DEBATING

HANDBOOK

2016

 Welcome to the 2016 Debating Season 2

 Responsibilities and Commitment for all debaters 4

 What is a Debate? Basic rules of debating 7

 The ISDA Competition 9

 The Archdale Competition 13

 Advanced Debating websites 16

 University Training and Competitions 17

 List of Teams 18

 Coach Contact Details 20

 Frequently Asked Questions 20

 Application for 2017 season 21

 Contact 21

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Congratulations on making a team! This booklet will help you prepare for the 2016 season. There are important dates and details printed in this booklet that you should write in your Handbook or mobile calendar now. Please note that it is possible that there will be late changes, but you will be notified at the Wednesday Debating meetings. You should always check the Debating notice board outside the Senior Staffroom for notices, results and announcements as well as the electronic notice boards.

I am responsible for all debating matters within the Senior School but am assisted by the Assistant Debating Coordinator, Elizabeth Pearson. Elizabeth brings expertise in her career as a journalist and is currently undertaking a degree in law. Either Elizabeth or myself (often both of us) are present at every debate, both home and away, and we should be your first point of contact for any issues arising at the debates.

Our Debating Captain, Nicole Sung from Year 12 also assist me. Nicole is an exemplary debater as well as international public speaker. Nicole works with her fellow senior debaters in leading and helping to train and mentor the junior debaters.

Our philosophy is that there is one big debating family at PLC, made up of a number of teams and then all the individual students, coaches and teachers – in that order. This means that there is a strong practice of the older students helping the younger, the younger students actively seeking their mentorship and all of us working together to help develop skills, support each other and enjoy being part of a successful team.

Every team is provided with a coach who is an experienced debater and usually completing their university studies. Most coaches continue to be involved with debating through their University’s debating societies and some are also adjudicators. Your coach is your main point of contact for all day to day issues relating to your team. Contact details for your coach are on page 20.

The debating season begins on Friday 19 February 2016 with Round 1 of the ISDA competition, taking place at school. All home debates are on Level 3 of the PLC Macindoe Research Centre. Every debater, whether they are debating or not, must attend all home debates. Debating is a real team effort. Encourage your family and friends to come along and support us.

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Remember debaters, it is not all about who wins but how much we learn about ourselves and the bigger world, while you develop some key skills. Well it seems that PLC girls are also very interested in winning too! This competitiveness, backed with dedication and effort saw us have a fantastic 2015 season. The majority of our teams across all year groups made it to the final series and three teams were runners up in the ISDA Grand Finals. So let’s do our best this year and try to snaffle a Grand Final.

I hope you will have an enjoyable and fulfilling year as you participate in our debating program for 2016.

Ms Cathy Sidoti Head of Debating [email protected] T (+612) 9704 5666 F (+612) 9744 0519

2015 Debaters accept their awards from Dr Paul Burgis. PLC Sydney from left to right: Karl Mussara, Annabelle Mentzines, Sherie Pan, Lauren McGrath-Wild and Rebekah Kang.

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Debaters, by joining a PLC Debating team you make this commitment:

 To attend debating meetings every Wednesday lunchtime in Room 32, unless you have prior permission. Archdale debaters are not required to attend first term meetings until notified.  To attend all training sessions arranged by your coach and to be on time.  To attend all home debates, even if you are not speaking. Four of the team are to attend away debates.  To wait after the debate for feedback from your adjudicator and coach.  Debaters are required after school at 3.30pm to assist with hosting duties, including, setting up rooms and making sure they are returned to their original configuration for classes, putting up signs, greeting visitors or providing support in other ways.  For home debates, the fifth speaker needs to be available to chair, time keep and assist with errands during the evening.  To regularly check your email for correspondence from your team members, coach or the Head of Debating.  To be well informed about current affairs, both domestic and international issues.  Year 7 to 9 students are encouraged to stay after they finish and watch the Year 10 or Senior debates as much as possible. All year 7 students must attend at least one senior debate early in the season.

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A team captain is appointed to each team. These captains are selected on the basis of their demonstrated excellent attitude, involvement and leadership in debating (or potential in the case of year 7s). Captains play a special role in supporting their team and coach:

 They communicate with all team members to make sure that they are aware of training and debating times and that arrangements are in place for transport.

 They ensure that all team members have saved contact details for their coach and other team members.

