Debate: Where Speaking and Listening Come First

Debate is a 21st-century literacy, addressing over 50 Common Core State Standards, and should be taught in middle school. It prepares students for high school, college, and careers, builds literacy (oral, aural, reading, writing, and language), fosters critical thinking and expanded perspectives, teaches public speaking, increases confidence, and strengthens civil engagement. Debate is a natural fit for talkative young adolescents and the middle school curriculum, as it: teaches speaking and listening; improves reading and writing skills through close reading of texts, development of research skills, and the parallel development of persuasive and argumentative essays; and promotes deeper content knowledge across the curriculum, most notably in history/social studies and science.