Confidence and strength are a natural outcome of primary students participating in age appropriate debating.

Ask the parents and teachers of students who get involved in primary school debating about the changes they see in confidence and strength in the young person they know.
Having the experience of age appropriate debating at primary school really builds useful skills.  We focus on the team skills, there is a bit of freedom to be yourself and in spite of the work involved, we explore and have fun.

There is nothing like tackling something challenging for building self esteem. Breaking it down into steps and using a template initially means even those with some writing lags can have their say and enjoy it.  They want more and engaging with writing is worth it to get out and wow the crowds.

Many young people have wonderful comic talents and natural ad-lib skills.  Here at last is a place where they get to shine without disrupting everyone else’s learning.  Yes, you have to learn some things are not suitable to joke about if you want to be convincing, but stunned silence is a great teacher.

Age appropriate Debating

Good fun topics and  team learning works well for many students.

GOZONE Debating has made debating  age appropriate by awarding teams for the level of achievement on the night in place of having only 1 “winner”.

We use adjudicators that can highlight what was done well and offer a few points to improve without excessive criticism.

All schools- all stars debating at St Thomas Hall open to any Year 5, 6 or 7 student.  We are looking for a North of the river school to host another All Schools class and gain some discounted places for their students in exchange.

Enrolment forms are available at right. Choose the drop down and click on your school to print out the form you need.

Anyone can attend our Year 5, 6 and 7 Debating classes at St Thomas Primary School in Claremont next year.  Students from all local schools can come along, bring a friend and learn the basics of debating in a good fun class.

Wait a minute…..define that term – Anyone.  By anyone we mean any student in Year 5, 6 or 7 in Western Australia who wants to learn about debating.

Sorry mums and dads, this class isn’t for you.

Thursdays 3;30-4:45 at St Thomas Primary Hall.  $110 which includes 7-8 sessions, Handbook and In-house Debate

You work in a team and they support you.  So, it isn’t so scary to speak out about your topic.  We argue about everything – well lots of different topics.

Send me an email if you’re interested. lesli@debating.net.au

 

Lesli Grant  0403 266 374

We are looking for a school in the Northern suburbs to be an after-school debating host.  We offer a discount to students attending that school in exchange for using a hall or library to host an All-Stars class open to other primary school students in the area.

GOZONE Debating finishes the year with very close Grand Final Debates. Four Schools competed this year: Loreto-Nedlands Primary, PLC Junior School,  St Hilda’s Junior School and  St Thomas Primary,

One Year 5 Team from Loreto-Nedlands received the highest award for their debate – Platinum.  Amazing work Alistair Carter, Seth Naples and Tomas Petersen. To quote the adjudicator ” Many excellent points with “scads” of research- rare use of personal anecdote was skilful.”

Reigning champions Loreto Nedlands (4 years in #1 position) were finally challenged by St Hilda’s Junior School. They take over  the top spot by the smallest of margins with the best award average for 2013.

St Hilda’s Team: Photo 1 the retiring Year 6 team members: Sammy Lee, Priyal Patel, Paris Chisholm, Grace Wiese, Natasha Moschetti(front) Isabella Di Giovanni (back), Flossie Rogers.                                             Photo 1

Photo 2  India Creed, Bethany Newton, Akaashi Paul.

Winning team members not shown:  Lilly Kelly,
Sioban Collins and Lily Somerville.  Congratulations to all St Hilda’s team members for an excellent performance and hard work through 2013.

A huge thank you to Loreto-Nedlands Primary for their generous hosting throughout the year.  We congratulate their teams on their excellent performance during the year.

Your coach was very impressed with you all, as you all stepped up on the night to shine.  There were  many Gold Awards and some of you were jangling with more than one award for the night!

Special thanks to teachers and parents for their tremendous support.

Lesli Grant, GOZONE Debating owner/coach

The term 3 topics for GOZONE Debating’s Interschool Debates are:

That you can be happy with what you have.

That children should use mobile phones

That pocket money should be earned

That drawing is better than writing.*

* Thanks to a student at KIDS Open Learning School for this wonderful topic.

“Better than” arguments require debaters to decide what will be compared. For this topic the most obvious point of comparison would be communicating, but what kind of communication?

Early communication with babies?  Conveying complex home designs?  Showing people from different cultures where to go for common places like toilets?  Applying for a job?

History brings up some interesting ideas- which comes first drawing or writing?  How does that make one better than the other?

What about “fun to do”, most children are happy to amuse themselves making marks with textas or pencils, but ask them to write and …….. I hope you enjoy writing a debate about this!

Debate nights are coming up fast, finish creating your debate in plenty of time to allow time to rehearse and create palm cards with dot points this term.  Talk to the audience instead of reading.

Lesli Grant, coach

 

 

GOZONE Debating is excited to announce we have a new school entering our Inter-school Debates this term.  Welcome to John Wollaston Community College.   We hope they have as much fun as we do and win some great awards for their efforts.

Term 2 Debates will soon be upon us.  These are the topics we are arguing this term:

That we have run out of frontiers to explore                     

That it is harder to be the youngest child

That Australia is a unique place to visit

That plants are better than animals

Yes, I know that first one is a real challenge for the affirmative but think about costs…! What was the historical pattern for exploring a frontier? Can we follow that model now?  Would we get away with claiming a colony anywhere today?  We have teams ready to argue this, so sit up and enjoy what they discover !

Fixtures/schedules will be up soon – Details of your debate

Have fun and win a certificate for it!

Lesli Grant

 

We provide teaching, handbooks, a DVD and adjudication for primary school students in the areas of public speaking and debating.

