Benefits to Joining the Team
Competing on a speech and debate team can be a transformative experience in a student's life. Students learn the importance of teamwork, responsibility, sacrifice, and commitment. Additionally, speech and debate is widely regarded as one of the most helpful extracurricular activities a student can participate in while in high school. In addition to considerably improving a student's resume when applying to colleges, here are some of the many scholastic benefits of participating in speech and debate:
2. Higher performance on standardized tests.
Speech and debate students tend to score better on standardized tests including the SAT and ACT, as well as state accountability assessments. This holds true when looking at EOC/STAAR scores over the past few academic years.
3. Improved graduation and retention rates.
Students who participate in Speech & Debate are more likely to graduate high school and attend college
than their peers. Additionally, 90% of debaters go on to earn at least one graduate degree (as noted by
Professors Colbert & Biggers in the Journal of the American Forensic Association).
Speech & Debate creates student proficiency in:
· Research methodology and information literacy
· Higher-level thinking through application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creativity
· Listening and speaking – two overlooked zones of language literacy
(Information compiled with the help of NSDA Online)
An Experience in Speech & Debate
Students may compete in any or all of the following events:
Oral Interpretation
· Fosters the analytical skills used in English classes. Oral Interpretation examines the language that an author uses. This
activity also prepares students for the AP, SAT, ACT, and TAKS exams.
· Fosters the research practices used in all subjects. Databases are used to learn more about subjects and authors, which
assists in conveying an argument accurately and persuasively.
· The skills learned in oral interpretation generally improve a student's ability to present himself and his ideas, which
improves student abilities in college interviews and auditions.
· Students learn how to effectively express their constructive criticisms without a sense of judgment.
· Encourages a sense of ownership in that each student is in charge of improving her piece. When the student succeeds,
the feeling of accomplishment is powerful.
Public Speaking
· Fosters the ability to persuade an audience. This activity prepares students for the AP, SAT, ACT, and TAKS exams, and
prepares them to advocate for themselves and their ideas.
· Fosters students’ ability to construct a logical argument, identical to methods taught in English classes.
· Students utilize periodicals, and online resources. A familiarity with these media and the information makes these
students more informed citizens and enables them to better prepare research papers and college essays.
Debate
· As the most labor-intensive of the three events, this event requires a considerable amount of research to prepare for
argumentation. A familiarity with these media and the information makes these students more informed citizens and
enables them to better prepare research papers and college essays. In general, colleges and businesses are looking for
this kind of familiarity with databases and efficient research capabilities.
· The use of logic and philosophy inherent in this event will prepare students for intellectually challenging college or
post-college courses.
· Debate allows students to explore the philosophical realm, providing opportunities that rarely exist for students of this
age.
· This activity helps students manage their time efficiently to produce argument of the highest level.
- Critical thinking skills.
2. Higher performance on standardized tests.
Speech and debate students tend to score better on standardized tests including the SAT and ACT, as well as state accountability assessments. This holds true when looking at EOC/STAAR scores over the past few academic years.
3. Improved graduation and retention rates.
Students who participate in Speech & Debate are more likely to graduate high school and attend college
than their peers. Additionally, 90% of debaters go on to earn at least one graduate degree (as noted by
Professors Colbert & Biggers in the Journal of the American Forensic Association).
Speech & Debate creates student proficiency in:
· Research methodology and information literacy
· Higher-level thinking through application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creativity
· Listening and speaking – two overlooked zones of language literacy
(Information compiled with the help of NSDA Online)
An Experience in Speech & Debate
Students may compete in any or all of the following events:
Oral Interpretation
· Fosters the analytical skills used in English classes. Oral Interpretation examines the language that an author uses. This
activity also prepares students for the AP, SAT, ACT, and TAKS exams.
· Fosters the research practices used in all subjects. Databases are used to learn more about subjects and authors, which
assists in conveying an argument accurately and persuasively.
· The skills learned in oral interpretation generally improve a student's ability to present himself and his ideas, which
improves student abilities in college interviews and auditions.
· Students learn how to effectively express their constructive criticisms without a sense of judgment.
· Encourages a sense of ownership in that each student is in charge of improving her piece. When the student succeeds,
the feeling of accomplishment is powerful.
Public Speaking
· Fosters the ability to persuade an audience. This activity prepares students for the AP, SAT, ACT, and TAKS exams, and
prepares them to advocate for themselves and their ideas.
· Fosters students’ ability to construct a logical argument, identical to methods taught in English classes.
· Students utilize periodicals, and online resources. A familiarity with these media and the information makes these
students more informed citizens and enables them to better prepare research papers and college essays.
Debate
· As the most labor-intensive of the three events, this event requires a considerable amount of research to prepare for
argumentation. A familiarity with these media and the information makes these students more informed citizens and
enables them to better prepare research papers and college essays. In general, colleges and businesses are looking for
this kind of familiarity with databases and efficient research capabilities.
· The use of logic and philosophy inherent in this event will prepare students for intellectually challenging college or
post-college courses.
· Debate allows students to explore the philosophical realm, providing opportunities that rarely exist for students of this
age.
· This activity helps students manage their time efficiently to produce argument of the highest level.