 They encourage all team members to do preparation for topic areas and assist by forwarding on relevant information and helping other team members to do the same. It is a good idea to set up an email group or a Google Doc for this purpose.

 They work with their team to promote harmony and unity. If there are any concerns in this regard they seek guidance from their team’s coach to resolve concerns before problems develop.

As noted above, every team is provided with a coach who is an experienced debater and debating coach. Guidance is given to debaters about preparing debates, critical thinking, researching current topic areas and public speaking and presentation skills.

Coaches organise training sessions with the team twice a week, once before or after school and usually prior to the debate commencing. Attendance at all training sessions is compulsory. Records are kept and failure to attend training regularly may result in your place being offered to another student. You need to email your coach at least 24 hours before a training session if you cannot attend.

Coaches also communicate with their teams via email in discussion forums and by text. It is important that you give your coach and team members your email and mobile phone details. Your coach is your main point of contact for all day to day issues relating to your team.

Coaches always support the adjudicator’s decision.

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In most cases there are more than four members of a team (three speakers and one advisor). Every team member should attend training and the coach will decide who speaks and in what position. The coach will rotate students so that everyone has a chance to debate.

If a student misses training or is significantly and/or consistently late, they may not be given a speaking position at the next debate. Debating is competitive so coaches will, particularly in playoffs, semi-finals and finals, choose a team which gets the best results. Often the coaches will consult with the Head of Debating about such matters. The coach’s decision about speaking positions is final and students and parents are asked to respect this at all times.

Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend debates (see draw in following pages). Even though some students might say they prefer their family not to watch them, it is important to overcome this obstacle in order to develop confidence as a public speaker. It is a good idea to network with other parents so that the driving can be shared.

Both debating competitions have strict codes of conduct for coaches and audience members to ensure that the debates are conducted in a fair manner that supports the overall objective of school debating- to teach young people to have different viewpoints, and even to disagree strongly, but in an intelligent and respectful way. Even when our debaters are not happy with the conduct of their opponents or a decision of the adjudicator, PLC knows that our students will behave with dignity and grace. Likewise, all supporters are asked to do the same.

All audience members are asked not to communicate with teams during a debate. This is challenging for everyone, especially when all you want to do is nod and smile your encouragement, but it is against the competition rules.

Most importantly, the adjudicators’ rulings are final. No parent or student should challenge the adjudicator. Any comments or concerns should be referred to the Head of Debating.

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The speakers are generally six people arranged in two teams of three or four; one called the Affirmative and the other the Negative team.

The topic is a proposal (always a single sentence usually starting with the word ‘that’) given to both teams who will argue either ‘for’ or ‘against’.

The chairperson is ultimately responsible for organising the debate, starting the topic, introducing the speakers, keeping time and so on.

The audience are there to witness the ‘public speaking’ event without participating.

Teams are judged on manner, matter and method.

Manner: The way a speaker presents themselves and their speech

Matter: The arguments a speaker puts forward and the way they interact with the speaker’s arguments.

Method: The way a speaker structures their speech and the team structures a coherent whole argument.

A debate relies on structured arguments relating to evidence. It is important in debating to respect your opposition while explaining why they are wrong.

Debating is an excellent way to develop your self-esteem, your ability to communicate and your overall confidence. Some of the skills learned are: analytical listening; the ability to organise your ideas and argue logically and persuasively; clear and effective expression; and working as part of a team.

Speaking and Debating with Style Kevin Ryan and Adrian Pauley, Phoenix Education

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The following table outlines the main roles of each speaker. Remember, all speakers are there to argue their side of the case, but each team member has a specific role to help facilitate the clarity of the team’s argument and hence maximise the success of the debate.

Speaker 1 Affirmative Speaker 2 Negative

 Introduction to the topic  Introduction  Define topic  Rebut the 1st Affirmative speaker’s  Outline what you will say in your debate points (2/3 arguments) and what your second  Outline what you will say in your debate speaker will say (2/3/arguments) and what your second speaker will say Speaker 2 Affirmative Speaker 2 Negative

 Introduction  Introduction nd  Rebut 1st Negative speaker’s points  Rebut 2 Affirmative speaker’s points  Outline what you will say in your debate  Outline what you will say in your debate  Proceed with your arguments (don’t  Proceed with arguments (don’t repeat repeat 1st Negative speaker’s points) 1st Affirmative’s points)  Conclude  Conclude

Speaker 3 Affirmative Speaker 3 Negative

 Introduction  Introduction  Rebut 2nd Negative speaker’s points  Summarise your team’s arguments  Summarise your team’s arguments (concentrate on how they trumped (concentrate on how they trumped those of your opponents and be wary those of your opponents and be wary of introducing new material) of introducing new material)  Conclude your team’s case  Conclude your team’s case

The fourth speaker helps to develop the case and keeps time in the prep room. They also give a thank you speech at the conclusion of the debate.

