Debating and Public Speaking

Debating and Public Speaking

Year 5 to Year 12

At MLC School we believe the ability to speak confidently and eloquently in front of an audience is a core skill that will prepare our students for life.

We offer students the opportunity to participate in competitive debating as well as public speaking competitions. Coaching is provided by experienced professionals and our students have achieved great success in both areas. Debating develops students’ confidence, respect for others, sense of timing and structure as well as their ability to present a persuasive argument and knowledge of current affairs topics.

MLC School participates in three debating competitions the Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) competition (Year 6 to Year 12), the Friday Evening Debating (FED) competition (Year 7 to Year 12) and the Archdale Shield (Year 7 to Year 12), competing against other boys’ and girls’ schools across Sydney. Girls who are selected for the competition teams participate in weekly training sessions with experienced and successful debating coaches.

Students who aren’t selected are invited to join the Sydney Schools Debating competition (SSD), which provides an opportunity to receive coaching, debate online every Friday and have a greater chance of success at future trials.

Trials for the ISDA and FED competitions take place around Week 8 of Term 4 (the year prior) for Year 8 to Year 12, and Week 2 of Term 1 for Year 6 and Year 7, and are open to all interested students. Information about the trials is included in the weekly newsletter.

Trials for the Archdale Shield competition take place at the start of Term 2 and are open to all students who have participated in debating activities during Term 1. The trials are convened by our Debating Coordinator with support from our team coaches.

Many MLC School students participate in debating over several years and there is also opportunities for Senior students to help coach and mentor younger students new to debating. With the assistance of the Debating Coordinator and coaching staff, Senior students interested in improving their leadership skills can do so by sharing their debating experience with junior teams.

The MLC School Debating Program strives for excellence and expects a high level of commitment from its debaters. Students in competitive teams are expected to attend all scheduled training sessions and must inform their coach in advance of any absences. Only four team members take part in each debate, and team members rotate (under the direction of their coach) to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to speak. However, all team members are expected to attend home debates in order to support their fellow debaters and provide assistance to the Debating Coordinator and coaches.

During preliminary rounds where the debate venue is more easily reached by train, students will travel by public transport, under staff supervision for the Middle Years. For schools not close to public transport a bus will be provided to transport students to away debate venues, supervised by our Debating Coordinators or a member of staff.

In the finals rounds, participating teams are usually expected to make their own way to the debate venue (unless there are a large number of teams participating, in which case a bus will be provided).

In all cases, parents/carers are expected to collect their daughter from the debate venue promptly after the debate is finished (they are also very welcome to arrive early to watch the debate).

Debating is a pay per term co-curricular activity at MLC School. Students who trial for a competition team and are selected for FED or ISDA will receive a link for their parents to register and pay online for Term 1 debating. Term 2 and Term 3 fees will be automatically added to term fees. This includes the student’s competition fees, personal and small group coaching and participation in weekly debates. Each team of five students receives coaching for 1.5– 2 hours every Wednesday plus coaching before each competitive debate. Their coach attends every debate and provides feedback to each student afterwards.  Debating is a nine-week activity for Term 1 and Term 2.

Students who trial and are successful in selection for the Archdale competition will start halfway through Term 2 (when students will still be doing either FED or ISDA). Term 3 payments will be for the Archdale competition and will be a nine-week activity.

During Term 4, MLC School will run an internal Debating tournament in the British Parliamentary style where students register to compete in pairs against teams from other Year groups. There is a cost associated with this nine-week term activity.

Year 8 FED Debating Grand Final
Debating_Senior Debaters

Debating and Public Speaking Programs

Archdale Debating (Year 7 to Year 12)

Debates are held Tuesday evenings from 4pm to 8pm at MLC School and various other competing girls’ schools.

 

Training for Middle Years teams occurs Wednesday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm and Tuesday evenings before the debate. The Senior Teams train Wednesday 4.30pm to 6.30pm and Tuesday evenings before the debate.

 

Term 2
 
Week 2 Trials for Archdale
Week 4 Archdale competition begins

 

Term 3
 
Week 8 Archdale Grand Final

 

Coordinator: Andrea Rowe
Cost: Competition debating is a pay by term activity.
Enrolment: Students who have participated in either FED or ISDA can register to trial for a place in Archdale teams, Trials for Year 7 to Year 12 take place in Term 2 Week 2 .  Students and parents will be notified by email if their daughter has been successful in the trials and there will be a cost associated with this activity.

 

FED and ISDA Debating 2024 (Year 6 to Year 12)

FED and ISDA Competition Debating Teams are selected by invitation.

If you wish your daughter to participate in debating and public speaking and she has not been selected for a competitive team please enrol her in our weekly oratory classes here.

