top of page

St. Kitts International Academy Debating & Public Speaking Club - 28th January

Dr George Gross


Another excellent session with our St Kitts International Debating and Public Speaking Club.

Our session this week, took in works by Robert Burns with Burns Night celebrations on 25 January, and with the recent Presidential Inauguration, we also reviewed the power of speeches and the word - both language use and vocabulary choice - in public speaking more generally, and in a debating format, as well as for interview work.


Our newsround took in amongst other topics:

Robert Burns

The Presidential Inauguration 

Trump executive orders and the Federal budget  

Air travel 

The Great Barrier Reef / risk to Coral 


'Should auld acquaintance be forgot' ... 'Auld Lang Syne' has become synonymous with the passing of the old year and Presidential Inauguration speeches from Abraham Lincoln, FDR to JFK still resonant today. This week for warm-up we took on tasks including incorporating Scottish words into a short poem or sentence; trying to translate the original Scots into modern day English, picking out the power of language from Presidential speeches and why certain words or phrases resonate; and coming up with a short sentence opening for an Inaugural speech. Great work and contributions from all! 


We also looked at the questions:

What role do you enjoy playing in team sports or activities? (batting, midfielder, captain etc.)

If you could implement a new school rule, what would it be and why? (no school uniform, more authority, changing noise volume at lunch)

What is one invention you think would greatly improve your daily life? How would it work?


Our first set-piece debate asked whether 'Actions matter more than Words?'


Voting moved from a majority in favour of 'Words', to a majority in favour of 'Actions' at the second telling. Deeds were seen as the key element in life, whilst also recognizing the power of speech. 


We concluded with a debate on the motion: 'This House would ban short-haul flights'. Climate change/global warming trumped all in this debate to see the motion carried at both tellings. 


A super session - well done all!

2 views0 comments

Comentários


bottom of page