Descriptif

Competitive debating is a characteristic feature of higher education in English-speaking countries, where students develop their critical thinking, persuasive, and public speaking skills in university debating societies such as the famous Oxford Union. Today, organised competitive debating is popular in universities around the world, and increasingly in France, where the French Debating Association organises a prestigious tournament for Grandes Écoles and universities. 

In this class, students working in teams will prepare and deliver speeches proposing or opposing a controversial proposition (a "motion") which they’ve researched in advance or discovered on the day of the class. The motion may be on a topical issue, or some more philosophical question, and may be deadly serious or wacky and light-hearted. With each successive class, students will sharpen the spontaneity and persuasive force of their spoken discourse, gaining confidence speaking in public. The research they undertake will help them broaden their lexical resources. Students will receive guidance in rhetoric and argumentation, and intermittently take part in other communicative activities. They will also hopefully enjoy themselves. 

The first semester's classes will introduce students to the basic principles of debating, and its different formats. The skills acquired will be developed in the second semester, with more challenging subjects (including topics suggested by students themselves) and a higher level of performance expected ... and achieved.