2010 Elective Proposals from Llano, Wright and Snider

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ELECTIVES

More will come as faculty send them in!

LLANO

Eastern Philosophy and Debating

An overview of ideas from Eastern thought that are not so much a contribution to strategy as they are a contribution to your relationship with debating. Why we choose to debate will be examined from these viewpoints as opposed to how we choose to debate. However, keen students will definitely be able to make connections between this discussion and the particulars of practice.

Debate as a Martial Art

Applying the principles of martial arts to debate reveals some approaches to debate strategy that you might not have considered and that your opponents certainly are not ready for. Examination of martial arts strategies, samurai combat philosophy will be introduced and discussed and attention will be paid to the holistic way a debater should prepare for competition.

Annoying things Debaters do but shouldn't.

A combination of a rant and an enlightening lecture from an American adjudicator who seldom breaks but is happy not to, because he won't have to hear all of these terrible things you do each round in your speeches. Come learn some more productive things to do with your speech time as well as all those parts where you are not speaking.

Ancient Rhetoric and Contemporary Practice.

The principles of the ancient arts of rhetoric come to us via the ancient Greek and Roman world. This elective will attempt to discern contemporary uses of these ideas for debate. Attention will be split equally between speech style and organization as well as argument development and construction.

Dialogue as a Debating Principle

Years after its publication, David Bohm's groundbreaking study _On Dialogue_ is still seen as a response to debate. In this session we will see that Bohm's call for dialogue contains interesting and unique principles that can only be applied to BP debating. Specifically, each position on the table can learn how to engage and interact with every other position via Bohm's insights. Time will be reserved for discussion and dialogue on team interaction in a BP round and strategies for success.

WRIGHT

Ideas for Electives:

1) Narrative Reasoning: This elective discusses the persuasive form and function of narrative. Defining narrative reasoning and combining it with more traditional appeals to reason makes debaters more persuasive to various audiences.

2) Persuasive Appeals –social science as a weapon of mass consumption. This lecture will address some of the more socially scientific visions of contemporary persuasion. Including some of these devices in a debate works to demonstrate the shared space between debaters, judges, and audiences.

3) Popular Culture—using everyday experience to persuade. According to Barry Brummett, popular culture is “those systems or artifacts that most people share and that most people know about… In speaking of popular culture, then, we are concerned with things, like television, that are part of the everyday experience of most people” (Rhetoric in Popular Culture 27). How might these applications of these systems work to flesh out a case?

4) Aristotelian rhetoric: the form and function of different rhetorical forms. Recognizing the particulars of a case and a motion, using the parameters set forth by rhetorical scholarship, debaters could prep more fluid and convincing arguments.

5) Histories—how historiography and the epideictic shape us. Considering the international flavor of Worlds-style debate, learning and applying historical narrative in a debate could establish credibility to various argumentation claims.

SNIDER

International Relations Paradigms

There are paradigms, or “world views,” within which international relations events are conceptualized and decisions are made. How you view the international system influences how you think about it and the arguments you use. This elective will examine popular IR paradigms (realism, constructivism, etc.) and explain how to use them to build a team line, come up with major arguments, avoid contradictions and have a coherent approach.

How to Make Arguments More Important

There are standard things that a debater can do to give issues you bring to the debate more “impact.” If you are aware of these significance giving ideas then you can pick the one or two that apply best to the argument you are making and use them to convince the judges that your position is more important than rival positions that lack this kind of substance.

Ecological Philosophies

There are philosophical perspectives on the relationship between human beings and the ecology that can help you create coherent, consistent and compelling arguments in debates about ecological issues. They range from very human-centered to very bio-centered. These can also help you, as an individual, determine what your relationship with the ecology is and how it should operate in your life as well as in debate.

Thicker Extensions

Too often your extension is a good idea, but it consist of you saying the same things over and over again in different ways. This elective will help you learn how to build n extension out of relevant components to make it more compelling and much harder to refute. Deliver a second team extension for 4-5 minutes and keep the interest and attention of the judges while building compelling ideas.

Avoiding Doing Irritating Things While You Speak

Many debaters have arguments and make sense, and even sound good, but still do many things in delivery of a speech that detracts from their content and makes them a lot less persuasive. Learn what these things are and learn drills to make you stop doing them.