The time a speaker should devote to each element of the speech varies depending on which speaker role is assumed. Generally speaking, the first speakers are expected to use most of their time to advance the bulk of their team’s major points, with more emphasis on rebuttal in the second speeches, before focusing purely on rebuttal and summary in the third speeches. Teams should ensure that their case is consistent throughout all speakers and refrain from pointless repetition throughout the speeches. Adelaide University Debating Handbook 2011 8

ISDA Debating is a co-educational competition that takes place on Friday nights at independent schools around Sydney. This competition commences at the beginning of Term 1 and continues throughout Term 2. There are 6 teams of 3-5 team members to offer as many students as possible the opportunity to debate.

ISDA speaking times prep times

 Primary A & B Preparation Time: 5.55-6.55pm Debate: 6.00pm 4 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 3 mins)

 Year 7 Preparation Time: 5.55-6.55pm Debate: 7.00pm 5 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 3 mins)

 Year 8 Preparation Time: 5.55-6.55pm Debate: 7.00pm 5 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 4 mins)

 Year 9 Preparation Time: 5.55-6.55pm Debate: 7.00pm 6 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 5 mins)

 Year 10 Preparation Time: 6.55-7.55pm Debate: 8.00pm 8 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 6 mins)

 Senior B (Year 11 Students) Preparation Time: 6.55-7.55pm Debate: 8.00pm 8 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 6 mins)

 Senior A (Year 12 Students) Preparation Time: 6.55-7.55pm Debate: 8.00pm 8 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 6 mins)

The ISDA website is updated at the beginning of each year. The website has information about the draw, participating schools with maps, topic areas and the results of each round. Refer to www.isdadebating.info

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ISDA Preliminary Rounds

Term 1:

 Round 1: 19 February

 Round 2: 26 February

 Round 3: 4 March

Round 4: 11 March

 Round 5: 18 March

 Round 6: 1 April

Term 2:

 Round 7: 29 April  Octos 1: 13 May Hosts: Hosts: Barker; Abbotsleigh; St Aloysius; Riverview  Octos 2: 20 May Hosts: PLC Sydney; Kincoppal Rose Bay; Ravenswood; Roseville

 Quarters- 27 May Hosts: Grammar; Shore; Knox; Monte  Semi Finals- 3 June Hosts: Two hosts needed

 Grand Finals- 17 June Host: Barker

There are 32 schools in the ISDA competition, divided into four groups.

PLC Sydney is in Group A, made up of:

 PLC Sydney  Grammar  Kincoppal  Loreto Kirribilli  Tangara  Redlands  Kings  St Augustine's

Schools named first are the host schools and will normally take the affirmative side in all debates.

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Round 1: 19 February

 St Augustine's v Grammar  Kings v Kincoppal  Loreto Kirribilli v Redlands  PLC Sydney v Tangara

Round 2: 26 February

 Grammar v Kings  Kincoppal v St Augustine's  PLC Sydney v Loreto Kirribilli  Tangara v Redlands

Round 3: 4 March

 Redlands v Grammar  Kincoppal v PLC Sydney  St Augustine's v Loreto Kirribilli  Kings v Tangara

Round 4: 11 March

 Grammar v PLC Sydney  Redlands v Kincoppal  Loreto Kirribilli v Kings  Tangara v St Augustine's

Round 5: 18 March

 Grammar v Tangara  Loreto Kirribilli v Kincoppal  PLC Sydney v St Augustine's  Kings v Redlands

Round 6: 1 April

 Grammar v Loreto Kirribilli  Tangara v Kincoppal  Kings v PLC Sydney  St Augustine's v Redlands

Round 7: 29 April

 Kincoppal v Grammar  Tangara v Loreto Kirribilli  Redlands v PLC Sydney  St Augustine's v King

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The Lawrence Campbell Oratory competition date is 6 May.

Public holidays: ANZAC Day Monday 25 May (Round 7); Queens’ Birthday Monday 13 June.

All preliminary rounds must be completed by 29 April.

