Cogito Speech and Debate classes introduce students to the art of effective communication. In our technological society, the discipline of speech and debate allows students to stand out among their peers by building mental habits of critical thinking and observation, as well as the communication skills to share those observations competently. At Cogito, by combining research-based educational methods with current events, students dive beneath the surface of speech and debate to explore the deeper foundations of communication and community.
Investigators explore an analytical approach to current events in which students develop an understanding of their community by doing in-class research activities, group projects and giving short speeches. Students will also learn how to debate the current event topic by engaging in SpAr (Spontaneous Argumentation) style of debate and will learn how to confidently present well-researched arguments and practice artful speaking skills. Since the class is designed for younger students, the class emphasizes creativity, structure and confident delivery with minimal at-home assignments.
In Elementary Introduction to Public Speaking, students are provided with foundational information on three separate manners of public speaking:
• Limited Preparation Speaking-Learning to speak intelligently with limited time to prepare
• Oral Interpretation-Learning to present prose or poetry in a way that evokes emotion
• Platform Speaking-Prepared speeches that typically inform, persuade, and/or entertain
In Middle School Introduction to Public Speaking, students are introduced to three separate manners of public speaking:
• Limited Preparation Speaking-Learning to speak intelligently with limited time to prepare
• Oral Interpretation-Learning to present prose or poetry in a way that evokes emotion
• Platform Speaking-Prepared speeches that typically inform, persuade, and/or entertain
Since the class is designed for Middle School students, there is an expectation that students will commit time to researching and practicing speeches outside of class
Parliamentary Debate has a rich history and is a popular format of competitive debate. A Middle School parliamentary debate round is comprised of two teams with three debaters per side. The team affirming the debate resolution and the team negating the resolution represents the opposition. Each Debate class combines education on specific debate skills, the exploration of current events, and the building of persuasive communication skills through in-class debates and drills.
Debate students will have the opportunity to compete in a Cogito Intramural Tournament and practice their skills in a new environment during the course session.
In Intermediate Parliamentary Debate, students have the opportunity to explore intermediate level topics. This class builds on the foundation of skills from Introduction to Parliamentary Debate, and integrates the following skills:
Framing the debate; Advanced refutation; Evidence analysis
The class focuses on the collaborative nature of Parliamentary Debate and integrates debate strategies into a team environment and is focused heavily on tournament preparation and attending tournaments.
Cogito Intermediate Parliamentary Debate students will compete in the Intramural Cogito Debate Tournament during the course.
**Intermediate Parliamentary Debate requires successful completion of Cogito Introduction to Parliamentary Debate. In the event that a new student has taken debate classes through another location, incoming students are invited to be screened by a qualified coach, in which successful screening will be considered in lieu of the prerequisite Cogito class.
Cogito Debate Club is a program for students who have successfully completed Intermediate Parliamentary Debate and are seeking to become part of our strong group of Cogito Club Debaters who are dedicated to collaborating together in preparation for competitive debates. The team members will have the opportunity to take on important leadership roles in the group by demonstrating significant commitment to the well-being of the team.
**Participation in Cogito Debate Club requires successful completion of Cogito Intermediate Debate In the event that a new student has taken debate classes through another location, incoming students are invited to be screened by a qualified coach, in which successful screening will be considered in lieu of the prerequisite Cogito class.
Cogito Debate Club students will compete in the Intramural Cogito Debate Tournament during the course session, and have the opportunity to participate in other tournaments in their community.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, students will be given a solid grounding in the practice of research and argumentation. In this form of debate, students will focus on one on one debate involving a range of topics, from sociopolitical to philosophical issues. Students will learn the structure and theory behind Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and will ultimately learn how to effectively construct and deploy strategic arguments within this debate setting.
Cogito Middle School Debate students will compete in the Intramural Cogito Debate Tournament during the course session, and have the opportunity to participate in other tournaments in their community.
In High School Introduction to Public Speaking, students are introduced to three separate manners of public speaking:
Limited Preparation Speaking-Learning to speak intelligently with limited time to prepare
• Oral Interpretation-Learning to present prose or poetry in a way that evokes emotion
• Platform Speaking-Prepared speeches that typically inform, persuade, and/or entertain; There will also be a leadership unit to inform students about advocacy
Since the class is designed for high school students, there is an expectation that students will commit time to researching and practicing speeches outside of class.
