City Debate Club offers recreational debate clubs for students of all ages.
Launched in Summer 2025 with our first classes in La Mirada, California, City Debate Club aims to offer high quality speech and debate instruction to all interested in learning.
Benefits of Debate Club
-
Students will learn fundamentals of argumentation including how to construct arguments using sound logic and how to refute their opponent’s arguments.
-
Students will be taught basics of public speaking delivery including verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
-
Debate encourages students to develop their critical thinking in both constructing debate arguments and refuting their opponent’s points.
-
An often overlooked part of effective communication, debate club encourages students to listen carefully to their opponent’s arguments in order to debate them effectively.
Class Schedule
Each 10 week class will include a combination of classes and two tournaments. The first tournament, our intramural, is designed to familiarize students with the SPAR academic debate format. The Championship Tournament, held during the last week, is the culmination of the 10 week class where a Debate Club Champion will be crowned!
Week 1 - Welcome! Icebreakers
Week 2 - Intro to Argumentation
Week 3 - Public Speaking
Week 4 - SPAR Debate format
Week 5 - Intramural Competition!
Week 6 - Advanced Refutation
Week 7 - Critical Thinking
Week 8 - Judging
Week 9 - Workshop / Practice
Week 10 - Championship Tournament
Class Structure
Each 90 minute class features:
Warmup Activities
Instruction in Core Debate Concepts
Snack Break
Debating!
Led by expert debate coaches, each class is engaging, tailored to individual student needs, and fun! Students will learn the fundamentals of debating, public speaking, and critical thinking over the course of the 10 week program. Each class ends with debates to help students apply what they have learned.
