DEBATE COACHING FILE
Contents
IDEAS ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Useful lectures .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Useful Assignments ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Games and Drills ........................................................................................................................................... 6
+ Creative causation game – communication/ creativity ......................................................................... 6
+ Thumbs up Thumbs down debate – communication practice .............................................................. 6
+ Advanced thumbs up, thumbs down debate – communication/critical thinking ................................. 6
+ On-case obliteration drill ....................................................................................................................... 6
+ CX drill – accepting premises ................................................................................................................. 6
+ Listening drill .......................................................................................................................................... 7
+ Summarizing evidence drill .................................................................................................................... 7
+ Yelling drill .............................................................................................................................................. 7
+ Debates – communication/ critical thinking .......................................................................................... 8
+ Example Making Drill – communication/ critical thinking ..................................................................... 8
+ It’s worse than you thought game – communication/ critical thinking................................................. 9
+ Hot air balloon debate – communication/ critical thinking ................................................................... 9
+ Why game – communication/ critical thinking ...................................................................................... 9
+ Dictator game......................................................................................................................................... 9
+ Human extinction drill – communication/ creativity ........................................................................... 10
+ Resolution analysis drill – communication/critical thinking ................................................................ 10
+ Constructive criticism – communication/ critical thinking .................................................................. 11
+ Pessimist vs. optimist - communication............................................................................................... 11
+ Pen Drill ................................................................................................................................................ 11
+ Quarter circle game – quick thinking/ word association ..................................................................... 11
+ Giving speeches – speaking.................................................................................................................. 11
+ The ‘Um’ Drill – speaking ..................................................................................................................... 12
+ Exaggeration Drill – speaking ............................................................................................................... 12
+ Distracted speech giving - speaking ..................................................................................................... 12
+ Voices Drill............................................................................................................................................ 12
+ Tai Chi Drill ........................................................................................................................................... 12
+ Ping Pong.............................................................................................................................................. 12
+ Resolutions:.......................................................................................................................................... 13
+ Impromptu speeches ........................................................................................................................... 14
+ Topics for impromptu speeches: ......................................................................................................... 14
+ Tongue twisters.................................................................................................................................... 16
IDEAS
1. Pair each varsity as a mentor to 1 or 2 novices: A mentor’s goal should be to encourage
the students, answer questions, and provide insight or suggestions
2. Student presentations: When making a brief for a brief pool a team will give a short
presentation on the background behind the policy, the arguments predicted to be run
by the affirmative team, and the various strategies for winning.
Also: The students may give a short talk on some debate concept or valuable learning
experience
3. Research parties: families may sign up to be on the researching party list where they
host students for a few hours to do research together and be given research
advice/assistance from peers and coaches
4. Small groups: Have various drills in different rooms. Students then rotate from room to
room participating in various drills
5. Google docs: by some means have students use the paradox google docs to post ideas
and arguments. Also use it for bullet proofing
6. Parent debates: Have a parent debate round to help them understand what it’s like to
be a debater, and have students judge
7. Facebook page: Make a Paradox debate page as a way for students to give and receive
information
8. Expert lecture: Find a genuine expert in a relevant field of the resolution to come and
talk about the topic
9. Case brainstorming: discuss one case with the club and brainstorm arguments and
strategies against it
10. Student judging: Have students occasionally judge other students in debate rounds
11. Round Assessment: Have students list 3 things they did well, 3 things they did poorly
how to improve each of those things in the future
Useful lectures
+ What is debate?
