Do you relish a juicy dispute? A fiery exchange? Do your neurons fire in delight when you’re challenged to take a stance for issues you believe in?

If so, then come put your persuasive skills to the test while practicing your English at weekly sessions of the Debate Club for Teenagers. You can expect a lively debate with our hosts providing some constructive judgement! The debate sessions take place every Monday at 6:30-8:00 p.m. MSK on Zoom.

What is debate?

While the concept may sound fancy, debate is essentially a structured form of arguing. It serves as an excellent platform for enhancing your proficiency in English. The Debate Club will provide you with the opportunity to develop compelling arguments on relevant topics while defending your stance against opposing views. The AMC Debate Club is governed by rules that ensure everyone has a productive exchange of ideas.

The debate typically involves two teams arguing in favor (PROS) or against (CONS) a given topic. During each session of debate club, each participant will have the opportunity to play one of four distinct roles:

Speaker 1:

Role: “Persuasive Pioneer”

The Persuasive Pioneer’s task is to craft a captivating introduction for the team, setting the stage for a compelling presentation. This role involves shining a spotlight on the team’s perspective and delivering a memorable opening statement that instantly captures the audience’s attention.

Speaker 2:

Role: “Architect of Arguments”

The Architect of Arguments takes on the responsibility of constructing a detailed overview of the team’s main arguments. The Architect of Arguments will present the core points and provide supporting evidence which the rest of the team will use to build their case. This role is pivotal in establishing a well-organized and strongly substantiated argument.

Speaker 3:

Role: “Craftsman of Counterpoints”

The Craftsman of Counterpoints’ role centers on listening attentively to the opposing team’s arguments and crafting counterarguments to challenge those points effectively. This role demands meticulous analysis and quick thinking to address the vulnerabilities in the opposing team’s stance.

Speaker 4:

Role: “Maestro of Summaries”

The Maestro of Summaries plays a crucial role as the closing speaker. This role involves summarizing all of the arguments presented by the team throughout the debate thus far. This role is pivotal in ensuring that the team’s presentation concludes on a high note and leaves a lasting positive impression on the audience.

Participating in the Debate Club will provide you with a holistic learning experience as you rotate through different roles, enabling you to refine various communication skills such as persuasive speaking, critical thinking, and effective summarization. By engaging in debates, you will not only develop a better command of the language but also enhance your ability to construct well-structured arguments and respond to opposing viewpoints respectfully and coherently.

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These weekly sessions are best suited for teenagers and young adults with Pre-Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate level of English. Previous debating experience is not required, however, participants are expected to be able to clearly express their thoughts in English and to defend their point of view using persuasive arguments.

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ВСЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ АМЕРИКАНСКОГО ЦЕНТРА В МОСКВЕ БЕСПЛАТНЫ

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This session is hosted on Zoom, so if you are interested in joining, please create a Zoom account beforehand. When registering below, please submit your valid email address to receive a link to the class Zoom meeting 30 minutes before the session begins.

To join other AMC Online programs, please check the American Center’s website and TimePad calendars.

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