6-Day UIL Lincoln Douglas Institute
July 27-August 1, 2008


The Championship Debate Group has long recognized that students of all backgrounds and interests want to attend a summer debate program to prepare them for the competitive season that faces them. We also recognize that many students want to attend a one week institute that offers extensive practice, seminars on theory and technique, discussions on the newest evolutions in policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, and to go home with a lot of useful evidence that they will need for the upcoming season. We also want to offer an institute where public speaking plays a major part in the curriculum. To meet this need, TCDG offers on-week institutes in Policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate.

These institutes offer the best way that any student can prepare to compete in the University Interscholastic League tournaments in Texas. This is also a great place for students who want to sharpen their public speaking skills in a fun, one-week experience. While the model we emphasize employs Policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, these institutes will teach all of the skills necessary to excel in Public Forum debate and Student Congress as well. TCDG prides itself on quality instruction and we very proud of the state and national championships our students have accomplished after leaving the institute. But, we also take great satisfaction that students will leave our institute excited to debate in the fall and they will have acquired leadership skills that will translate into practical actions that will help other members of their team. Students will also go home understanding how they can help their teacher or sponsor in positive and productive ways and “make life for their coach” much easier.

We have assembled an outstanding staff of University Interscholastic League and Texas Forensic Association coaches who have won UIL State championships over many years. We have three additional guest lecturers who will share their insights into winning the UIL State Championships and the National Forensic League national championships. We offer seminars aimed at varsity as well as novice debaters. We believe that in one week we can improve the knowledge and skills of each debater giving them the tools they need to win district and state championships.

In Lincoln-Douglas debate one week students will participate in seminars that start with the critical basic understanding of how to brain storm debate arguments when the new topics are introduced. We then move to seminars focusing on both affirmative and negative case construction and quickly advance to theory seminars on the importance of debating the framework in debate, standards and criterion, advanced rebuttal strategies, making critical choices in rebuttals, and structuring and impacting voting issues. TCDG also believes at the core of our philosophy that it important students understand the practical aspects of winning debates through persuasion and building strong speaking skills. Probably no area of high school debate has evolved more in the past five years than Lincoln-Douglas debate. We feel strongly we can convey those important advanced in our one week institute.

The Championship Debate Group offers both commuter and residential options. The costs are as follows:

Residential Cost: $625
Commuter Cost: $425
 
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