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Competitive debate prepares our students for the world in a way that few other school excercises can. While writing essays, answering questions, and reading novels can increase vocabulary and raise grades, competitive debate cultivates critical thinking skills, higher order thinking, and a level of academic spontaneity that will prepare students to face the challenges of today's competitive workplace atmosphere.

When competitively debating, students are required to rapidly process information, evaluate claims, and synthesis perspectives into a coherent and cogent counter-argument. These skills require fast paced higher order thinking- something that is often considered the marker of true understanding and learning. Classroom discussions strive to incorporate higher order thinking in order to ensure that students have fully internalized ideas, yet competitive debate, with its high pressure atmosphere, uses students' natural competitiveness to encourage the full understanding of a topic or ideas.

In order to successfully debate, a student needs to be able to incorporate a broad background of knowledge into a pointed argument. He or she also needs to be able to anticipate counter-arguments, a skill that requires an extremely elevated level of thought. Debate also requires students to practice social skills and to engage with other students on an intimate level- something that many students don't get to experience in class.

There are several national organizations that encourage competitive debate, including the National Forensics League and the NCFL. These organizations allow students in almost every state in the United States to spend weekends debating with other students from schools both near and far. Students can win prizes and even qualify for statewide and national tournaments. These groups convert debate from a rarefied activity suitable only for the uber-brainy to something much closer to a sport, encouarging aw wider cross-section of students to engage in debate.

While there are many established debate organizations, there is a place for competitive debate in the classroom as well. Students as young as 5 or 6 can partake by researching a particular topic and then putting on a debate in front of the class. These debates mix drama and sport, motivating students who otherwise may keep their distance from engagement in learning to participate and take pride in their education. This sense of owndership over learning is one of the largest predictors of future learning success- thus debate may be one of the best additions to any classroom, especially in communities that struggle from the burdens of the achievement gap.

It is clear that competitive debate can not only engage students in higher order thinking and ensure true internalization of a topic, but it can also increase social skills, critical thinking skills, and engagement in learning. If you are looking to try competitive debate as a learning tool, you may want to start with a partner acitivity, constraining the topics and resources to a small pool so that all students feel comfortable. Then, for those who are ready to take it to the next level, look into joining one of the national organizations- this will increase each and every student's academic success... so, why not try competitive debating?

Learn more about this author, Jessica Sullivan.
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