IDAS 2010 Relocates to Hotel Špik in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

This year we go to a new location! We know the town, as the World Schools Debate Academy took place there. We know the new hotel because Bojana Skrt and Alfred Snider had an inspection visit.
Because of the huge number of attendees this year, we have had to relocate to a larger facility. This has been a very good development because while we love the familiarity and the friendliness of Hotel Ormoz, the facilities could be better. And, they will be at Hotel Špik. It is a very modern tourist hotel located in a lovely mountain valley of the Julian Alps, very new, and with lovely rooms, dining facilities, bar and an indoor pool. The work spaces are also superior and we hope that the comnbination of better facilities and larger attendance should make this the best International Debate Academy ever!
Get more information at http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html

Hotel Špik

Address: Jezerci 21, Gozd Martuljek, Kranjska Gora,  http://www.hitholidays-kg.si

Buses from Ljubljana  on hourly basis from 5.30  to 19.30, one way ticket 7.90 EUR

The other option is a train from Ljubljana – Jesenice and then bus Jesenice – Gozd Martuljek or if you are traveling via Austria flying to Klagenfurt or even Vienna, than you have train from Villach (every two hours) to Jesenice and than bus to Gozd Martuljek. Much easier, actually than going to Ormoz.

Questions? Consult bojana.skrt@siol.net.

Spaces are going fast, so hurry before you get left out.

Get more information at http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html

Time To Apply for IDAS 2010!

IDAS GETS RESULTS
*WUDC Top EFL Speaker
*WUDC Top ESL Speaker
*2 OF WUDC EFL Top Ten Speakers
*4 OF WUDC ESL Top Ten Speakers
*5 OF WUDC ESL Quarterfinal Teams

20-28 NOVEMBER 2010
Full program for students – instruction, IDAS 2010 tournament
IDAS 2010 tournament for students – tournament in Ljubljana at the Faculty of Administration-University of Ljubljana.
Full program for trainers, teachers, coaches, club leaders, judges at any level in any debate format. 

SPECIFIC DATES
Arrive in Ormoz, Slovenia November 20 2010, dinner at 6 PM, program at 7 PM
Instruction in Ormoz November 21-25 2010
Transfer to Ljubljana morning 26 November 2010
IDAS tournament in Ljubljana afternoon 26-28 November 2010, ending at 2 PM

2010 FACULTY

• Stephen Boyle, USA/Ireland: Twice in WUDC elims, won Hart House, Yale and Irish Times as debater for University College Dublin and now debate coach at University of Vermont. 2nd IDAS.
• Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore: Well known Asian debate trainer, WUDC breaking judge, honorary professorship North-Eastern University China, SAID Singapore, 6th IDAS.
• Gavin lllsley, Oxford, Stylus Communication.2nd IDAS.
• Chris Langone, USA: Cornell University. 3rd IDAS.
• Steve Llano, USA: Breaking judge at USU. 4th IDAS.
• Rhydian Morgan, UK: Chief Adjudicator and Finals judge at numerous tournaments, Welsh Debating Federation, World Debate Institute faculty 2008-09, 4th IDAS.
• Sam Nelson, USA: Cornell University, breaking judge at USU.4th IDAS.
• Maja Nenadovic, Croatia: Founder of several debating societies across Europe, currently busy with introducing debate to countries in the Western Balkans region, and with finishing her PhD in political science at the University of Amsterdam. 3rd IDAS.
• Thepparith Senamngern, Thailand: Assumption University, convener Bangkok WUDC & Thailand AUDC.2nd IDAS.
• Alfred Snider, USA: Professor at University of Vermont, Director World Debate Institute, USA Coach of the Year, six recent debate textbooks, Convener 2009 US Universities Nationals, 8th IDAS.
• Bojana Skrt, Slovenia: Director ZIP, three times WSDC EFL World Champion coach, 8th IDAS.
• Anne Valkering, Netherlands: Oxford ESL semi-finalist 2006, finalist 2007, winner ESL final Manchester IV 2007; EUDC ESL finalist 2006, semi-finalist 2007, quarterfinalist 2008, ESL second speaker 2008, fifth speaker 2006; WUDC ESL champion 2008; DCA Dutch Nationals 2009, CA Bonaparte Debate Tournament 2007, DCA Amsterdam Open 2008 and 2009, CA Sciences Po IV 2009.

 http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html

Update for 2010 IDAS - Apply Now!

THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL DEBATE ACADEMY SLOVENIA 2010
& IDAS 2010 TOURNAMENT

IDAS 2009 CONCLUDED WITH 29 COUNTRIES ATTENDING!

