FAQs

I'm not that good at public speaking. Can I still join debating?

Absolutely! Debating is a fantastic setting to develop skills such as public speaking and critical thinking. It's pretty common for students to be a little less confident when they start, and nobody expects perfection on the first try. After all, the best way to learn public speaking, is public speaking.

Are debates held at Glenunga?

Debates are held at a variety of venues. SADA debates on Wednesdays are held at Glenunga, but Debating SA debates and other SADA debates will take place at other venues around Adelaide. Trainings will generally be held at Glenunga. For more information, please visit this page.

What is the difference between SADA and Debating SA?

The structure of debates differ slightly between the competitions. SADA prioritises the logic of the argument while Debating SA expects more research and/or statistical information to back up claims. In later years of SADA, you can interrupt the other team for a 'point of information' (POIs), whereas there are no POIs in Debating SA. Both are enjoyable and build excellent communication and logical thinking skills.

We have other commitments during the week. Will debating interfere with these?

There are five rounds preliminary debates, plus three possible finals rounds, spread across Term 2 and 3. Each round is approximately three weeks apart. The night on which SADA debates take place depends on the student's division; information is available on https://www.sada.org.au/venues. Debating SA debates occur Monday to Wednesday nights; students have the opportunity to nominate their preferred night on the Google Form they fill out as part of the registration process. Year 7 and 8 teams will train 8.30-9.30am on Wednesday mornings. Trainings for Year 9 and above may take place at lunch, after school or at another time, and are arranged directly with coaches depending on the availability of the team and coach. As well as this, students will need to complete debating work at home. Overall, debating is a fairly significant commitment so it's important to consider what other activities you have on, to make sure you have time for debating before registering.

What if I can't attend a debate or training?

In general, we expect students who register for debating to prioritise attending all debates and trainings. If they don't attend without reason, this affects the whole team. If there is a legitimate reason for not attending, teams generally do have enough reserves to cover for a student who is sick or overseas, etc. If a student is to miss a debate or training, they need to communicate with their team members and coach as soon as possible so that other arrangements can be made.

What does the registration fee go towards?

The registration fee covers the costs of team entries to SADA and Debating SA, special events and group trainings, external coaches, administration, equipment, and other costs. The fee is equivalent to other extracurricular sport at Glenunga. If you would like more information, feel free to email Sam Chan at sam.chan864@schools.sa.edu.au. 

I've never debated before. How will I know what to do?

If it's your first time, you'll receive some group training at the beginning of the year, which will help you to understand the basics of debating. A coach will also guide you and your team throughout the season, as you prepare for upcoming debates. There will also be resources on the Google Classroom to help your preparation.

SADA also runs Education Evenings for free in Term 1, which we recommend for those wanting to develop their debating skills. You'll need to organise your own transport and supervision, as a Glenunga staff member may not be present. More information, and recordings of the 2023 workshops, are available on https://www.sada.org.au/education-evenings. 

What do the different SADA divisions mean?

This information is sourced from https://www.sada.org.au/schools-competition 

Junior A: This competition is for students in Year 7. Individual speeches are of 4 minutes duration. Topics appropriate for beginner debaters.

Intermediate B: This grade is for novice debaters in Year 8 and 9 who have not had the benefit of debating in the Junior grades or who struggle with oral communication. Teams must not have more than two speakers who have previously debated in this grade or higher.

Intermediate A: This grade is for confident Year 8 and 9 students and novice Year 10s who are familiar with the basics and are ready to take on new skills in debating. This grade features the introduction of points of information and secret topics. Teams must not have more than two speakers who have previously debated in this grade or higher.

Senior A: This grade is for accomplished debaters in Years 10 and above who wish to debate at an advanced level. This is the highest level of school debating in South Australia.

Senior B: This grade is open to all students in Year 10 and above. It is intended for experienced Year 10s, Year 11 debaters who are less confident or inexperienced, and novice Year 12s.

If your question isn't answered on this page, feel free to contact Sam Chan on Sam.Chan864@schools.sa.edu.au.