What I Miss Now!

Joining POWERtalk gives you many opportunities to develop confidence in speaking and thinking on your feet.  The one I really enjoyed was organised formal debates.   Unfortunately, this has not been part of our programmes lately, partly, I think, because you need quite a number of people to have a really “ding-dong” event.

  

Designed by macrovector / Freepik

 A debate can be between two people or any number of people.  A  formal debate is usually between two teams.   The teams can have any number of speakers.   Our country is governed by debates — the House of Commons is a debating chamber.    

It is also an exercise that demands self-discipline.   First, you have to do quite a lot of research to gather facts, figures and quotes from authorities to reinforce your arguments when putting your case and secondly, you must decide what arguments your opponents will use to refute your points so that you in turn counter your opponents' arguments.

Then you have to determine your strategy.   Who is going to lead your team, who is in a supporting role,  and who says what.
 
The formal debates  where I used to take part usually had two teams of two people in each.  The teams can be called Positive and Negative, Affirmative and Negative, Proposer and Opposer, or simply For and Against.

The order of speaking is:  First Speaker:       Speaker No. 1 of  Positive;  
                   Second Speaker:  Speaker No.1 of Negative;  
                   Third Speaker:     Speaker No. 2 of  Positive;  
                   Fourth Speaker:   Speaker No. 2 of Negative.

At that point, the event could be open to comments or arguments from the audience.

 Then the Summing Up speeches are presented:
                                           Fifth Speaker:     Speaker No. 1 of Negative,
                          and lastly Sixth Speaker:     Speaker No. 1 of  Positive team.

A debate motion is usually presented in the form:  “This House believes that … .”
The wording of the Motion is important.   It should be short, simple and positive, a subject that can be debated, not one that most people would agree with anyway, such as “Reading widely is beneficial”.  And certainly it must be positive, not negative.   You cannot prove a negative.

The first speaker, the leader of the Affirmative, should define the motion.   But the definition must give the opposition a realistic chance of arguing the point.

Consider:  “All citizens should carry a national ID card”.     “All” ?    Every country in the world?   Do you mean your own country?   Citizens?   What about Subjects?   In Britain you can be one or the other.   What about foreign students studying here?

The first Affirmative Speaker should also explain what points he/she will cover and what points the other Affirmative speakers will use.   A debate is team work, not a series of separate speeches.

The Negative team has to accept the Motion as defined, even if they do not agree with it.

Points of Information should be used throughout, but debaters should know the difference between Points of Information and Points of Order.

Points of Information
These can be used to seek or provide information.
They should be clear, short, succinct — definitely not a mini speech.
Speakers may accept or refuse at their discretion.
A competent, judicious use of the ability to accept or reject impresses judges and audience.
But they must not be used during the first and last minute of speeches and not at all during summing-up speeches.

Points of Order
A Point of Order is used when a participant believes that the rules of procedure are not being followed.
The clock is stopped for a Point of Order.

Qualities expected in a debate

Relevance
Speeches should be germane to the motion.   Persistent irrelevance will be penalised by the judges.

Refutation
The skill with which a speaker counters or undermines the arguments of opponents.   This is  particularly demonstrated in the handling of Points of Information.

Analysis
Analysis of the issues contained in the motion and of the points made in opposing arguments.

Delivery
The speaker's ability to gain and hold audience attention, including wit, plausibility, use of gesture and ability to deal with Points of Information, as well as tone modulation and audibility.  Judges should discriminate against blatant gimmickry.
 
Evidence
The relevance of the authorities cited and the fluidity with which they are adduced.

Teamwork
The extent to which speakers work as a team, complementing and supporting their partners.

Participation
Each debater should make judicious use of Points of Information and, if necessary, Points of Order.

PROTOCOL

Always respect your opponents.   Good manners should prevail throughout.   Lack of courtesy to them will be penalised by judges.   Don't belittle them or their ideas.   
Don't try to be too clever or gimmickry.   Both judges and the audience will be offended by a “Clever Dick”.
 

Nancy Sanderson

nms//23.3.25