Many schools have an ongoing Public speaking or Debating program with us over the year.  New schools are choosing to have an introductory Quick start program and then either join in our competition or use the skills in the way most suitable for their school or area. 

Enrollment form in drop down on right – ENROLLMENTS.  Click on your school and print out the form you need.

Contact Lesli Grant (08 9258 8159) Perth Metropolitan Area.  If you are a country teacher and would like to start Debating in your school, make contact and see how our materials could get you started.

 

2013 Debate Schedule

Term 1- In-house Debates within schools teams. 

Term 2 & 3 Inter-school debates – Schools can enter as many teams as they wish in an Inter-school debate night.  Topics and date TBC

Term 4 Grand Final Debates with Certificates, Medallions

and School names on a Perpetual Trophy.

 

 

Topics for Term 1:

That real books are best

That we should wear free dress to school

That junk mail should be banned

That people have become lazy

Attention all parents of 6-12 year olds.  An exciting school holiday program is available south of the river at Murdoch College in January 2013.

I attach the flier and course details here.  Some of you already know Saani Bennetts, the organiser.  She has been offering a range of services to children and parents in the home schooling network in Western Australia.

Quest Lifelearning Holiday Extension Programs offer interactive and dynamic workshops where students who love learning can come together and enjoy the company of other enthusiastic, talented and creative learners.
Workshops cover three major areas of focus;
Visual and Performing Arts
Science and Technology
Life, Communication and Culture
Areas of focus are expanded upon throughout the year and subsequent workshops continue building skills in specific streams of interest.

DATES & TIMES
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The January Program will run daily from the 14th to the 18th January, 2012. All workshops run from 9am-3 pm.
LOCATION
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
All Holiday Extension program workshops are held at Murdoch College, Campus Drive.

Have a look at the flier:

Jan 2013 Flyer DL 

Find out about Saani and the many other things she offers parents  at www.questlife.com.au
For further enquiries, please contact
Saani Bennetts: quest@questlife.com.au
or Kirsty MacDonald: 0458 278 785

A warm invitation to the 2012 Grand Final Debates

Wednesday 28 November 2012 starting at 6pm.

Loreto-Nedlands Primary School

69 Webster Street Nedlands WA

Upstairs Year 5 & 6 classrooms follow signs

Topics:

That sugar is dangerous

That plastic is better than paper

That children can change the world

That school children should be in bed by 8pm

 

Check the details of your debate and follow the drop down menus to view the details of your debate.

Find the page where your debate is listed and then choose just that page to print.  See steps below with Term 3 debates.

 

Wednesday 19 September 6pm start.

Inter-school Debates for Term 3

That babies have the best life

That the Olympics are a waste of money

That home cooking is better than takeaway

That music is better than sport

St Hilda’s Anglican Girl’s School- Chidley Campus

Upstairs, Year 5 classrooms.

McCabe Street,  Mosman Park, Western Australia

Look up your room at “Details of your debate” on the right of your screen.  All rooms will be near to each other at this venue.  Signs will direct you.

There will be four rooms of debating at the same time.  Each room will have 3 or 4 debates in a row.  After a brief pause, feedback and certificates will be given out for the debates held in that room only.

Students debating in more than one room should return to their first room at the end of the debates and then move to their second room afterwards.  If you can collect your awards tonight, that would be best.  If you cannot stay, Awards will be forwarded to your school debating coordinator or to the reception area of your school.

If you have overlaps with other activities, please email, text or phone as soon as possible.  It may be possible to schedule your debate earlier or later to assist.

Lesli Grant

lesli@debating.net.au

0403 266 374

To Access the Debating Fixtures: (programs)

SCROLL DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE TO View the details of your debate and click

Select the Term and year.

Scroll down the page to your school.

Click on “View Debate”  and a printable fixture of the evening will appear.

Tick the number for each room displayed and they should appear.

Locate your debater, note the room number.

Untick all but the room you want.

Select Print

GOZONE Debating would love to see all children learning to speak up and express their ideas.  If they can also learn to listen to others, we have the basis for creating a new way of negotiating rather than fighting to establish the kind of world we want.

Create more challenge

Debating does not have to be an elite sport, everyone can give it a try and improve their speaking ability.  Start young while its fun.

My experience has shown that nothing motivates children like a challenge and clear steps to reach success.  Are students being challenged enough?

Shame about uneven development

When your verbal ability and your ideas are developing faster than your writing, embarrassment can really undermine your progress.  Being a clown or causing a disruption is much safer than letting your peers see that your letters look like chicken scratch foraging free range above and below the lines!!

Our colleague in the UK, Gareth Malone detailed these and other  issues this year with his Extraordinary School for Boys series on the BBC.  Some boys begin withdrawing and giving up at school at this early stage.

Uneven development can discourage and make students feel stupid. Starting with a verbal challenge which focuses on ideas, bravado, imagination, and gift of the gab which most year 5 and 6’s possess in abundance- short circuits this awkward gap.

Action, teamwork, gift of the gab       What’s this now??

Once everyone starts brainstorming arguments with their team and jotting down key words- even pictures to help them remember their ideas, handwriting woes seem less important.  Its worth the risk to have the opportunity to speak out and be SEEN and HEARD!!

Try it out for yourself, just in a small way, with one topic…..

That Junior Masterchef is exploiting children

That the Olympics are a waste of money

That cats are the best pets…..

What is a controversy at your school?

You won’t believe how much more fun you have with your learning…How engaged everyone is……How amazed the parents are at what their children can do.

Debating….just give it a try.

There are Handbooks and a DVD to get you started under resources at your right.