Unlike narrow speaking courses, this program introduces learners to debate as:

• A discipline
• A global academic culture
• A leadership skill
• A strategic framework for thinking

Students will learn:

• Debate vocabulary
• Structure of arguments
• Tournament terminology
• Major international debate formats
• Debate ethics
• Competitive circuits
• The Ivy Spires debate pathway

The course is intentionally broad and foundational, serving as:

• A beginner orientation program
• A public access debate literacy course
• A parent/student introduction to competitive debate
• A preparatory bridge into formal debate training