+ How to flow
+ Research skills
+ Citation and edit skills
+ Composing a brief
+ Links and Impacts
+ Solvency and Inherency
+ Topicality
+ Case crafting
+ Impromptu Negative
+ Strategy (Big picture elements, prioritization, impact weighing) (Multiple)
+ Presentation skills
+ Rhetoric skills (Multiple)
+ Example making lecture
+ Knowing your judge lecture
+ Tournament prep/ Psychology
+ Theory (Multiple)
+ Round assessment
+ Topic lectures (Multiple)
+ Logic and arguments (Multiple)
+ CX and asking questions
Useful Assignments
+ Flowing rounds on YouTube
+ Summarizing Evidence
+ Resolution analysis drill
+ Reciting 1AC
+ Yelling 1AC drill
+ Write out DAs/ADVs
+ Write out Solvency/Inherency arguments
+ Self mini Debates
+ Impromptu speeches / um drill
+ Pen Drill/ tongue twisters
+ Read news outloud in mirror/ give memorized speech in mirror
+ Responding to premade 1ACs
Games and Drills
+ Creative causation game – communication/ creativity
Have the class get into pairs of two. In each pair the students will write down a statement twice
on two different pieces of paper. Now the two students in each pair will exchange one of the
papers. Now each student has their statement and their partner’s statement. Each student will
spend some time thinking and then give their partner or the class an explanation of how their
statement caused their partner’s statement. This game is meant to be very creative and very
silly. (eg. your statement: bed’s are soft, partner’s statement: the internet is slow here. Then
you will explain how the fact that bed’s are soft causes the internet here to be slow. You have
to be very creative to come up with an explanation)
+ Thumbs up Thumbs down debate – communication practice
Students get into pairs and stand back to back. They then hear a debate topic (resolution) and
either put their thumbs up if they agree of their thumbs down if they disagree. Then they turn
around and show their thumb position. Next they tell their partner why they have that opinion.
To make the game more interesting you can make the students decide whether their thumbs
up or thumbs down before they hear the resolution
+ Advanced thumbs up, thumbs down debate – communication/critical thinking
This is similar to thumbs up thumbs down debate. The student decide if they are thumbs up or
down before hearing the debate topic. Once they hear the topic they will immediately start
writing down briefly 3 reasons why their position on the subject is best. Afterward they share
their 3 reasons with thumbs up going first. After they both have shared they must write down
their opponents 3 reasons and write a response to each of their opponent’s reasons. Then they
share their responses with each other. In sum they make 3 arguments, and when they hear
their opponents 3 arguments they respond to each argument.
+ On-case obliteration drill
Students will listen to a 1AC, then they will come up with at least 3 responses to each point
made in the 1AC.
+ CX drill – accepting premises
One student reads there 1AC, another student will cross examine them and try to cause the aff
student to accept 2 or more premises related to arguments they would run against the case
+ Listening drill
One student reads a 1AC or performs another constructive, and another student must then
explain to the first their arguments as though the first is a judge listening to a summary of what
has been argued
+ Summarizing evidence drill
A student pulls out a random card and then reads it while implementing their best speaking
skills. They then summarize the meaning of the card. Someone then provides speaking critique
+ Yelling drill
A student reads their 1AC with a confident posture and yells the 1AC.
+ Debates – communication/ critical thinking
The students do full debates with each other. There are 2 teams. Each team has 2 people so 4
people are debating altogether. The students take turns speaking and defending their position.
The thumbs up team is called the affirmative team and the thumbs down team is called the
negative team. In each team they must decide who will be the leader and who will be the
supporter. The order of speaking will go as follows:
Affirmative leader – 4 minute speech maximum
Negative leader – 4 minute speech maximum
Affirmative supporter – 6 minute speech maximum
Negative supporter – 6 minute speech maximum
Affirmative leader – 3 minute speech maximum
Negative leader – 3 minute speech maximum
The class votes and decides who wins!
+ Example Making Drill – communication/ critical thinking
A student will create or be given a political argument (e.g. the government not giving out very
many license plates doesn’t stop people from driving unlicensed cars) then they have to take
the argument and break it down into its general point (e.g. making something illegal doesn’t
eliminate the incentive to do that thing). Then they make a simple example that parallels the
argument (e.g. this is like telling a hungry kid that he cannot have the bowl of rice nearby, he is
too hungry for that statement to matter) they also should relate the example back to the point
(e.g. in the same way people need to use their cars badly enough that making it illegal without a
license doesn’t really make a difference)
This could also possibly be used in a teacher format rather than for debate. In this style it would
be the same but instead of being given an argument the students are given a concept they have
to explain.
