OUTREACH PROGRAM

Background

The Arkansas Union Society's Outreach Program is modeled after a similar one at Harvard University. It attempts to help young students develop the basic skills of logical thought, critical analysis, and persuasive speaking which are essential to debate and likewise useful in almost every interactive social situation.

Each week, our debaters conduct workshops with junior high and high school classes. By engaging young students in discussion of controversial issues and showing them how to effectively defend a position on either side of an issue, we strive to help them acquire skills that are essential in other areas of life. This project is based upon the premise that communication skills are an essential part of academic, social and professional life. The ability to persuade a group of people to support your ideas or to defend a position that you believe is important. It is a very powerful tool when interviewing for a job, making a business deal, or negotiating with mom and dad. In just about every profession and academic setting, effective communication skills are a key to success.

The goal of our program is to show students that there are almost always two or more sides to every issue. It is crucial for us to understand both sides before taking a position either way. As the semester goes on, students will learn to express their analysis on specific issues in an organized and persuasive speech. By semester's end, we help stage formal debates between the students.

Finally, we believe that this program can help to teach students to sort out conflicts among each other, thus making it more likely that they will "talk it out" in a reasonable manner rather than resorting to a fight. We think this very powerful tool would be a great asset to a young person today.

The Program

In the first year of the Outreach program, Arkansas debaters will work with students at Summit Academy, Ramey Junior HIgh School, and Fayetteville High School. This pilot program, will introduce students to the art of argumentation by discussing topics that interested them (censorship of rap lyrics, dress codes, and underage smoking, for example). We hope that normally reticent students will become actively involved in the discussions and that all of the students will become more comfortable speaking in front of their peers by the end of the program.

The Curriculum

Step One- Nothing is Black and White

We begin by teaching students what a "debatable" issue is in order to show them that there are almost always two sides to every issue. Our first few lessons, then, are spent engaging the students in discussions of controversial issues. We allow students to generate the topics of discussion that they will address for the rest of the term. The discussions are meant to encourage participation and enthusiasm, to spark the students' interest in expressing their opinion about contested ideas and to make them feel comfortable with speaking to a large group.

Our goal at this point is to help each student conclude that no matter how passionately one believes in one's own side of the story, one must recognize that there is almost always another "take" on this issue that deserves attention. We believe that this lesson in open-mindedness is the first crucial step to becoming an effective debater.

Step Two- Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Our next goal is to teach students to listen critically and analytically to the arguments of others. We will begin to ask students to step back from the discussion for a moment in order to identify and write down the various "pro" and "con" arguments that have emerged from the free-form discussion. With three or four distinct arguments for each side written down in front of them, students will begin to see how ideas and opinions which they verbalized in discussion can be broken down into their constituent parts on paper.

Step Three- Constructing a Logical and Coherent Speech

Once students have mastered the art of deconstructing a position, they will learn how to put their analysis of several distinct arguments together and construct their own speech. Students will be shown how to use their analytical skills to get up in front of the class and persuasively defend their own position. Our tutors will stress again and again the basic structure of a good speech with its introduction, body, and conclusion. We will show the students how the previous written arguments they listed can be used to construct a powerful speech, not simply a laundry list of arguments. Additionally, students will be instructed in the art of making refutations both on a written and oral level.

Step Four- Giving a Persuasive Speech

The final stage of the program will teach students about speaking style and form. Students will learn the proper form of persuasive speaking: where to stand, what to do with one's hands and feet while making a formal speech, how to use gestures and modulations in tone to keep an audience interested, and how to make good eye contact. Students will also be encouraged to use humor, at appropriate times, to make a point. We will also make as many helpful suggestions to students as possible regarding any of the tangible or intangible aspects of persuasive speaking. Most importantly, we hope that by helping our young adults to intelligently and passionately articulate their beliefs and opinions, we will be providing them with as vital a skill as reading or writing.

The reasons to become a part of this program:

1. The Experience: Find out what it's like to instruct, rather than be instructed. Discover the challenges and rewards of leading a classroom, and experience the joyous realization that you have taught a young student something new.

2. Low-Time Commitment: Being a successful Outreach tutor does not require a lot of time -- you will teach one 45 minute class each week, and attend an hour-long tutor meeting monthly.

3. Flexibility: As an Outreach tutor, you and your co-tutor will have great freedom to choose your curriculum and decide the pace best-suited to your students.

4. Variety: Tournaments are great, but the Outreach Program will make your debate experience more meaningful, and it may help you discover what it is you love about the art of debating.

For additional information contact Robin Miller or come to an Arkansas Union Society meeting Wednesday nights in KIMP 408.