What is Debate?

Glenbrook South is proud to offer two distinct debate programs:

1. Policy Debate is where 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.

2. Congressional Debate is a mock legislative assembly competition where students draft bills (proposed laws) and resolutions (position statements), which they and their peers later debate and vote to pass into law and then take action on by voting for or against the legislation.

So... what should I expect in class?

You will:

• understand yourself as a communicator and recognize how communication is affected by attitudes and behaviors.

• expand on skills and knowledge in the specific format of policy debate.

• understand and refine the process of logic and critical thinking.

• understand and utilize advanced principles of original research.

• participate in the argumentation process as actual debaters and as critics of argumentation.