IDAS GETS RESULTS
*WUDC Top EFL Speaker
*WUDC Top ESL Speaker
*2 OF WUDC EFL Top Ten Speakers
*4 OF WUDC ESL Top Ten Speakers
*5 OF WUDC ESL Quarterfinal Teams

THE BEST IN WUDC/BP DEBATE INSTRUCTION AND COMPETITION

20-28 NOVEMBER 2010
Full program for students – instruction, IDAS 2010 tournament
IDAS 2010 tournament for students – tournament in Ljubljana at the Faculty of Administration-University of Ljubljana.
Full program for trainers, teachers, coaches, club leaders, judges at any level in any debate format.

SPECIFIC DATES
Arrive in Ormoz, Slovenia November 20 2010, dinner at 6 PM, program at 7 PM
Instruction in Ormoz November 21-25 2010
Transfer to Ljubljana morning 26 November 2010
IDAS tournament in Ljubljana afternoon 26-28 November 2010, ending at 2 PM

APPLICATION FORMS DUE NOVEMBER 5 2010 AVAILABLE FOR TOTAL PROGRAM OR JUST TOURNAMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE, CHECK BACK FOR DETAILS

WHEN WE REACH OUR CAPACITY NO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED!

Organized by:
ZIP – Za in proti (ZIP), Pro et Contra, Institute for the Culture of Dialogue, Slovenia
WDI – World Debate Institute, University of Vermont
Debate Clubs, University of Ljubljana

2010 FACULTY

• Stephen Boyle, USA/Ireland: Twice in WUDC elims, won Hart House, Yale and Irish Times as debater for University College Dublin and now debate coach at University of Vermont.
• Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore: Well known Asian debate trainer, WUDC breaking judge, honorary professorship North-Eastern University China, SAID Singapore.
• Gavin lllsley, Oxford, Stylus Communication.
• Chris Langone, USA: Cornell University.
• Steve Llano, USA: St. John's University NY, breaking judge at USU.
• Rhydian Morgan, UK: Chief Adjudicator and Finals judge at numerous tournaments, Welsh Debating Federation, World Debate Institute faculty 2008-09.
• Sam Nelson, USA: Cornell University, breaking judge at USU.
• Maja Nenadovic, Croatia: Founder of several debating societies across Europe, currently busy with introducing debate to countries in the Western Balkans region, and with finishing her PhD in political science at the University of Amsterdam.
• Thepparith Senamngern, Thailand: Assumption University, convener Bangkok WUDC & CA Thailand AUDC.
• Alfred Snider, USA: Professor at University of Vermont, Director World Debate Institute, USA Coach of the Year, six recent debate textbooks, Convener 2009 US Universities Nationals.
• Bojana Skrt, Slovenia: Director ZIP, three times WSDC EFL World Champion coach, 7th IDAS.
• Anne Valkering, Netherlands: Oxford ESL semi-finalist 2006, finalist 2007, winner ESL final Manchester IV 2007; EUDC ESL finalist 2006, semi-finalist 2007, quarterfinalist 2008, ESL second speaker 2008, fifth speaker 2006; WUDC ESL champion 2008; DCA Dutch Nationals 2009, CA Bonaparte Debate Tournament 2007, DCA Amsterdam Open 2008 and 2009, CA Sciences Po IV 2009.
  

CURRICULUM

• STUDENT TRAINING : Each Instruction day features a main lecture, exercise and drill sessions, and two complete critiqued practice debates. Many elective classes offered. Many training preparation sessions offered. Judge evaluation and training offered. Advanced, basic and beginner tracks available. The best way to get ready forn WUDC in Botswana.
• IDAS 2010 TRAINER PROGRAM
  The International Debate Academy Slovenia will be offering a special track for trainers, coaches and those interested in learning about how to train debaters and create debate organizations such as clubs, academic programs and leagues. The program will call upon the extensive experience of the faculty to provide specialized training, including: Basic debate training steps: observation, advice from experienced trainers and curriculum guides Judging: instruction, shadow judging, real judging experience Tournaments: hosting, administering, including tabulation software. Advanced debate training: observation, advice from experienced trainers, curriculum guides. Organizing: recruiting debaters, implementing training, scheduling meetings, publicity. Attendees will have a sample judging session every morning as well as a special training session in the afternoon. All events at the program will also be open to attendees.  Special needs and requests specific to individuals can be met if given advance notice.
• TOURNAMENT: Sponsored by IDAS, ZIP and hosted by Faculty of Administration University of Ljubljana. Six preliminary rounds and semifinals in the WUDC format. No team caps as of now. Convener is Bojana Skrt, Chief Adjudicator is Alfred Snider.
  
