There are many benefits that students will acquire when they study and participate in debates. Debate provides experiences that are conducive to life-changing, cognitive, and presentational skills. Students receive unique educational gifts through discussion as they learn and polish skills far beyond what can be studied in any other setting. Debate helps learners to see the power of well-formed arguments and compelling evidence in action. It enables them to persuade the audience of their standpoint through various rhetorical devices. It instills in debaters a great sense of poise and confidence. It teaches them the skills of researching, organizing, and compellingly presenting information.
Students gain a broad, multi-faceted knowledge cutting across several disciplines outside the learner’s normal academic subjects through debate. It increases learners’ confidence, poise, and self-esteem and provides an engaging, active, learner-centered activity. Participating in a discussion utilizes a student’s critical thinking skills, ability to structure and organize thoughts, and enhances their analytical, research, and note-taking skills. It improves learners’ ability to form balanced, informed arguments and use reasoning and evidence, which can be used in numerous classroom situations and beyond. Ultimately, the art of debate develops effective speech composition and delivery and encourages teamwork on cooperation.
Through the study of debate, students will be more confident, more knowledgeable. More organized and retain skills that they otherwise would not have learned.