Octos and Quarters hosts have been based on the 2014 -16 Finals

Hosts document put together by the 2014 Convenor and Tally Keeper.

‘I love argument. I love debate. I don’t expect anyone just to sit there and agree with me, that is not their job.’ Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister of UK 1979 – 1990.

The very successful Year 7 ISDA Team of 2013; Karli Musarra, Rebekah Kang, Annabelle Mentzines, Lauren McGrath-Wild and Sheri Pan debating the Scots College Team at the semi-finals.

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Archdale Debating is an all-girls’ competition which takes place on Tuesday afternoons at schools around Sydney. This competition begins at the end of Term 2 and continues throughout Term 3.

There are 7 teams in this competition of 3-5 team members to offer as many students as possible the opportunity to debate. The teams and their times are:

 Year 7A & 7B Preparation Time: 4.30-5.30pm Debate: 5.30pm 3-4 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 3 mins)

 Year 8A & 8B Preparation Time: 4.30-5.30pm Debate: 5.30pm 4-5 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 4 mins)

 Year 9 Preparation Time: 5.30-6.30pm Debate: 6.30pm 5-7 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 5 mins)

 Year 10 Preparation Time: 5.30-6.30pm Debate: 6.30pm 6-8 minutes speaking time (warning at 6 mins)

 Seniors Preparation Time: 5.30-6.30pm Debate: 6.30pm 6-8 minutes speaking time (warning bell at 6 mins)

The Archdale website is updated at the beginning of each year. The website has information about the draw, participating schools with maps, topic areas and the results of each round. For more information, please visit: http://www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/AHIGS/ArchdaleDebating.aspx

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Each team meets the other six teams in their group and also receives a bye. There are seven preliminary rounds for all groups. Schools named first are the host schools and will take the affirmative side in all debates. After the rounds there are the following rounds:

Archdale Preliminary Rounds

 Round 1 Tuesday, 24th May  Round 2 Tuesday, 31st May  Round 3 Tuesday, 7th June  Round 4 Tuesday, 14th June  Round 5 Tuesday, 21st June  Round 6 Tuesday, 26th July  Round 7 Tuesday, 2nd August  Tie-Breakers Tuesday, 16th August  Quarter Finals Tuesday, 23rd August  Semi Finals Tuesday, 30th August  Grand Final Tuesday, 6th September

The 22 returning schools were ranked according to their Archdale Shield results from 2015. Queenwood as a “new” school enters the competition as the 23rd ranked school. A BYE is assigned to the notional 24th school place. The schools were then split into three groups.

PLC Sydney is in Group B, made up of:

 PLC Sydney  MCL  Roseville College  St Vincent’s College  Kincoppal Rose Bay  Loreta Normanhurst  Kambala  Queenwood

Each school will debate against the other schools in their group. For PLC Sydney this means 7 debates and no BYE; a minimum of three and a maximum of four home debates and a minimum of three and a maximum of four away debates.

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Round 1: 24 May  PLC Sydney v MLC  St Vincent’s v Roseville  Loreto Normanhurst v Kincoppal Rose Bay  Queenwood v Kambala

Round 2: 31 May  Kincoppal v Queenwood  Roseville v PLC Sydney  St Vincent’s v Loreto Normanhurst  MLC v Kambala

Round 3: 7 June  PLC Sydney v St Vincent’s  Queenwood v MLC  Loreto Normanhurst v Roseville  Kambala v Kincoppal

Round 4: 14 June  Roseville v Queenwood  Kincoppal v PLC Sydney  MLC v Loreto Normanhurst  St Vincent’s v Kambala

Round 5: 21 June  Kincoppal v St Vincent’s  Kambala v PLC Sydney  MLC v Roseville  Queenwood v Loreto Normanhurst

Round 6: 26 July  PLC Sydney v Queenwood  St Vincent’s v MLC  Roseville v Kincoppal  Loreto Normanhurst v Kambala

Round 7: 22 August  Queenwood v St Vincent’s  PLC Sydney v Loreto Normanhurst  MLC v Kincoppal  Kambala v Roseville

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 Wednesday 7 September - Archdale v CHS  Monday 12 September - Archdale v GPS  Wednesday 14 September - CHS v GPS

Archdale Grand finalists 2015 Year 9 Team Emily Edwards, Esther Kang, Wendy Hu and Lucy Rowse.

http://www.actdu.org.au/archives/actein_site/advanced.html http://www.slideshare.net/Cherye/advanced-debating-techniques http://www.perfectionlearning.com/images/products/pdfs/aid/aid.pdf http://www.idebate.org/debatebase/topic_index.php

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The ability for debating teams to participate in university debating depends on the PLC calendar. Availability is established after the universities publish their dates.