  COST
  
  250 Euros for full program, 60 Euros for tournament.
  Fees: Includes all meals, double rooms, instructional materials, transportation from Ormoz to Ljubljana, and social activities. Accommodations: Rooms and full meals provided in Ormoz and Ljubljana. In Ljubljana we will be staying at Dijaški dom Bežigrad, www.ddb.si . Social activities each evening. Limited crash available for tournament.
  
  Scholarships: We hope to offer substantial scholarships to needy applicants. Scholarship forms available soon.

Financial Disclosure: IDAS is a non-profit program, trainers are not paid, trainer travel is not reimbursed, participation fees pay for attendee expenses of rooms and food only, trainer accommodations and food and other costs are covered by ZIP.

Social Events: We will have frequent social events. We will not distribute free alcohol to 18+ attendees out of the workshop fees. We will seek soft drinks-beer-wine sponsors. We prioritize scholarships for attendees over free alcohol. We want as many people as possible to join the program.

Website: http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html
Blogsite: http://internationaldebateacademy.blogspot.com/

Organizing Committee:
Director of the Academy: Bojana Skrt, ZIP, bojana.skrt@siol.net
Head of Training: Alfred C. Snider, World Debate Institute, University of Vermont, alfred.snider@uvm.edu

Special Thanks to Bickel & Brewer Foundation for 2009 Support

SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL DEBATE ACADEMY SLOVENIA,  Ormož/Ljubljana  23rd – 27th November 2009 – IDAS 2009

The Bickel & Brewer Foundation awarded Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga,  with a grant of 5000$ or 3317 EUR by November exchange rate  for organising the International Debate Academy Slovenia.The grant money was spent for awarding scholarships for some  participants in order for them to pay lower participation fee. It also helped  to cover part of the costs of accomodation and food for the trainers at IDAS  which  helped to   lower participation fee for all participants. The Bickel & Brewer grant was extremely important, because it helped participants who otherwise would not be able to come. Especially important was for everybody because it covered the trainers costs at IDAS, which allow everybody to pay lower partiicpation fee. The scholarships were extremely important for the the participants from Venezuela, because they are in the process of building debate programme in Venezuela, at the university and highschool level, and the knowledge gained at IDAS it is extremely important for them.  As Venezuela government does allow their citizens only very small amount of foreign currency their would not be able to come without the scholarship we granted.

The programme consisted of two parts, the training one being held in Ormož from November 23rd – 27th and the tournament from 27th – 29th in Ljubljana at the University of public administration in Ljubljana.  The total number of the participants, trainers, judges, organisers, volunteers  were 122,  75  for the Ormož training part and additional 47 people for the Ljubljana tournament.  Participants and trainers came from the following countries: Afganistan, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Honk Kong, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Ukraine, Venezuela, USA.

The Bickel & Brewer scholarships  were announced together with the call for  participants and at the IDAS 2009 web page. Till the end of September we got 24 requests for scholarhips. We awarded all of them with the grants from 70 to 100 EUR. However, 7 receipients later decided not to come, some of them because they did expect a 100% scholarhip including the travel expenses and some of them because of the unexpected problems right before the event. 

International Debate Academy Partners Hold Iraq Debate Academy

Faculty at Iraq Debate Academy: IDA faculty Jason Jarvis of Georgia State University, IDA alumna Megan Harlow, IDA founders Alfred Snider & Bojana Skrt, Matt Stannard of University of Wyoming, Jonathan Borock, NYC Debate Society

The two major partners of the International Debate Academy Slovenia [Za in Proti national debate program of Slovenia; World Debate Institute, University of Vermont] have combined to host a five day debate workshop and tournament in Duhok, Kurdistan Autonomous Region, Iraq.

The tournament was held at Duhok Unioversity and was attended by 88 students from seven universities from all parts of Iraq.

For complete coverage, see posts at the World Debate Institute blog at:

Preparations

http://worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com/2009/12/wdi-big-part-of-iraq-debate-academy.html

Day 1

http://worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com/2009/12/day-1-at-wdi-sponsored-iraq-debate.html

Days 2 & 3

http://worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com/2009/12/days-2-3-at-wdi-sponsored-iraq-debate.html

Days 4 & 5

http://worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com/2009/12/wdi-sponsored-iraq-debate-academy-comes.html

Congratulations to all.