What this game teaches: Often people have a difficult time understanding concepts or the logic
behind a complex argument. Breaking things down and using examples is quite possibly the
best way to bridge this gap and help people understand a concept or logic behind an argument.
(e.g. Einstein frequently used simple examples to explain complex and wild ideas on space-time
and gravity)
+ It’s worse than you thought game – communication/ critical thinking
Starting from a policy one student in a group must give a specific and direct reason for why the
policy causes something bad. The student’s partner will then express a reason for why the bad
thing causes something worse. This will continue on in the group until they can’t think of
anything worse or when the facilitator ends it. (e.g. 1st student: the policy of colleges paying for
textbooks costs would cause the college to have less money. 2nd student: colleges having less
money means that they will not be able to pay teachers as much. 3rd student: if teachers are
paid less than they will not work as hard. Etc…)
+ Hot air balloon debate – communication/ critical thinking
Several students pretend they’re in a hot air balloon. The balloon is losing air so one of them
has to be thrown overboard. Each one of them has an occupation or is a famous person and
must express why they should not be thrown overboard or why someone else should in 30
seconds. After each one has spoken the class will vote to decide who should be thrown
overboard or if you want everyone involved each group can vote amongst themselves who to
throw overboard by writing down the person’s name on paper. The game is won when only one
person is left in the balloon.
+ Why game – communication/ critical thinking
One student will make a statement (scientific or political) and the student’s partner must
attempt to undermine the original student’s statement by only asking questions. The first
student can only give answers and must defend his or her position. (e.g. 1st student: Wind
power is the best form of energy. 2nd student: Do birds ever fly around windmills. 1st student: I
suppose yes. 2nd student: Could those birds ever get hit by the arms of the wind turbines. 1st
student: That probably rarely ever happens and a few birds getting hurt pales into comparison
to the damage done by other methods of getting energy.)
+ Dictator game
Within a group each person presents a reason why s/he should be the new dictator of the land
of Panjandrum. The person should talk about what they would do to make Panjandrum a better
place. (e.g. If I were dictator of Panjandrum I would give everyone a puppy that way everyone
would be happy)
+ Human extinction drill – communication/ creativity
This game is similar to the “it’s worse than you thought game.” Each student or group will be
given an event/policy. Each student or group must now think of way to explain how that
event/policy will cause the extinction of the human race. (e.g. policy: more parties are thrown
in the world. This leads to human extinction in the following way:
Step 1: With more parties people will spend less time working
Step 2: With less people working countries’ economies will decrease
Step 3: When economies decrease countries become less stable and more people are in
poverty
Step 4: With less stability there is a higher chance that countries in conflict will attack each
other
Step 5: Also since security personal and politicians at parties there are not as many people
working on making sure there is clear communication between countries
Step 6: With conflict, instability, and potential miscommunication there is a risk of a country
that has them using nuclear weapons.
Step 7: this would lead to retaliation and increase instability in other countries further multiply
the risk of war
Step 8: The whole world will now be in chaos and a nuclear apocalypse will ensue thus resulting
in the extinction of the human race.)
+ Resolution analysis drill – communication/critical thinking
This drill is basically debate just without the speaking. Each group of students will be given a
resolution (topic) and they must come up and write down as many arguments supporting and
against a resolution as they can. If you want to make it more interesting you can they have
them directly respond to their own arguments they just created. (e.g. Resolved: The Chinese
government should give more money to clean energy.
Supporting arguments:
1. This would reduce the amount of pollution in the air
a. This benefits the health of citizens
b. This makes China look more credible in the eyes of other countries since they see that
China is serious about helping the environment.
