Since Cicero, the art of persuasion has become more and more valuable in our society. Unfortunately, the country is headed in the opposite direction, with most Americans agreeing that discourse has grown to be too toxic.
Fortunately, we can prepare the next generation to break from this and understand the importance of debate in society. They can even start young. Let’s talk about the benefits of debate for students.
9 Benefits of Debate for Students
In order to understand the importance of debate, you should understand what it is. Debate teams and clubs throughout the academic world have been used for over a century to facilitate healthy discourse among students.
In these programs, students will learn to collaborate with peers in order to conduct research, expand their understanding, develop their public speaking skills, draw conclusions on well-researched topics, and engage in a constructive debate with peers from opposing teams. Essentially, it’s playing sports for your academic, as opposed to athletic, capabilities.
While there are many benefits of debating that is unique to each student, here are some of the most important benefits that students will receive from their participation in such a program.
#1: Gaining New Perspectives
When students engage in healthy discourse, they learn to understand other people’s positions. While they may not agree or accept these positions, they learn to constructively engage in discourse rather than dismiss ideas completely.
Consequently, this has a side effect of eventually adopting new mindsets, values, moral principles, and ideas into the minds of students who are preparing for the world. If it weren’t for healthy discussion, they might not have otherwise gained these perspectives.
Even with ideas that students will never accept, students will still learn to see the world through other lenses when pondering new ideas, providing them with insights they otherwise may not have.
#2: Challenging Critical Thinking Skills
Few activities develop a philosophical mind and spirit quite like a debate. Healthy discourse encourages students to view problems from every angle, understand the roots of the problem, and learn more about a problem before drawing conclusions.
These skills are very valuable in the working world across every industry and will have positive effects throughout their personal development and everyday lives.
If you’ve ever played “devil’s advocate” in your own mind, you know how important that is to expand your understanding of the world. If you’re not used to that, you could have benefited from debate activities!
#3: Research and Preparation Skills
Learning how to conduct thorough research and prepare for presentations will help students with their academic activities and work obligations later in life.
When preparing for a debate, students have to be ready to receive plenty of objections to any points they are making, which facilitates a need to expand on their knowledge.
This type of research develops healthy habits when it comes to self-education among students. Students will learn how to conduct thorough research, what types of questions to ask, and how to prepare for any type of objection. This is an excellent skill for making learning a lifelong habit.
#4: Strengthen Social Skills
Particularly, engaging in healthy discourse will help facilitate relationship-building and bonding skills among students. Students who understand debate will be able to engage in healthy disagreements throughout their lives without the need for excessive tension.
Students will also learn how to work with a team when conducting research and preparing for a debate. Both of these exercises will positively affect their friendships, relationships, and work lives later on.
Becoming a “good debater” does not mean that one must be argumentative. If anything, students who are taught these skills will learn to “pick their battles” more wisely and how to solve disagreements and social issues in a constructive manner.
#5: Learning to Lose
Sportsmanship and learning how to accept defeat gracefully are important skills for any student to learn, although it is unique in the realm of healthy debate. In the proper environment, students will learn from their mistakes and gain new perspectives along the way.
In the right program, students will understand that it is more rewarding to have been wrong and learn something than it is to blindly win a losing battle.
While there are opposing teams in debate, the vast majority of debate happens within a team during meetings. Because of this environment, students learn to trust one another and learn that you can disagree with a person and still be on the same side.
The process of taking so many positions within your team guarantees that students will lose from time to time, which, when facilitated properly, is very healthy.
Not only that, but it will also help students learn to accept and reflect on criticism. Not only do they have to prepare by learning more, but they also have to prepare to accept this type of rejection, which is a valuable life skill.
#6: Speaking Skills
Speech is a major part of debating, which is why most debate programs perform speech activities and training for students. This only helps with development and opening up career prospects later on. Communication is even said to be the most sought-after skill in the workplace, with public speaking following right behind.
According to thought-leader.com, the inclusion of speech activities and training in debate programs not only contributes to students’ personal development but also enhances their future career prospects. It is widely acknowledged that effective communication, ranked as the most in-demand skill in the workplace, closely aligns with the importance of public speaking.
Speech, social skills, and new abilities to think and learn are only part of the benefits. There are even financial and opportunistic benefits that we haven’t discussed yet.
#7: Acquire New Interests
While students are young, they are only beginning to learn about their passions, motivations, and who they are as a person. Well, the debate is a great way to facilitate that understanding.
Within a debate setting, you are exposed to a wide variety of new ideas, concepts, and positions. This can lead to new hobbies, a newfound passion, or even a desired career path.
For example, students engaging in debate over politically charged topics may be introduced to a new perspective from which they had not yet viewed it. This could lead to the development of empathy for others and facilitate a passion for political activism or even run for office. This is only one example, however. There could be a variety of topics that spark an interest in a young mind.
#8: Improved College Prospects
When it comes to applying for an undergraduate or graduate program, there are few extracurricular activities that look as good on an application as debate. To college recruiters, debate experience shows a willingness to learn, an aptitude for academics, and a cooperative but competitive spirit.
There are also many debate organizations and programs that offer scholarship opportunities for high school students, which offers a massive headstart to a college education and a healthy career.
#9: Increased Self-Confidence
Sports are known to increase self-confidence in students, so why wouldn’t an intellectual activity like debate achieve the same goal? Students on debate teams often feel far more confident in their intellectual and academic abilities, which will only lead to higher grades and career ambitions.
How Can My Student Participate?
Not all schools offer a debate club, so some students who may be apt for debate may feel left out. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options to provide students with a healthy debate atmosphere outside of school.
With associations like National Speech and Debate, which is part of the Honor Society, your student can participate and learn the art of debate even if their school doesn’t offer a program.
Here, your student can practice speech and debate activities, collaborate with a team, and engage in honorable discourse with peers, receiving all of the benefits mentioned above. Any honors student in middle school, high school, or college is welcome to enroll, participate in national conventions, and potentially receive scholarship opportunities.
Talk to your student about the idea of joining a debate team and see if it interests them, even if they struggle in school. Discuss what the benefits are, what the activities are like, and have them talk to a team leader. You may be surprised by the astounding yes and the increased motivation for academics.
Prepare For Discourse!
Now that you know the importance of debate for students, you’re likely interested in signing up your student for these activities. If you do, your student will benefit from valuable life lessons that they carry throughout their lives. Stay up to date with our latest news and get your student enrolled in the right program today!