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Statement on My Activities in Kurdistan (blogs.nybooks.com)
• Iraq Electoral Law Passes, Crucial To Setting Up National Vote (huffingtonpost.com)

IDAS 2009 Tournament Results

The 7th International Debate Academy Slovenia was surely an international event.

Twenty-eight countries were represented: Singapore, Afghanistan, USA, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Finland, Serbia, France, Croatia, Germany, Thailand, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Venezuela, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Scotland, Hong Kong, Moldova, Montenegro, England, Bolivia, Spain, Austria and Greece.

The event is sponsored by ZIP Slovenia and the World Debate Institute at the University of Vermont.

For more information see:
http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html



120 people including 40 teams from 28 countries gathered for the tournament at the Faculty of Public Administration at the University of Ljubljana. With fabulous hosting and hospitality skills Helena Felc made it all happen smoothly with the help of other dedicated volunteers.


In the finals the motion was, THBT armies should overthrow corrupt governments.
First: Jernej Jenko & Jernej Jenko (6-5 vote by panel)
Second: Sam Natale & Sarah Anders
Finalists: Tom Dionesotes & Alli Hamlin, Ana Stritih & Zan Zveplan


The full tab can be found at:
http://debate.uvm.edu/usudc/idas2009/


Top Speakers:

Position	Name	Team	Total points	Average
1	Sarah Anders	Natale Anders	481	80.16
1	Sam Natale	Natale Anders	481	80.16
3	Tom Dionesotes	Dionesotes Hamlin	471	78.50
4	Paul Gross	Gross Loeb	470	78.33
4	Alli Hamlin	Dionesotes Hamlin	470	78.33
4	Maja Cimerman	Dobranic Cimerman	470	78.33
7	Isaac Loeb	Gross Loeb	469	78.16
8	Manos Manopoulos	Vignjevic Manopoulos	468	78.00
9	Filip Dobranic	Dobranic Cimerman	465	77.50
10	Milan Vignevic	Vignjevic Manopoulos	464	77.33

The motions were:

This house would give foreign residents the right to vote in general elections (1)

THW allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. (2)

TTHW link executives' salaries to those of their employees. (3)

THBT journalists should not be compelled by law to reveal their sources. (4)

THBT rich countries should pay Brazil to re-forest. (5)

THBT hunger strikes are a legitimate form of protest in democracies. (6)

THBT patients cannot refuse life saving medical treatment. (S-F)

THBT armies should overthrow corrupt governments. (F)

Instruction in Ormoz Ends, on to Ljubljana!

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Wednesday and Thursday were the last two instruction days at the 7th International Debate Academy Slovenia being held in Ormoz, Slovenia. As the days passed the dedication of the students seemed to increase and the improvements in all of the debaters were obvious. The teachers and trainers began judging with faculty members to work on their judging skills for the tournament.

It was good to welcome TJ Semnemgern from Thailand to the faculty. He was chief adjudicator at the Asian BP Championships held in Thailand, and arrived in plenty of time to add his considerable skills to the instruction. It was sad that Rhydian Morgan was not able to attend as he had a family emergency. Everyone supported his choice and wishes he and his family the best. It became apparent that there are actually 27 countries here. Although with Rhydian not in attendance we lost Wales but gained Bolivia one one student finally announced their nationality.

The schedule continued with the same pattern. That seemed to work well because after a couple of days you never have to look, you just go to the same sort of event and the same room as the day before.

Practice debate motions for the last two days included:

• THBT developing nations should nationalize their natural resources
• THW eliminate the executive power to pardon
• THW legalize the sale of human body parts
• THW forbid all religious symbols in all public schools.

