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Debating in Secondary Schools

Since its inception in 1998, the Enhanced NET Scheme in Secondary Schools has boosted the profile of debating in Hong Kong secondary schools. Increasingly, debating, as both a learning process and an assessment product, has been taken up across a range of secondary schools. This activity is no longer seen as being restricted to students who have already acquired fluency in English.

NETs and local English teachers have established debating clubs in schools. As students move up the grade levels and become more skilled in debating, younger students are inducted into the team and given more important roles, up to the point where they take their place as one of the designated competition speakers.

Teachers also grow through debating. From being a team manager and coach, they learn to understand team roles and define team lines. Many go on to adjudicate competitions and deliberate on close-fought verbal tussles.

Regional NET Coordinators (RNCs) from the NET Section have supported this development through adjudicating and co-adjudicating intra and inter-school debating competitions. RNCs also conduct professional development sessions on incorporating debating processes into classroom instruction. Teachers are trained in adjudication in NET Section workshops.

Schools often conduct intra-school competitions and progress to entering structured inter-school competitions such as those which can be accessed through the links below.

 

Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition

http://www.hkssdebating.com/

 

Sing Tao Inter-school Debating Competition

http://www.stheadline.com/mkt/debate/index_e01.ht

 

 

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