2. This would encourage the research and development of new ways of getting energy since
there will be less emphasis on traditional and more prevalent unclean methods for acquiring
energy.
Arguments against:
1. Clean energy is very inefficient, throwing more money at it won’t make a difference
2. Spending money on clean energy means we can’t spend that money on other things or
reduce taxes.
+ Constructive criticism – communication/ critical thinking
Consider an entity, like an organization, school, country, culture etc…
Have the students or groups of students write down 3 good things about the entity, 3 bad
things about the entity, and then they should write down changes the entity could make to
solve for those bad things or at least make them less bad. This also can be used as a discussion
topic afterward
+ Pessimist vs. optimist - communication
With two students one student is a pessimist and the other is an optimist. The optimist comes
up with a silly dream their character wants to fulfill (it shouldn’t be serious or too personal to
avoid actual conflict). The optimist tells the pessimist in front of the class their dream, the
pessimist must then come up with a reason why the optimist can’t fulfill their dream. Then the
optimist responds and explains why s/he still can. Then the pessimist responds and the optimist
again each taking turns. They can’t speak while the other is speaking. Since this is role-play the
optimist should be very cheerful all the time and the pessimist should always be dreary and sad.
+ Pen Drill
The student reads something while having a pen in their mouth (generally the farther back the
better). They should try their best to say each word clearly.
+ Quarter circle game – quick thinking/ word association
4 objects or sheets of paper are laid out on the floor making a square. A student walks at a
constant pace toward the first object, when he or she arrives at it he or she must say a word in
a category given by the teacher (eg. the first object has the category of animals). He or she
continues to walk past that object toward the second object. When she or he arrives at the
second object she or he will say another word from a different category. The student does the
same for the other two objects. So in summary the student walks around in a square going from
object to object without stopping and says a word at each object from each of the categories
given. If the student fails make them do it again. Have them do the game multiple times and
have them walk faster each time they do it.
+ Giving speeches – speaking
A student spends a week preparing to give a short speech in front of the class. The speech can
be about anything from a personal life experience they had, or a story they made up, a subject
they’re interested in, or an idea they have, or a persuasive speech
+ The ‘Um’ Drill – speaking
A student will be given a topic and must speak on it for 30 seconds to a minute. During the
speech the student can’t say uh, um, or any words that break the fluency the speech (e.g.
repetitively saying ‘so’). If the student does have a fluency break then they must start over. One
thing to note is that they are allowed to pause when they can’t think of something to say.
+ Exaggeration Drill – speaking
A student will give a speech either prepared or improve. When the facilitator raises their hand
the student must pause the speech and do some action and say something. Immediately after
the student finishes their action they must continue their speech. What the student says and
does is determined by the facilitator. It is based off of what the student struggles with. (e.g. if
the student has a problem with being really intense while speaking, his or her action can be to
look up at the ceiling and say in a dreamy voice, “Space is so cool.” Another example might be if
the student is too quiet their action could be to throw their arms in the air and say, “everyone
loves to party!”)
+ Distracted speech giving - speaking
One student will give a speech while another student tries to be really distracting by talking at
the same time about random things.