The lectures and exercises for the advanced group covered:

• Principle and Philosophy, lecture by Stephen Boyle
• Economics, lecture by Stephen Boyle substituting for Rhydian Morgan

The lectures and exercises for the intermediate and beginner groups covered:
Second Teams, lectures by Loke Wing Fatt and Jens Fischer
Points of Information, lectures by Alfred Snider and Chris Langone

The electives that were offered included:
WEDNESDAY:

• ILLSLEY - FINDING YOUR EXTENSION
• LOEWE - WHIP SPEECHES
• NENADOVIC - WHAT IS THE PROBLEM (IN THE MOTION)?
• SKRT - CASEBUILDING PART 2
• VALKERING - ARGUMENT DEVELOPMENT
• LANGONE - STRUCTURE IN YOUR SPEECH
• SNIDER - MAKING YOUR ARGUMENTS MORE IMPORTANT
• BOYLE - SNEAKY TRICKS FOR DEBATERS
• LOKE - DEBATING ABOUT CHINA
• FISCHER - PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW

THURSDAY:

• FISCHER - ADJUDICATION FOR DEBATERS
• BOYLE - PRINCIPLES & PHILOSOPHY
• LOKE - UNDERSTANDING ISLAM & JIHAD
• TJ - DEBATING SOCIAL ISSUES
• VALKERING - HOW PEOPLE CHANGE
• SNIDER - TRAINING DRILLS & EXERCISES
• LOEWE - INDIVIDUAL & SOCIETY
• NENADOVIC - RECRUITING DEBATERS
• TJ - MILITARY ISSUES IN DEBATE
• FISCHER - WINNING AND DEFENDING THE MORAL HIGH GROUND

On Wednesday night there was a faculty demonstration debate on the motion: This House would give the International Criminal Court its own police force. The teams were:

• First Prop - Loke Wing Fatt & TJ Semnemgern
• First Opp - Gavin Illsley & Stephen Boyle
• Second Prop - Jens Fischer & Isa Loewe
• Second Opp - Maja Nenadovic & Anne Valkering

A vote was taken by the students and teachers in the audience, and on a very tight count it was:

First - Second Prop

Second - Second Opp

Third - First Opp

Fourth - First Prop

A video of this debate and many other IDAS 09 events will be posted within a week.

There was another WSDC schools round held in the evening with Romania vs. Slovenia. Romania was the winner again in another close debate.

Wednesday night there was a party with comedy night, and four brave comics faced the crowd of debaters.

Thursday night there was a chill-out party for the students and teachers, while all of the faculty members went to a local Inn and enjoyed home grown and produced foods, meats, wines and brandies. It was a truly jolly celebration of the end of the instructional program, and the Americans present said it was much better than "Thanksgiving."

Friday morniong people slept in and came to a late breakfast. The bus arrived to take everyoine to Ljubljana for the tournament and the next phase of the extended event. It was farewell to Ormoz and especially to the lovely Hotel Ormoz, the finest two star hotel in the world, who had been such a wonderful host.

IDAS 09 Off to a Strong Start

Over 80 debaters, teachers and trainers from 25 countries (Singapore, Afghanistan, USA, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Finland, Serbia, France, Croatia, Germany, Thailand, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Venezuela, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Scotland, Hong Kong, Moldova, Montenegro, England, Wales and perhaps more) are having quite a time in Ormoz, Slovenia at the Seventh International Debate Academy Slovenia, a week long intensive training program that concludes with a tournament in Ljubljana.

Each day has a lecture, that is followed by exercises for everyone, divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced groups. Lectures for the advanced cover basic areas for debating, such as International Relations (Anne Valkering), Ecology (Alfred Snider), Economics (Rhydian Morgan), Law and Justice (Chris Langone) and Principle and Philosophy (Stephen Boyle). For intermediate and beginners, there is a more mundane sequence: public speaking, proposition strategy, opposition strategy, second team strategy and points of information.


Each day there are a series of electives in the afternoon that students can choose from.
Sunday:

• Style, Chris Langone
• Note taking, Alfred Snider
• Argument building, Gavin Illsley
• 13 Minutes Prep, Loke Wing Fatt
• Motion Analysis, Jens Fischer
• Debating Secessionist Movements, Maja Nenadovic
• Whip Speeches, Isa Loewe
• Basic Reasoning, Chris Langone
• How to NOT Get Last When you Don't Know Shit, Anne Valkering
• 12 Ways to Refute an Argument, Jens Fischer

Monday:

• Making Your Arguments More Important, Alfred Snider
• Persuasion Techniques, Chris Langone
• Debating Humanitarian Intervention, Isa Loewe
• Making GOOD Slippery Slope Arguments, Gavin Illsley
• Fundraising, Anne Valkering
• Rules of the WUDC Format, Loke Wing Fatt
• Preparation for Tournaments, Bojana Skrt
• Debating Turkey & the EU, Stephen Boyle
• Better Team Work, Maja Nenadovic
• Principles of International Law, Jens Fischer

