THE DEBATE

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. discuss the importance of debate in everyday life;
2. identify and exhibit the different skills involved in being a good debater; and
3. recognize the different types of debate and their structures.

TYPES OF DEBATE
You may not be aware of it but you use debates even in your daily activities. You hear people
argue in different domains--home, school, office, market, church, and in the government. This is
so because a debate, loosely defined, involves the exchange of opposing ideas or arguments. A
debate, which is carried out in a formal manner, usually takes place in a public meeting. The
exchange of arguments follows a certain procedure or a set of rules and has a definite format.

There are two types of debate: the formal and the informal.
Formal debates are held in formal settings such as in school, in the House of Representatives, and in the
Senate. Debaters come prepared, equipped with the knowledge they need to be able to reason out
effectively. A topic is debated upon and the debaters listen to the arguments raised by the other debaters
from which they build their arguments and argue their position.

informal debates, on the other hand, do not follow strictly a structure.. While there are also two sides - the
affirmative and the negative—it takes place anywhere and does not have to involve two teams. It may
take place between two or more people, arguing for or against a certain issue. An example would be two
friends deciding, where to eat their lunch for the day.

SKILLS NEEDED IN DEBATE

You need all the language macro-skills to be an effective debater. The productive and receptive skills
work together and are not independent of each other. Certainly, these skills should go with critical thinking
especially since listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing can only be successful if practiced with
critical thinking. As you listen, speak, and read, you also need to take down notes so note-taking is
imperative.

READING
For you to become a successful debater, you should be a wide reader. Sir Francis Bacon once said: "Reading
maketh a full man, writing an exact man." What does this mean? From what angle or perspective can you explain this
quote?

Many say that through reading, you can visit places, experience other cultures, and learn new things. In fact, if you
read extensively, you are able to look at things differently. Your knowledge of things is not restricted to a single
perspective but to many. You are able to weigh things more objectively because you have gained a deeper
understanding of life. Such is the beauty of being a book lover or a passionate reader.

SPEAKING
Your being a voracious reader or a bookworm will certainly manifest itself in the way you speak. You never run out of
thoughts and words once you are asked on a certain topic. The knowledge you have gained from reading can
manifest in your wide vocabulary and in a distinct use of a speaking style that can change the minds of your listeners,
sway and win them over to your side.

When you speak, always remember that you should articulate your thoughts very well, pronounce clearly the words
you utter, use the appropriate rate and volume, speak with grammatical accuracy, maintain the correct bearing or
poise, and employ non-verbal code such as gestures, facial expression, and movement.
WRITING
It is in the writing skill where the 'making of a full man' is achieved. Reading and writing are skills that go together. As
a passionate reader, you increase your vocabulary significantly. You are able to express in writing your full
understanding of yourself, the world you are in, your views about life, and your perspectives of people. But you
become only a full man if you are able to adjust to the needs of the time and are mindful of your shared responsibility
to help improve other people's lives.

LISTENING
Though not usually emphasized, listening is equally important as the other skills. Thus, it should not be taken for
granted. Just like reading and writing, listening and speaking go together. In a debate, if you do not listen carefully to
the arguments of your colleagues and the members of the opposing team, you cannot build on your teammate's
arguments and refute convicingly the claims of the other team, respectively. Jimmy Hendrix once said: "Knowledge
speaks but wisdom listens." Indeed, this is true. For aside from reading, it is only through listening intently that you
are able to gain knowledge and wisdom. It is also through listening that you are able to show respect to others.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

freely and Steinberg (2014) in their book Argumentation and Debate: Critical Thirking for Reasoned Decision Making
define ethics as “'a set of constructs that guide our decision making by providing standards of behavior telling us how
we ought to act”

However, they have added different ways of conceptualizing ethics as follows:

1. Ethics may be thought of as a complex foundation of morally based rules, as might be adhered to within a
culture of a group.

2. Ethics may provide specific guidelines for individuals or groups engaged in similar activities or with
occupational concerns, for example, business ethics or sportsmanship.

3. Ethics may characterize the way people think of themselves and the self-applied measures for right behavior
based in personality or experience which guide them to virtuous or appropriate behavior.

4. Ethics may construct a general or universal set of values, guiding a broader understanding about the human
condition born of philosophical commitment, constructs, and motives.

Debates, therefore, question issues of right and wrong including the applications of standards of ethics. At
times, people also find themselves challenging their own ethical standards. It is difficult to assume that
just because a debater sees something to be unacceptable, then it really is. Assumptions lead to poor
arguments and poor decision-making. Remember that people have differing chical assumptions about this
world. They have different ways of
viewing things.

It is essential not to make sweeping statements when laying down arguments as these may pave the way
for the opposing team to questions the claim.

DRESS AND APPEARANCE

You should be mindful of how you look in a formal debate.

Your appearance is just as important as the paralinguistic cues (tone of voice, speed and breathing,
pronunciation, articulation, pauses, and punctuation) and avoid doing non-verbal behavior. If you are a
female speaker, wear a business attire that will make you look respectable. Do not wear colors that are
ostentatiously (seeking attract attention) attractive. Very high-heeled shoes and flat shoes should also be
avoided. Instead, wear heels that are manageable, for example, 1½ to 2 inches. Make-up and jewelry
should also be worn conservatively.

For males, you also need to wear business attire, avoiding loud colors. Should you wear a coat and tie,
do not wear a tie that comes in flashy or glaring colors. You should be able to match your inner clothes
with your outer clothes. Do not wear large ornaments. Your nails should be cut, hair well-combed, and
shoes neatly-polished.

Debate is a valuable activity for students of all abilities. Debate teaches skills that are useful to
other academic pursuits and life in general. Debaters, most obviously, gain confidence in public
speaking and expressing their ideas eloquently. Improve your oral and written communication
skills. Improve your critical thinking abilities. Create effective research, organization, and
presentation tools. Develop strategies to overcome public speaking fears.  By applying the four
skills, debate helps students improve their skills in public speaking and boosts their confidence.
It also helps to broaden one's knowledge of various topics. It also aids in the development of
critical thinking skills and the ability to think quickly about arguments.