The Macquarie Schools’ Cup is an annual series of one-day secondary school debating tournaments organised and hosted by the Macquarie University Debating Society. The tournament invites government and non-government schools within the Sydney region to take part in a day of competition. There are three divisions of the Macquarie Schools’ Cup

Senior (Years 11 and 12), Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) and Junior (Years 7 and 8). They are spread across the Terms 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Each consists of three rounds during the day, with a final at the end of the day with the two highest ranking teams. http://muds.org.au/schools

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Chanel Chamoun Julie Cummins Olivia Bounds Breteil David Isabella Cordaro Paeton Fitzgibbon Charlotte Guest Sophia Fuggersberger Grace Heffernan Sabine Haddad Amelie Larsen Angela Rogail Zoe Jewell Claudia Meaney Ariane Sharpe

Coaches:

 ISDA Rebecca Niles  Archdale 7A: Emmeline Hirst  Archdale 7B: Milena de Silva

Sophie Angus- Captain Bridget Fredericks- Captain Eliza Martin- Captain Jacqueline Ciofani Emma Bosco Angelina Kaleel Gwendalyn Dabaja Linda Liu Jacqueline Koutsoubos Sophie Jones Audrey Tanama Alexia Lorenzato Nina Power Tashiyana McCarthy Miriam Ly

Coaches:

 ISDA: Caelin Kramer  Archdale 8A: Rebecca Niles  Archdale 8B: Holly Burgis

Georgina Hedge- Captain Roisin Bryce-Stark- Captain Sarah Sweeting Alexandra Caddy Natalie Lambropoulos Tamysn Sharpe Ellie Ng Christina Shi Madison Yazbek Alex Raleigh

Coaches:

 ISDA: Emmeline Hirst  Archdale 9: Holly Burgis 18

Rebekah Kang- Captain Eleanor Lawton-Wade- Captain Lauren McGrath-Wild Georgie Allen Sherie Pan Annabelle Mentzines Laurel Lu Jennifer Xu Lina Cho Miranda Rudd-Hughes

Coaches:

 ISDA: Eric Shi  Archdale 10: Emmeline Hirst

Nicole Sung- Captain Alison Chen- Captain Steph Lee- Captain Wendy Hu Christina Bouletos Emma Tanevska Esther Kang Eleanor Davis Tasman Jones Lucy Rowse Jade Lin Sandra Magro Nancy Ma Julia Raleigh Jade Lin

Coaches:

 ISDA Senior A: Elizabeth Pearson  ISDA Senior B: Rebecca Niles  Archdale Senior: Elizabeth Pearson

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Holly Burgis Rebecca Niles [email protected] [email protected] 0423399481 0478131278

Emmeline Hirst Eric Shi [email protected] [email protected] 0430402457 0401955123

Milena de Silva Elizabeth Pearson [email protected] [email protected] 0408467513 0425268123

Caelin Kramer [email protected] 0421833396

 What should I bring to debates? o Bring pens, palm cards, water. Food is NOT always supplied before debates.  How do I find the host school? o Go to the ISDA & AHIGS websites to find maps of all the schools or see debating noticeboard.  How do we get to away debates? o Parents should car pool for ISDA drop off and pick-ups. PLC organises a bus to take Archdale teams but parents need to collect students at the end of the debate.  What if I cannot make a debate/coaching session/debate meeting (Wednesday lunchtime)? o Tell your coach as soon as you know you are unable to attend a debate. Email the Head of Debating to explain your absence. If you are consistently absent you will not be chosen to speak at debates and may lose your place on the team. 20

 To register for the 2017 debating season, please go to: https://www.plc.nsw.edu.au/microsites/performing-arts/public-speaking-and- debating/debating-application

 Register online.

 If you have any further queries, please contact:

Ms Cathy Sidoti Head of Debating [email protected] T (+612) 9704 5666 F (+612) 9744 0519

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Boundary St Croydon NSW 2132 T (+612) 9704 5666 E [email protected] www.plc.nsw.edu.au Principal: Dr Paul Burgis PhD (UNSW) MEd DipTeach DipDivMiss