Online Skills Enhancement Writing, Speaking, and

Critical Thinking Courses for Students Grades 4-12

Visit our website, www.bayareadebate.com, for more details!

Online Registration takes place on our website, NOT TABROOM!!

Bay Area Speech and Debate Academy is a Western Association School and Colleges (WASC)-accredited educational institution. Now in our 10th year, our program focuses on developing debate, persuasive writing, and presentation skills among youth. We promote a highly encouraging and fun educational environment with a focus on ongoing improvement of skills. Our teachers are highly accomplished speakers, writers, and debaters from universities like U.C. Berkeley and Stanford, who encourage character as well as intellectual growth. We accept students with all levels of experience and we work tirelessly to bring every one of our students to the highest level possible. 

This summer, we are offering a series of online skills development classes to help students achieve their best during the competitive year.

Focus: Critical Thinking
For grades 7-12: Wednesday & Friday; July 15 - August 7 (8 sessions); 9am to 12pm
According to the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information.” It is the essential foundation upon which all debate formats and persuasive speech formats rest. In this class we will be focused on how to create and engage with arguments with clarity and precision. We will review deductive and inductive reasoning, logical fallacies, and learn how to objectively assess arguments’ inherent weaknesses and strengths.

Focus: Persuasive Writing
For grades 6-12: Tuesday & Thursday; July 14 - August 6 (8 sessions); 12:30 to 3:30pm
Vivid writing makes ideas real for the reader. Elegant writing sets itself apart. Humorous writing can make the reader laugh out loud. Forceful writing can change the world. In this course, we will discuss the components of effective persuasive writing, from grammar and organization, to argument construction and stylistic devices -- and strategies for adding humor! Students will emerge with a stronger grasp of the English language and how to use it to its fullest potential. 

Focus: Spontaneous Speech
For grades 4-6th: Wednesday & Friday; July 15 - August 7 (8 sessions); 12:30-3:30pm
Being able to speak effectively off the top of your head is not only key in debate, it’s also a vital life skill, helping students express themselves effectively in interviews, advocate for themselves, and distinguish themselves in professional situations. It can also be extremely intimidating! But in this fun, high-energy class, students will learn there’s nothing to fear about spontaneous speaking! They will gain confidence in their abilities to speak and think on the fly as we play speech and impromptu games, practice spontaneous debate, and more. 

Visit www.bayareadebate.com to register.