The syllabus is best described in three stages:
1) General skills and training.
No matter what the speaking style, event, or topic the fundamentals will always apply. The goal is for the students to be able to speak well in any real life situation.
For a month or so students will learn the basics. This includes formatting, emoting, being funny, and much more!
2) Learning the different events.
There are over a dozen different speech and debate events, and those are just the “official” events. The students themselves must decide which event(s) they feel most strongly competing in.
Some tournaments will offer just one choice, but some will allow both a speech event and/or a debate event. Because of these (usually better) tournaments we encourage students to specialize in one speech event and one debate event.
Students will be taught everything from impromptu speaking to parliamentary debate.
More information on the events can be found online here:
http://www.cahssa.org/curriculum/competition_curriculum
3) Mastery
As we get more and more advanced the students will get better and better at their respective styles and events. There is no limit to how talented a student can become. Like any sports program “the best” is a relative term.
If the students are dedicated they will attend tournaments under the event they are best at and (hopefully) win!
Students may change events at other tournaments. Many top debaters make it a point to try every type of speech and debate at least once.
*Please note, speech and debate tournaments are run by the National Speech and Debate Association (National Forensics League) and only middle and high school students (5th-12th) are eligible to attend tournaments.
If you have any questions let us know! Email Coach Chapman at bchapman@mrhetoric.com
Modern Rhetoric 