Course Overview

This comprehensive debate course series is designed to guide students from foundational skills through to advanced competitive debating. The curriculum is structured into three distinct levels, each tailored to build upon the previous stage, ensuring a gradual and thorough development of debate skills.

Foundations Course: This entry-level course provides a solid base in debate fundamentals. Students will learn essential debate formats, speech and argument structure, rebuttal techniques, public speaking skills, basic note-taking, and foundational argument generation. This course ensures that students develop a strong understanding of the basics, preparing them for more advanced concepts.

Intermediate Course: Building on the foundational skills, this course focuses on refining debate techniques and introducing more complex strategies. Students will engage in strategic argument selection, advanced analysis and rebuttal, improving argument quality, and applying frameworks. This course also emphasizes the importance of presentation style and strategic use of personas, helping students enhance their debate performance and prepare for higher-level competitions.

Advanced Course: Designed for competitive debaters aiming for top-level success, this course prepares students for major Canadian, American, and international tournaments. It includes intensive training tailored to specific tournaments, such as the popular Public Forum format. Students will receive personalized guidance from top coaches, focusing on high-level skills like principled argumentation, meta-debating, and effective use of examples. Entry requires a coach recommendation and a try-out session, ensuring that students are well-prepared for competitive success.

Why Choose This Course?

Championship-Level Coaching: The course is led by VDA’s champion coaches, each with over 6 years of teaching experience and more than 8 years of competitive debate experience. Their expertise ensures top-notch instruction and effective skill development.

Targeted Training: Each class includes focused debate training sessions where coaches provide personalized one-on-one feedback based on individual student performance. This tailored approach helps address specific strengths and weaknesses.

Skill-Centric Training: VDA’s curriculum emphasizes skill development rather than just debate formats. This approach equips students with the ability to compete in various debate formats and adapt to different competitive environments.

High-Level Debate Experience: Students have the opportunity to participate in international and high-level debate tournaments, honing their skills on a global stage. This exposure prepares them for top-tier competitions and real-world applications.

Comprehensive Skill Enhancement: Through in-depth training, students will improve their public speaking, argumentation, quick thinking, critical analysis, and strategic planning abilities. These skills have a significant positive impact on their academic and professional futures.

Competitive Advantage: The skills and experience gained from this course will set students apart in future debate competitions and other fields. Additionally, these competencies will enhance their university applications, providing them with a competitive edge.

Choosing this course ensures a robust and progressive learning experience, preparing students to excel in debate and beyond.