In iLearn’s Speech & Debate I course, students will focus on the fundamentals of public speaking, articulation, research, grammar, reading, writing, and research skill-building. The course will focus on teaching students the format of competitive debate, and consider the policy, value, and fact trichotomy. Students will begin with common debate topics that have proven timeless, and move towards a more nuanced understanding of critical implications of governmental actions, and how those implications function in a competitive debate. As they prepare for the next level, students will begin to learn how to tailor their messages to different audiences for the most successful student outcomes. 

In iLearn’s Speech & Debate I course, students begin to blend deeper research into their debates. The students will begin with increasingly difficult topics, and move on to international topics so that students can begin to think critically on a global scale. Students will also begin to focus on more advanced Negative team structures such as “The K,” and Conditional Counterplans to create debates that have competing advocacies. As they begin to prepare to move on to level 2, the students will begin to judge debate rounds in class and focus on thinking critically about how a person evaluates a debate round through the lens of bias and point of view.

Main Goals

• To help students come out of their shells and be empowered public speakers

• To help students learn to advocate for issues important to them

• To make students college and career ready 

• To advance to the ILearn competitive Debate team

Overall Skills

• Research

• Public Speaking

• Advocacy

• Policy Analysis

• Teamwork