Beginners, WNDI

BENEFITS OF DEBATE
Debate is a fantastic activity. You’ll improve your communication, research, organization, and presentation skills. You learn to disagree without getting angry. You’ll learn how to be effective in discussions. You’ll learn to deal with fears of speaking. You’ll improve your critical thinking skills. Debate is an amazingly powerful educational activity; it will involve you more than any class you have ever taken. Debate will prepare you for college and a life of greater success.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTION
At the WNDI, you will learn step by step. Our philosophy is to help you master each key skill to effective debating. You’ll learn the issues and how to construct a case. Our staff will work with you to prepare and present your case. You’ll get encouraging feedback. You’ll learn how to refute arguments and you’ll practice doing that. You’ll continue through each important aspect of effective debating using an 18 year tested method of instruction that has produced National Debate Tournament Champions and, most important, has made learning active and fun!

ENCOURAGING ATMOSPHERE
At WNDI, we support you. We know it takes courage to speak and we know the effort you’ll put into making your arguments. We understand students who are nervous about speaking; students who have strong opinions that they want to express; and students who want to learn how to organize their thoughts and express them effectively. At WNDI, we will work one-on-one with you to realize your goals in a supportive environment.

SMALL LABS
For most of your day, you work in a small lab interacting one-on-one with one or two of our staff members. You will NOT get lost in huge labs and lecture halls. Our staff are people who care about working with you to make you the best that you can be.

PRACTICE WITH FEEDBACK
You will practice each key part of debating one-on-one with a supportive staff member. You’ll also engage in multiple debates where you will get the help you need to be effective and the feedback to improve. If you choose the three-week program, you engage in additional drills to meet your specific needs.

POLICY, LD, or PUBLIC FORUM?
Which one should you sign up for?
--Ask your coach
--If your high school does Policy, we recommend signing up for the 2 week Policy program.
--If your high school does LD, we recommend signing up for the 2 week LD program.
--If your high school does Public Forum or you don’t have a coach, we recommend signing up for Public Forum.