TALKING. IN PUBLIC.
Karolien Michiels
Speakers Development, Week 1
Today’s Schedule
(1)
(2)
Part I
Part II
General information about trainings
Training: Speaking. In public.
Goal of today: make a structured, confident and
pleasant speech with an introduction, three points, and
a conclusion
Part I
General information about training
Tuesday meetings
Speakers development
 Announcements by the Auditor
(break)
 Private Members Time
 Full-blown debate
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Social
Today is different: getting everyone to speak and to
know each other
How training works
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Preparation for competitive debating (and some
other things)
You need pen & lots of paper
Training material uploaded to aberdebating.org
Just show up and enjoy
Goals
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Make you a better thinker
Make you better at speaking up
Make you better at essay writing
Get you to do well at debating competitions
Make sure you have fun while doing it
General goal of the society: make sure you have a
really good time at university (always welcome
with questions about everything!)
Training schedule
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
st
1
term: Sharper
Talking. In public. Getting used to speaking in front of people
British Parliamentary Debating Introduction to the format
Matter Generation Coming up with arguments
Analysis Explaining your arguments properly
Argumentation & Logic Noticing mistakes in arguments
Values & First Principles Arguing Building up coherent cases
from scratch
7)
8)
9)
Spotting Debates Know what argument will win a debate
Judging Adjudicating debates
Tactical Decisions in First Half Competition strategies
Training schedule
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
nd
2
term: Topics
Liberty and its Limits
Achieving Equality for Disadvantaged Groups
Limiting ‘Bad’ Influences on Society
Weighing up Group Rights and Individual Rights
Ethics
The Middle-East
Social Change & Western Values
Economic Policies
Party Politics
If you ever want to know more
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Go to competitions
Review training slides, they’re set up to be
read at home too
There is loads of information on the
internet in general
I have books that you can borrow, too
Send me a message and we’ll go for
coffee and debate talk
We can also discuss arguments that you
want to make in essays
kmm10@aber.ac.uk or
karoliene.michiels@gmail.com or FB
Part II
Training: Speaking. In public.
Speaking in public: Tips
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Your eyes belong to the public
Things not to do with your hands
 T-Rex
 Footballer
style
 Fidgeting
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Keep your voice under control
 Breathe
 Slow
down
 Smile

Smile, smile, smile
Exercise 1
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Little groups
Five minutes preparation
1-minute speech on something you really like or
something you really hate
Novices first
Goal: keep yourself in check
TIP: Pick something you are passionate about, then
it is easy to be natural and confident
Break

Be back in 10 minutes
How to structure every speech
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Introduction
Point 1
Point 2
…
Summary
tell us what you’re going to tell us
tell us
then tell us what you’ve told us
 You have to make it easy for
your audience to remember
your message
Example 1: Space exploration
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We should put more money into the exploration of space because
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It makes people dream
The planet is doomed
It could have military applications
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Making people dream. Then you need to explain this argument a little bit more,
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The planet is doomed and we should find somewhere else to live. Then you
maybe with some analysis or an example.
need to explain this argument a little bit more, maybe with some analysis or an
example.
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It could have useful military applications like space-based laser systems. Then
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In conclusion, we should put more money into the exploration of space because
you need to explain this argument a little bit more, maybe with some analysis or an
example.
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It makes people dream
The planet is doomed
It could have military applications
Make every point three
times. Judges (and essay
markers) are overworked.
Exercise 2
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Little groups
Fifteen minutes preparation
2/3-minute speech
Novices first
Goal: make a structured speech with an
introduction, three points, and a conclusion
Pick a motion from the list on the next page
Exercise 2
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The UK should reintroduce the death penalty
The US should assassinate Vladimir Putin
Polygamy should be legalized
We should be allowed to kill seagulls
We should put more money into space exploration
The university should abolish essays
University education should be free
Tamed Da should only serve vegetarian meals
It is better to be rich than to be pretty
It’s nicer to have a cat than a baby
Exercise 3 (if there’s time left)
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Pick a second motion from the list
Think of three arguments and write them down
Swap papers with someone else and do the speech
someone else prepared, with introduction, three
points, and conclusion
Goal: make a structured speech with an
introduction, three points, and a conclusion