TRAINING
SPEECH
The purpose of Speech is to train and prepare students for NCFCA Individual Event (IE) competition. NCFCA offers ten competitive speech events within three categories as follows:
- Interpretation - Humorous, Duo, Open, Original
- Platform - Persuasive, Illustrated Oratory, Biographical Narrative
- Limited Preparation - Impromptu, Apologetics, Extemporaneous
Instructions on how to find, cut or write and perform a good speech is provided at club during the fall semester. Meetings include small group practice time with parent coaches. Practice and homework may take 2-3 hours per week until pieces are memorized.
Required Material: 3-ring binder, notepaper, pens
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LOGIC
Logic is a great pre-debate class. Homework will take approximately one hour per week during the fall semester as we go through the book, and about two hours per week during the spring semester as students learn to debate one another on various issues.
Required Text and Material: The Fallacy Detective, by Nathaniel Bluedorn & Hans Bluedorn (2nd edition). Parents are required to purchase text. Students will also need notebook and pens.
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TEAM POLICY DEBATE
2011-12 Team Policy Debate Resolution
Resolved: That the United States Federal Government should significantly reform its criminal justice system.
The objective of Team Policy Debate is to train and prepare students for NCFCA Team Policy Debate tournaments. Meetings will include teaching time, small group exercises, and practice time with parent coaches to develop debate skills as well as affirmative and negative cases for this year’s resolution. NCFCA alternates between domestic policy and foreign policy resolutions, so one year your student will study domestic policy, then the next year it’s a foreign policy. Domestic years are usually easier for a beginning debater.
Time Commitment: Debate research and homework will take 4-6 hours per week. This is not to be taken as a light or optional commitment. Debate is a rigorous activity.
As with any competitive activity, the more time that can be committed, the better a student will do at competition. However, each student is expected to put forth 4-6 hours per week of work to keep up with the pace of club. For those who would like to excel in competition, the time commitment will be greater and will vary depending on previous experience, understanding of the resolution, etc. Coaches are available to all students at all levels of commitment and are committed to helping each student reach his or her goals.
Required Material: Students need 2 2” 3-ring binders, lots of dividers, multicolored pens, multicolored highlighters, sticky notes (large to very small), legal pads, 3-ring punch, plenty of printer paper and ink.
Novice Required Material: Blue Book
Optional Material: Voice recorder, laptop
Evidence Ring: All LAHSD members are required to read and comply with our Evidence Ring Policy. Our E-ring Master is Lizzy Raabe, and is overseen by Mrs. Jones. All evidence is to be sent to Lizzy, who will organize and send it to club debaters.
Debate Partnerships: All LAHSD members are required to compete under the LAHSD banner. Debate Coordinator will help pair up partners. Coordinator will use a Partner Survey which will tell us more about the students’ strengths, weaknesses, preferences, etc. Parental input is highly valued, so don’t be shy about talking with your coordinator. Please be in prayer before and throughout the season. Until final pairings have been established (late fall), requests can be made to debate with someone during club practice rounds. Parents are encouraged to watch these trial rounds to look for God’s direction and compatibility in teams. Discuss commitment levels, tournament plans, etc. with other parents.
Once final pairings have been established, there is no backing out of your commitment. Communicate often with your partner and his or her parents. Make important decisions together.
All partnerships are opportunities for growth. Partnership teaches many important life skills including trust, compromise and learning to value relationships over winning.
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LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE
2011-12 Lincoln Douglas Debate Resolution
Resolved: In the pursuit of justice, due process ought to be valued above the discovery of fact.
Lincoln Douglas Debate is open to advanced debaters. Team Policy is evidence based, deals with concrete thinking, and students work with a partner. LD is values debate which involves more abstract thinking and has a strong emphasis on rhetorical and persuasive skills. Students debate one-on-one, have limited coaching, and reap the benefits of sole preparation and presentation.
Suggested Material: Red Book