Civispeak Debate Academy
Hello! I'm Bani Kaur Rawal and I'm the founder and instructor of Civispeak Debate Academy! Civispeak Debate Academy is a free program I've created for middle school students who are curious about debate or just getting started. Whether you're eager to dive in or simply exploring the idea, this course is designed to build your confidence—not only in debate, but also in everyday skills like classroom communication, presentation, and negotiation.
More about Civispeak
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Our focus is on Public Forum Debate, a team-based style where pairs of students argue both sides of a topic (called a resolution). This format emphasizes structured argumentation, persuasive speaking, and live cross-examination, making it a dynamic and accessible introduction to the world of debate.
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Classes are held as 40-minute Zoom group sessions, with fun drills and activities to keep learning engaging. The tenth class is a tournament so it will be around 2-3 hours. You’ll be paired with a debate partner from within the class of up to 32 students, working together throughout the course to develop your skills.
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The full program runs for 10 days—with 9 days of instruction followed by a tournament on the final day where students put their skills into action. All participants will receive a certificate of participation, and additional certificates will be given for outstanding speakers and top teams.
Check out the schedule for the program below!
To see the current available timings for my class and register, click here!
Registration will close once the group reaches a maximum capacity of 32 students.
The Fall session dates will be published after the Summer session concludes
10-DAY COURSE DETAILS
2
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Argument brainstorming​
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How to research
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What evidence appeals to the Judge
4
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How to successfully do a rebuttal speech
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What are blocks?
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Crossfire
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Extemporaneous speaking
6
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​​Final Focus
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How to condense final focus
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How to effectively use prep time
8
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Effective speaking
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Breakdown of speaker points
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Debate etiquette
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Paradigms
10
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Tournament day!
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Closing remarks
1
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Introduction to public forum debate
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Format of public forum​
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How to effectively write a speech
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Release of practice topic
3
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​​​Cutting down on evidence
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Understanding impact of arguments
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Piecing the arguments together
5
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​Summary speeches
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Weighing
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How to condense summary
7
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Off-time roadmaps
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Flowing
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Working with partners on contentions
9
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​​How debate tournaments work
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Breakout rooms and direct feedback from me!
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Final prep work for tournament
