This was another excellent session with our Knightsbridge Debating & Interview Club.
Our skill focus this week looked at presentation/and argumentation with the use of a list format. Not only does this provide structure, it is also particularly useful in a conclusion or summary speech as a way to cover lots of material quickly whilst highlighting key points.
For our warm up we then turned to our interview style question with an emphasis on 'why'?:
'Tell us about a book you have recently read and enjoyed?' The key here was to look for detail and explanation (not forgetting author's name).
From Roald Dahl to Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings we were given some wonderful examples, with excellent description.
Our newsround saw reference to the sporting fixtures, the forthcoming Paris Olympics, a potential ceasefire in Gaza, the resignation of the First Minister in Scotland, the War in Ukraine and re-election of the Mayor of London. We also looked at the Coronation anniversary for King Charles III and his return to royal duties.
We also had a discussion on British Values and what they entail from democracy to the rule of law.
We then turned to the Space Race, 20th century history and NASA's latest efforts with Boeing's Starliner.
(i) The motion: 'This House would invest more in Space Discovery' & 'Should NASA build their own machinery or buy from the market?' In the first case, the group divided 50/50 on whether it was a vital role for the world to look beyond the planet or alternatively focus that investment on key themes/topics such as education, climate change and transport links. Given Boeing's recent performance, the group voted unanimously in favour of NASA making their own.
On the back of the 30 year anniversary of the Channel Tunnel, we asked:
(ii) 'Would this House invest in more undersea trains?'
The group was again split at both tellings, with many in favour of new links and infrastructure, whilst others very concerned about cost and lack of planning/budget.
Very well done all!
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