Course Overview

Bookings have closed for Term #2 – please register your interest here if you’re interested in joining for Term #3!

Key Features

Runs over two-hour weekly sessions
Designed for mixed-experience Year 3 & 4 students
An excellent way for students to take their first steps into the world of debating & develop their debating skills
Places an emphasis on practice every session, with multiple practice debates across the term
Follows a similar structure each week – students begin with an activity, run through a new element of content and consolidate with practical speaking tasks
Prioritises a supportive and nurturing learning environment for all students
Utilises small class sizes to ensure that each student has the opportunity to speak and receive plenty of individualised feedback every session

Term Focuses

Whilst Debating Wallabies always covers the essential concepts involved in value debating – cases, arguments and rebuttal – the focus of the program changes every term, with the following emphases for 2025:

Term #1 looks at how to develop Comparative Cases as a team;
Term #2 focuses on Persuasive Debating and how students can best convince their adjudicators;
Term #3 hones in on Arguing Points and how to best develop arguments; and
Term #4 emphasises Comparative Rebuttal and how to best tackle your opponent’s case.

While it’s recommended that students try each of these focuses, and the emphases change each year, there is no particular need to start with any of them, meaning students are welcome to join at any time!

More Information

Discover how our in-person and online programs differ on our FAQs
Learn more about the SSA Credits & Refund policy
Find out more about the type of things students cover in our blog

Whilst we may have a range of different goals for engaging with debating (such as building confidence, developing our critical thinking skills or learning to work as a team) in each individual debate, there is one thing every speaker is aiming for – to be as persuasive as possible.

Even if a speaker has fantastic arguments and asks all the right questions, without an engaging speaking manner and an understanding of how each of the individual speaker roles function, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to come out victorious.

Our Term #2 Wallabies focus emphasises these two goals. In addition to exposing students to each of the main elements of debating (cases, argumentation and rebuttal), students will look at the specific roles each debater plays in a debate and how they can use an engaging manner to get the adjudicator on their side.

Over the course of the term, students undertaking the Persuasive Debating focus will have the opportunity to:

learn a range of introductory concepts and principles and how these relate to each of the speaker roles in a debate;
consider a range of different elements of persuasive speeches and develop their own personal presentation style; and
practice their budding skills in a supportive environment alongside peers of a similar age and ability level.

Our Debating Wallabies program is a mixed-level class for students in Years 3 & 4, and aims to help:

Students who have no (or little) debating experience and/or no (or little) public speaking experience;
Students who have already completed one or more terms of Debating Wallabies, as given the focus changes every term, students can continue the program across Years 3 & 4 with no repetition;
Students who have participated in any of our other Term Programs (such as Public Speaking Wombats, Presentation Skills Lions or Presentation Skills Leopards); or
Students who have given our holiday workshops (such as Speaking Camp Koalas or Speaking Camp Kangaroos) a go, and are looking to continue their debating journey!

We usually recommend that students continue with Debating Wallabies throughout Years 3 & 4 – there is a different focus every term, so there’s always something new for students to learn!

Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss what’s best for your child!

Fostering a Nurturing Class Environment

Each program commences with the coach creating a welcoming class environment and ensuring that all students grasp the fundamental rules and concepts of debating – ensuring everyone, regardless of experience, is on the same page.

The initial sessions also incorporate various speaking activities to aid students in honing their debating skills.

Developing as a Persuasive Debater

For the Persuasive Debating focus of our Wallabies program, students will generally cover:

Topic #1 – Introductions, icebreakers & revision of essential debating concepts
Topic #2 – Fundamentals of value debates
Topic #3 – Case structures and positions for both affirmative and negative teams
Topic #4 – Understanding speaker role structures and what each speaker must cover
Topic #5 – Creating effective and expanded arguments for value debates
Topic #6 – Physical and verbal manner and how it persuades an audience
Topic #7 – Effective methods to rebut the opposing team in a value debate
Topic #8 – Pulling each concept together across multiple practice debates and an end of term presentation

Practice Debates

In addition to all the theory, students will have the opportunity to participate in multiple practice debates and speaking activities during the term. Each debate will be on a different topic, and students will have the opportunity to speak in different roles each time.

End of Term Presentation

Each term ends with a presentation, either to peers or parents (depending on the venue). This is an excellent opportunity for students to showcase what they’ve learned over the course of the term and continue their confidence-building journey.

Students generally spend the last session or two preparing and practising their debating speeches for the presentation.

Coaches will also provide an update to parents on what was covered during the term, as well as what comes next for the students’ debating journeys

As a mixed-experience program, our Debating Wallabies program is designed to be completed multiple times – with a different focus every term, there’s always something new for students to take away from the program!

Alternatively, if your child wants to try public speaking, our Public Speaking Wombats program teaches students all the essential skills they need to become great public speakers!

However, if you’re looking for something during a school break, you may want to try one of our holiday workshops, such as Speaking Camp Kangaroos, which builds on the skills learned during the term.

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or get in touch using our contact form to learn more!