+ Voices Drill
The student will be given/choose an accent or character voice to use while they read a speech
or article (e.g. read the speech as though you were a credible professor)
+ Tai Chi Drill
A student gives an impromptu speech and all the while must be pretending to do Tai-Chi. In
other words they must constantly make large slow motions with their body
+ Ping Pong
Two students pair together. One student makes a resolution statement, the other must make
one response to that statement in less than 20 seconds, then the first student must respond to
that response in 20 seconds and the responses go back and forth
+ Resolutions:
1. I believe that cars are better than bikes
2. I believe that relaxing is more important than working
3. I believe that words are powerful than weapons
4. I believe that playing sports should be a part of every child’s education
5. I believe that America’s economy will improve in the next 10 years
6. I believe that everybody should go to college
7. I believe that everyone should have the super power of flying
8. I believe that foreign aid is helpful to the receiving country
9. I believe that a country should prefer having a strong economy over a strong military
10. I believe that hot weather is better than cold weather
11. I believe that it is better to protect the environment than to benefit the economy
12. I believe that technology is good for society
13. I believe that the U.S. should invest more into space exploration
14. I believe that working out is better for you than eating healthy
15. I believe that the U.S. should have stricter gun laws
16. I believe that sciences are more important to learn than arts
17. I believe that videogames are valuable for education
18. I believe that America will be the dominant hegemon a century from now
19. I believe that we should raise taxes on the rich
20. I believe that a stronger China will benefit America
21. I believe that unicorn army is stronger than a troll army
22. I believe that students should have cellphones
23. I believe that Communism is better than Democracy
24. I believe that developing creativity should be the main focus of the education system
25. I believe that imagination is more powerful than knowledge
26. I believe that it is better to go to a big school instead of a small school
27. I believe that the universe should be infinite
28. I believe that Batman is superior to Ironman
29. I believe that it is better to be a good thinker than to be a good communicator
30. I believe that a dog would make a good zen master
31. I believe that competition is always beneficial to individuals
32. I believe that more immigration is beneficial to America
33. I believe that trade is the most important factor in international relationships
34. I believe that dogs are better than cats
35. I believe that pizza is better than broccoli
36. I believe that red is superior to blue
37. I believe that homework is always beneficial to students
38. I believe that movies are better than books
39. I believe that there should everyone should learn a single global language
40. I believe that the U.S. Government should invest in clean energy
+ Impromptu speeches
Give the students 3 topics to choose from. As soon as they are given the topics, start a timer.
Give them 2 or more minutes to prepare based on their speaking level. When their preparation
time is up the begin speaking about their topic, while they speak they can persuade people of a
view, tell a story or joke, or pretty much anything as long as it is related to the topic. Generally
you will want a theme of your speech and 3 points, it is like an essay in format.
+ Topics for impromptu speeches:
Bed
The pen is mightier than the sword
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle
Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy
habits of thinking.
-Albert Einstein
It is better to ask why rather than how
Color
Fast food
Politics
Windows
I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more
specific.
-Lily Tomlin
A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.
-Jerry Seinfeld
I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.
-Carl Sandburg
Teddy bear
Crime
History
A penny saved is a penny earned
Imagination is more important than knowledge
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results
Stars
Fantasy
Unique
Garden
Journey
Never judge a book by its cover
+ Tongue twisters
I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop.
Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.
Red leather yellow leather lavender leather
How can a clam cram in a clean cream can
Green glass globes glow greenl
The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout
Thursday.
She sells seashells by the seashore
How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop
Susie works in a shoeshine shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits
she shines
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was
he?
Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
I have got a date at a quarter to eight; I’ll see you at the gate, so don’t be late
You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York
I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen
If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
I thought I thought of thinking of thanking you
I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch
Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear
Eddie edited it
Willie’s really weary
A big black bear sat on a big black rug
Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks
He threw three free throws
Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely
So, this is the sushi chef
Four fine fresh fish for you
Wayne went to wales to watch walruses
Six sticky skeletons (x3)
Which witch is which? (x3)
Snap crackle pop (x3)
Flash message (x3)
Red Buick, blue Buick (x3)
Red lorry, yellow lorry (x3)
Thin sticks, thick bricks (x3)
Stupid superstition (x3)
Eleven benevolent elephants (x3)
Two tried and true tridents (x3)
Rolling red wagons (x3)
Black back bat (x3)
She sees cheese (x3)
Truly rural (x3)
Good blood, bad blood (x3)
Pre-shrunk silk shirts (x3)
Ed had edited it. (x3)
We surely shall see the sun shine soon
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread
I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit
A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the
skunk stunk
Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better