At MLC School we believe the ability to speak confidently and eloquently in front of an audience is a core skill that will prepare our students for life. We offer students the opportunity to participate in competitive debating as well as public speaking competitions. Coaching is provided by experienced professionals and our students have achieved great success in both areas. Debating develops students’ confidence, respect for others, sense of timing and structure, as well as their ability to present a persuasive argument and knowledge of current affairs topics.

MLC School competes in three debating competitions; the Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) competition (Year 6 to Year 12), the Friday Evening Debating (FED) competition (Year 7 to Year 12) and the Archdale Shield (Year 7 to Year 12), competing against other boys’ and girls’ schools all across Sydney. Girls who are selected for the competitive teams participate in weekly training sessions with experienced and successful debating coaches. Students who aren’t selected are invited to join the Sydney Schools Debating competition (SSD), which provides an opportunity to receive coaching, debate online every Friday and have a greater chance of success at future trials.

 
Term 1 2024 Schedule
Week 2
Wednesday 7 February 2024

ISDA and FED training begins
Week 3
Friday 16 February 2024
ISDA and FED competitions begin
 

 Term 2 2024 Schedule

Week 5 – Commencing
Friday 24 May 2024

FED Grand Final

Week 6 – Commencing
Friday 14 June 2024

ISDA Grand Final

FED and ISDA Competitions (Term 1 and Term 2)

Debates Friday evenings 3.30pm–9pm at MLC School and other schools around Sydney.

Training
Junior/Middle Years Teams:
 Wednesday 3.30pm–4.30pm and Friday evenings before the debate
Senior Teams: Wednesday 4.30pm–6.30pm and Friday evenings before the debate

Coordinator: Andrea Rowe
Places Available: 80 students
Time: Training Wednesdays 3.30-pm-4pm, 4.30pm-6.30pm. Debates Fridays 3.30pm-9pm.
Location: Training Senior Centre. Debates at MLC School and other schools in the Sydney region.
There is a cost associated with this activity
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator.

IPSHA Debating Course (Year 5 and Year 6)

The IPSHA debating competition is a fantastic introduction to competitive debating for younger students. The competition follows a home and away structure, and two teams will compete each week, one taking the affirmative and one the negative. 

 

The competition uses a prepared format. Students will meet for training one morning a week and lunchtime when required, however, students prepare the main elements of their speeches with their team at lunch time and at home.

 

At the end of the year, selected debaters will be chosen to participate in a IPSHA debating Gala day. This is a fun day of debating and learning from others. 

 

Coordinator: Jan Falls
Debates: Term 2 and Term 3 fortnightly debates
Training: Weekly meeting during Term 2 and Term 3 (day and time mutually agreed between students and coach)
Location: Year 6 Studio
Enrolment: Students complete an Expression of Interest form during Term 1 and are then invited to attend trials. Students will be selected by the coach. Please note: Priority will be given to Year 6 students who are not taking part in the Senior School ISDA debating competition.

Oratory Classes – Skills Development (Year 5 to Year 12)

In 2024 MLC School is offering a program for Public Speaking. This class is open for any student to join. Oratory classes will run during Term 1 to Term 3 in 2024 and it is assumed students will continue every term unless their parents email the coordinator advising of the student’s withdrawal form class, before Week 8, at the end of each term.

Enrol via the MLC School payments page here

  • Junior Oratory Classes (Year 5 to Year 8) will run weekly on Thursday afternoons from 3.30pm-4.30pm.
  • Senior Oratory Class (Year 9 to Year 12) will also run weekly on Thursday from 4.30pm-6pm

These classes are open to students in Year 5 to Year 12 who are interested in improving their public speaking and/or debating skills, including those who did not make a competition debating team. The classes will be divided into small groups and coaches will be experienced public speakers and debaters. There will be separate Year 5, Year 6 and Junior (Year 7 to Year 8) classes depending on student numbers. The emphasis will be on training students in public speaking in all its forms. Students will later be selected from this group to compete in public speaking competitions throughout the year such as Rostrum, Plain English, Legacy, UN Voice NSW and the IGSA Festival of Speech. 

Students will have the opportunity to practise their speaking and speech writing skills in a supportive environment where all skill levels will be catered for. This includes students who aim to improve their ability to speak in front of a school class, those who would like to compete in front of a larger audience and aspiring debaters who want to try and make a competition team.

Coordinator: Andrea Rowe
Places available: 30
Time: Thursday 3.30pm-4.30pm (Junior), 4.30pm-6pm (Senior)
Location: Senior Centre, Ground floor
There is a cost associated with this activity.
Enrolment: Enrol via the MLC School Payments Site here