A Quick Recap...

Hi,

We hope you enjoyed your introduction to debating.

For the sake of recollection, we had discussed the importance of understanding how language developed and how you can use it in conversation to help you get what you want. In this spirit, we discussed euphemisms, analogies, associative devices, so on and so forth. Subsequently, we explored logic as a means of thinking through the opinions we often hold without examining them in entirety. We debated whether the members of parliament or the members of civil society were better suited to draft the Lokpal Bill to tackle the menace of corruption. In doing so, you were able to appreciate the assumptions that belie arguments and the importance of establishing a link between cause and effect. We wrapped up the lecture sessions with a module on perspectives to understand that the form and importance of an argument were direct consequences of whose interest was being served (like that of the individual versus the government in the example on conscription).

In the following session, we familiarized you with the rules of the Asian style of Parliamentary Debating, followed at both the Asian & Worlds Schools Debating Championships and conducted a demonstration with active participation from you and your classmates!

Come this first week of November, we are hosting the first tournament of this kind in India for you and your peers. Have no fears, for two days before the commencement of the tournament, we will be conducting intensive workshops designed to welcome you into the world of debating.  One the first day, we wish to cover three main themes – the development of arguments, breaking down arguments and general strategy. However, because of space constraints, we are asking your school to send only twelve students, spread across all the batches, to these workshops. We will appoint a mentor for each school, so that all of you will have a senior to look up to and guide you through the activity.

On the second day, we will hold a practice session and hold selections for students of each school, reducing the size of each school contingent to six students per school. These six students will form two teams and take part in a grueling contest over the next two days. There will be five rounds of debating over two days, with speeches each lasting a maximum of five minutes. After the conclusion of these five rounds, the top eight teams from the pool of thirty-six teams will make it to the quarters. After this stage, teams that lose will be knocked out, as with any other sporting activity.

We will wrap up the evening with a scrumptious dinner and a meeting with your teacher-representatives, where we will take feedback and present a plan to them to make our association more long-lasting, with us setting up a community of debaters in your school.

If you have any ideas, suggestions, grievances or absolutely anything at all, do write to us at nlsdebatejunior@gmail.com

Warm Regards,

Team NLSD Junior