6 Beneficial Debating Techniques for Students

It is imperative for human beings to interact with each other. There are, however, various types of interaction that take place among humans that are powered by different degrees of emotions. The most common ways for the exchange of ideas can be predominantly divided into debates and discussions, out of which debates can be characterized as intense, heated, and highly insightful. It has been observed over time, that a discussion often culminates into a debate. A person who debates tends to have a strong and intimidating personality, mostly because he/she tends to have a good command over a language along with knowledge, the reason why this has now been introduced in the school curriculum. Gradually, the curriculum now has started to take debating techniques for students.

Debating can be considered as an art as it requires a flow that dictates your hold on the discussion that is going on. Debating can be formal as well informal- we debate involuntarily even without the presence of competition; the gist is to contradict your idea from your opponent. Debating brings out the best in a person and it can be considered a good exercise that can enhance personality development for kids.

When you speak for a topic, you are simultaneously speaking against a person’s mindset and ideologies, and this has sometimes caused rifts and differences among individuals but for children, it is easy for them to understand that all these are momentary and for the sake of marks and points, which is a really sensible attitude to own.

The difference between elocution and debate is re-battling, something which is not present in elocution or general speeches. Re-battling or questioning is what creates the gist of debating. That is how you interact in a debate and extract insights from your opponents and also gain points. In this process, kids make optimum use of their cognitive abilities and mental strengths, which is one of the benefits of debating techniques for students.

To understand this art, there are certain strategies and techniques to understand and own for an effective influence in the debating arena so that one derives maximum benefits out of it and enjoys it thoroughly:

• Patience:

This is not only a technic but also a very useful skill to enhance your capability and chance at creating an impact on the panel or the jury as well as the participants. Patience does not mean you do not speak up at all but in fact, the art of listening and interpreting the information that is being presented by other participants. You can use this time to curate your answers or questions that you are about to direct to your opponents.

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• Noting Down:

You are not allowed to read and recite your speech, but you can note down parts of your opponent’s speech where you find the points or parts of it doubtful. You can use these points and notes to question them when their speech is over.

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• Do not Memorize Your Speech:

Sometimes when you memorize your speech, you tend to fumble when you forget. At this point, it is greatly advised that you just memorize the main points of your speech and curate them after “taking inspirations” from other participants. Do not copy their speech but draw inspiration and techniques from them. If you copy, there are chances of you being caught. Keep your points original and as your time arrives, formulate sentences by adding sense to them.

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• Make Eye Contact:

This a trick to avoid getting nervous. A person becomes nervous when they are conscious about their surroundings and get scarred even before executing the action. If you make eye contact with the audience and other participants, there are chances you gain confidence and increase your memory power. This is something that is required while even normally creating a conversation, something which is rampantly taught in personality development course when they groom you for public speaking exercises.

• Discuss with Your Team Mates:

You will be segregated between two teams- one will be for and the other will be against the motion. Discuss with your team members how and when you will be striking a question. Perform this activity discreetly so that you do not create an atmosphere of indiscipline and disrespect.

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• Do not be Disrespectful:

This applies to many sectors like respecting diverse ideologies, not interrupting in the middle, and also holding your ground and respectfully putting forth your question. This applies to every contestant as well as the jury to not take any decision by bias. Behaving professionally will earn you points whereas doing the opposite might cause you to lose your points.

Communicating involves a lot of aspects from agreement to disagreement to speaking unanimously for a cause, it is not tough to go against a topic or ideology you protest, but what is important is how you do it. Your way of conducting yourself is the most important debating technique for students to adhere to and incorporate.