Debating team training

At 5:00 pm
Venue: Room Polifunzionale 2C, Central University Library- BUC via Adalberto Libera 3, Trento

After the first cycle of meetings of Seminario permamente sul dibattito, held in the first semester of 2018/2019 and aimed at building a group of people interested in debates and argumentation, in the second semester the group will be addressed with a specific coaching program to exercise the format of debate used in international championships: the ultimate goal of the training is indeed to form a team for participating in international championships of debate in ESL (English second language). 

Therefore meetings will be held in English, even if no specific level of English is required..

The next appointment 

15 May 2019 

Points of information
One distinctive characteristic of BP debates is the possibility to require points of information during the opponent’s speech, that is to pose specific questions on the opponent’s statements. In this meeting we will focus on how speakers in competitive debates pose and deal with points of information.

The full programme

13 March 2019

General introductionThe first meeting will clarify the peculiar features of British Parliamentary (BP) style of debating, the format used in the EUDC – European University Debating Championship. In particular the meeting will focus on: types of motions normally used in BP challenges; roles of each speaker in the debate and team work; points of information.

20 March 2019

Rhetorical skills: style and delivery
The meeting will address some basics issues related to performance of speeches, that is formal aspects concerning the effectiveness of verbal communication such as: gestures; eye contact; movement. 

3 April 2019 

Take a minute!
BP debates require high rapidity of thoughts, since each speaker needs to quickly take a position on the opponent’s arguments. In order to do so, it is necessary to improve the ability to quickly take notes on the opponent’s assertions in order to identify strongest and weakest points in his argumentation.

17 April 2019

Speech structure
The core of every debating challenge is of course the content of each speaker’s discourse. One of the key features of speeches in BP debates is indeed the balance between argumentation (putting forward arguments supporting one’s thesis) and counter-argumentation (to take a stand against the opponent’s arguments). In the meeting some advice will be given on the ideal structure of speeches and exercises will be done on the conscious use of the time of the speech.

8 May 2019

Impromptu debates 
In international debating championships such as EUDC, teams normally face impromptu debates, that is debates on topics which are disclosed only just before the match. These debates are obviously problematic for several reasons: they require the ability to improvise and to develop arguments on topics which are not known by participants. On the other hand, practising impromptu debates strengthens the basic skills required in competitive debates.

15 May 2019 

Points of information
One distinctive characteristic of BP debates is the possibility to require points of information during the opponent’s speech, that is to pose specific questions on the opponent’s statements. In this meeting we will focus on how speakers in competitive debates pose and deal with points of information.

Entrance is free but seats are limited.

Please book your seat in advance by sending an email to: nsf [at] unitn.it 

Coordination:

• Alvise Schiavon
• Paolo Sommaggio

Trainer:
Austeja Kazemekaityte

For information:
nsf [at] unitn.it