Debate enhances cooperation. Debating on teams effectively enhances communication and cooperation among people, as they have to come together in order to come up with proper arguments and strategy for each and every debate. Should they fail to do this, a loss becomes almost inevitable.

Works & achievements of ACK English Debate

Under the Kostanai Youth Initiatives Program, group of young people designed, managed and implemented an English Language Debate Club. Three teams competed in the club's first tournament on 17 th June, held in Kostanai's American Corner. Four Peace Corps Volunteers judged the debate.

prize with Peace Corps logo!

In addition to improving players' English, this debate club aims to develop public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork skills.

Uniting university students from Kostanai, Rudny and Lisakovsk, the team delivered two comprehensive debate seminars, training players in different styles of debate and teaching them how to present a well formed, passionate and respectful argument.

On 5 -6 th of November at Kostanay State Pedagogical Institute was debate tournament of Kostanay Youth Maslihat which was devoted to 20 years of Independence of Republic of Kazakhstan. Debate was according to American Parliamentary Format in 3 languages leagues: Kazakh, Russian and English. Students from different High Educational Establishments and colleges of Kostanay region participated in this tournament. Games were very interesting and gripping.

5 teams of different cultural and educational institutions participated and represented English League: ACK (Kostanay regional universal scientific library named after L. Tolstoy, Kostanay State Pedagogical institute (2 teams), Chelyabinsk State University and Pedagogical College.

During 2 days participants were improving their speaking skills trying to persuade judges in their points of view. The team of judges was represented by Peace Corps volunteer Christopher Kuitems, senior student of Kostanay State university Anna Nessessyuk and the manager of English league Mahabbat Urumbaeva.

Abdulla Sadaev and Damir Igimbayev represented Kostanay American Corner at the debate tournament “ACK” team became the winner

If you want: ØTo improve language skills ØTo improve communication skills & leadership skills ØTo develop skills of critical thinking + enlarge your knowledge in different fields You should come to ACK English Debate

The plan for the first Decade of Training of skills of public performances • First Appearance (2 classes) • History of Debates (4 classes) • Formats of games (4 classes) • Elements of Structure (3 classes) • Structure of Speech (2 classes) • Speeches of famous Speakers (6 classes) • Vocabulary of Speaker (4 classes)

At the end of every month we will have training tournaments and choose the best speaker, judges of the month

ACK Debate Club School League 1. Zatobolsk schoolgymnasium 2. Gorkiy gimnasium 3. School #23 4. School #24 5. PML 6. School of Altynsaryn 7. KTL 8. School #5 of Rudniy Student League 1. Chelyabinsk State University 2. Kostanay Pedagogical Institute 3. Kostanay Pedagogical College 4. Kostanay State University

Every Wednesday at 18. 00 o'clock ACK Kostanay regional universal scientific library named after L. Tolstoy contact numbers: 8(4142)500 -810, 500 -690 +7 775 281 53 28 – Aina manager of ACK English Debate +7775 296 62 32 – Dasha coach-in-chief of ACK English Debate