Page 14 - Clover Final Draft

Learning English through Debating

Last summer our
debate team was proudly
crowned champions of the HKSSDC
Competition Grand Final after rounds of
matches in Division II. After moving up to
Division One, due to their enthusiasm and
determination, our marvelous debaters
capably won two matches despite
the challenges. Congratulations
to them for their valour and
participation!

Scarlett

I benefited a great deal by joining the debate
team, not only did I learn how to debate but it also helped
me to develop critical thinking skills that link to our daily life.
I remember when I had to prepare for my first competition, it was
very stressful as I didn't know much about debating at first, like how
the competition ran, what I should say at first, and so on. However, the
process of searching for evidence that could support my
argument as well as when the debate members and I thought
hard and long about the rebuttals created some memorable
memories. I really enjoyed the debating, challenging myself
and learning something new from all of the different
debate topics. Debate also boosts my confidence when
it comes to speaking, eye contact and effective
gestures, which could all really be useful
to me in my future career .

Charlene

Joining the debate team was a great decision and I
definitely learnt a lot of new skills!

Because it’s my first year joining the debate team, I felt a bit puzzled
at first. I always feared public speaking, but during debate practices, the teachers
and the other teammates encouraged me to present my ideas. They were very
supportive, and that motivated me to work harder and become a better speaker.

The first time participating in the debate competition was unforgettable. I was
worried that I couldn't do well, and kept thinking that I would mess up. However, thanks
to my teammates’ support, I gained confidence and was able to calm myself down.
Though the preparation was tough and challenging, the memories are what made it
all worth it!

Moreover, debate widened my knowledge of different issues around
the world and trained me to have a more diverse perspective.
Debating has helped me in various aspects and I’m
very thankful that I joined the debate
14 team!