by Ray Fauteux

Created on: November 15, 2008   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

Debating is far different from most other competitions. Normally, any sort of competition will bring out the best in most people. However, competitive debating might be one of the most challenging forms of competition there is. At least most people might look at it that way when they are asked to step into the debate arena.

Next to death, the one thing most adults seem to fear most is public speaking. For that reason alone, using debate as a teaching tool might well be the most valuable learning experience a child could take into adulthood.

It takes confidence and self-esteem to be able to stand up in front of others and be the center of attention. When you are speaking to an audience, whether it's an audience of 5 or 500, "you" are the focal point, and that's why so many people feel stressed if they have to speak in public. Debating, or public speaking of any kind, is a learned skill and repeating the process over and over will eventually instill the necessary skills into a student that will make speaking in front of others feel more natural.

Like most things in life, if confidence and skill is instilled in the early, formative years of a person's life, it's much easier to carry that skill and knowledge forward into the adult years. It's true in a physical sense when it comes to sports and it's also true when it comes to academics and intellect.

There are also several other advantages to using debate as a teaching tool.

First of all, it requires the student to study and research the topic that will be debated. That requirement alone is invaluable as well because though necessity, a student learns the proper way to research a topic and that is something that will help in other areas of school work.

A student also learns how to consider both sides of a debate. In order to be able to debate it's necessary to consider both the "pro" and "con" aspects of the subject that is being debated. Just the process of researching a subject is helping that student learn more about life in general. Without the opportunity to debate, that same student most likely would never have had the opportunity to find out as much about the particular subject that is being discussed.

For example, what if a student were involved in a debate about the benefits and harm of computer games? Just by it's nature, the process of preparing debate, whether it's pro or con, is sure to give the student more insight into the benefits and pitfalls of computer gaming. Most likely that same student will learn things about computer gaming that he would never have been exposed to if not for the debate on the subject.

Debating is a great teaching tool because it can be fun, challenging, informative, and educational all at the same time.

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