Parliamentary Debate has a rich history and is a popular format of competitive debate. A High School parliamentary debate round is comprised of two teams with two debaters per side. The team affirming the debate resolution and the team negating the resolution represents the opposition. Each Debate class combines education on specific debate skills, the exploration of current events, and the building of persuasive communication skills through in-class debates and drills. Unlike Middle School Parliamentary debate, High School Parliamentary Debate focuses heavily on having a breadth of knowledge on a variety of topics with a limited prep time.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, students will be given a solid grounding in the practice of research and argumentation. In this form of debate, students will focus on one on one debate involving a range of topics, from sociopolitical to philosophical issues. Students will learn the structure and theory behind Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and will ultimately learn how to effectively construct and deploy strategic arguments within this debate setting.
Cogito High School Debate students will compete in the Intramural Cogito Debate Tournament during the course session, and have the opportunity to participate in other tournaments in their community.
Cogito Debate believes speech and debate tournaments are an intellectual sport and as such provides students the opportunity to learn from successful debate coaches and compete in local, regionals, state and intramural tournaments.
Cogito Debate offers a fun and educational summer bridge for students by providing week long Junior Speaker camps and three-day Specialty Workshops. Students are invited to compete in a tournament at the end of the camps and workshops sessions.
Cogito Debate’s mission is to get students connected to their communities through communication and awareness of current events. We support many community events such as Girl Scout Orange County Volunteer Conference, and Irvine Public School Foundation STEAM Carnival.
"My daughter was shy before attending Cogito Debate. After taking some of the classes, she is now carrying herself in a more outspoken and confident way. We believe the training she received at Cogito Debate gave her more confidence to speak up."
"My daughter has really come out of her shell since joining Cogito Debate. She absolutely loves the tournaments and considers them her “varsity sport.”"
"My son Samuel has been a Cogito Debate student for over two years. The classes truly helped him in a number of areas. His overall communication skills -- both speaking and writing — have improved; he has shown more confidence in his public speaking; and he's now considered a leader among his peers. In addition,other parents have commented that he has matured. Overall, attending Cogito Debate has been a great experience for Samuel!"
"Fiona raved about her Cogito Debate summer camp instructors and the staff. In fact, she loved the summer camp so much that upon completion she enrolled in the fall session. While Fiona is truly enjoying debate, if you ask her, she'll tell you she loves everything about Cogito Debate -- from the students, to the classes, to the new skills that she learning and applying to other aspects of her life."
"We have been to many debate/speech places. Cogito is unique that it was founded for education rather than profits. Cogito's dedicated staff and quality training not only deliver critical thinking and academic skills to our children, but also provide a safe environment to grow their confidence and team building skills."
"My daughter Lyla attended the Junior Speakers Summer Camp and it was great!!! I want the coaches, Miranda & Kristina, and other related personnel to know that how much we, parents, are appreciative of all the constructive feedback. We will certainly be back for the fall and winter program. We’re very grateful that we stumbled upon finding your summer camp. Lyla benefited so much from her week at camp! Thanks again for all your care and hard work for my daughter’s fun and successful camp. We look forward to seeing you all soon."
"My daughter Jaclyn recently participated in the March 2nd speech tournament. As a parent, I was impressed at the organization and the positive environment the Cogito team created. The kids were able to show off their skills and hard work while still having fun. We have been to a number of different tournaments and this was by far the best."
"I cannot say enough good words about this competition... great organization, no delays, clear rules and very friendly atmosphere. This is so very important for the young minds that take part, try themselves, experiment and observe. I felt that my child was in a very positive environment with everyone being encouraging and positive. I think my daughter even changed her speech based on that. Valuable experience that should be practiced in every school. Thank you!"
"My family has a heart for social justice and we are grateful your program focuses on important current event issue. Your program is a great training ground for developing effective speaking tools to communicate their thoughts on the topics."
"Although my son is new to Cogito, I’m amazed by what he has learned in a short amount of time. I’ve been impressed with the curriculum and frameworks that he is learning to utilize. Even at a young age, he is being trained to think critically and speak persuasively. I see a marked improvement in his confidence level, especially after participating in the SpAR debate tournament. I recently asked my son which extracurricular activity he enjoys the most and he quickly replied that Cogito is his favorite! I’m pleased that we found Cogito and I look forward to enrolling him in future courses."