Tuesday:

• Democratization, Maja Nenadovic
• Debating Law, Chris Langone
• Opposition One, Gavin Illsley
• Policy, Value & Analysis Motions, Anne Valkering
• Tabulating Competions & Using Tab Software, Jens Fischer
• International Criminal Court, Isa Loewe
• If English is NOT Your First Language, Bojana Skrt
• Debating Ecology, Alfred Snider
• Governments & Economics, Stephen Boyle

There have been some teacher and trainer sessions:

• Organizing a Debate Team, Bojana Skrt
• Training and Coaching, Loke Wing Fatt & Bojana Skrt
• Tournament Hosting and Organizing, Anne Valkering

There have been two public debates:

Student-Faculty Demonstration Debate, Saturday Night

• Faculty: Loke Wing Fatt & Gavin Illsley, Isa Loewe & Anne Valkering
• Students: Anna England Kerr & Crt Podlogar, Filip Dobranic & Maja Cimerman
• Motion: This House supports mandatory vaccinations.
• Critics: Jens Fischer & Chris Langone

World Schools Demonstration Debate, Monday Night

• Proposition: Slovenia National Team
• Opposition: Romanian National Team
• Motion: This House would deny the right to strike to workers in essential area.
• Critic: Gavin Illsley

Practice debate motions will move from easier to more difficult, prep time starts at 30 minutes and will be cut down to 15. Here are the motions for Sunday & Monday.

• This House would not negotiate with pirates.
• This House would not eat meat
• This House would pay a wage to stay at home parents
• Thisd House would legalize soft drugs.

We have had two awesome parties that lasted late into the night and had music, dancing and much frivolity.

• Sunday night - country exhibition
• Monday night - kitsch party (strange clothing, cross-dressing, unusual make up)

Our Faculty includes:

• Stephen Boyle, Ireland, Irish Times Champion, twice breaking at WUDC, now University of Vermont
• Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore, SAID, the debating monk
• Jens Fischer, Germany, President European Debating Council
• Gavin Illsley, Scotland, communication consultant
  
• Chris Langone, USA, lawyer & Cornell University
• Isa Loewe, Germany/France, European ESL Champion
• Rhydian Morgan, Wales, Stylus Communications
• Maja Nenadovic, Hungary, University of Amsterdam
• Bojana Skrt, Slovenia, ZIP
• Thepparith Senamngern, Thailand, WUDC Convener Bangkok 2008
  
• Alfred Snider, USA, University of Vermont, World Debate Institute
• Anne Valkering, Netherlands, WUDC ESL Champion 2008, Bonaparte University

At the end of the week we will be moving to Ljubljana, where a dozen or so more teams will join us for a tournament at the Faculty of Public Administration.

More news coming in a day or so.

IDAS/Futur Tournament Schedule Now Available

Image via Wikipedia

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27 2009

Ormož participants

8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast

Free morning

1130 Bus to Ljubljana leaves

1400 Check into Bežigrad high school dormitory – for Ormož and tournament only participants

14.30 Tournament registration at the Faculty of Administration

1530 Opening Assembly – IDAS/Futur Tournament

1600 Round 1

1800 Round 2

2000 Dinner

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28 2009

730-830 Breakfast

900 Round 3

1130 Round 4

1330 Lunch

1430 Round 5

1630 Round 6

1900 Dinner & Break announcement

Break Party

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29 2009

730-830 Breakfast

900 Announcement of pairings and motion

930 Semifinals

1130 Final Round

1300 Closing Ceremonies

Stephen Boyle Added to Faculty

With the 2009 International Debate Academy Slovenia looming in November, IDAS is proud to announce that Stephen Boyle has been added to the faculty.

Stephen is now a coach at the University of Vermont, but he is far better known for his exploits as a debater for University College Dublin. There he was the Irish Times champion, he was twice in the elimination rounds at WUDC (reaching the quarterfinals), won Yale & Hart House, among other distinctions.

Welcome Stephen!

Trophies & Scholarship News

Filip Dobranic is finishing up the trophies for the tournament. Pretty sharp. And he had to go all the may to Mallorca to get them!

We hope you have heard about the scholarship fund donated by the Dallas law firm of Bickel & Brewer. Huge thanks to them for supporting debate!

To apply go to http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html and get the application form and the scholarship form and send them in.

Deadline is October 15 2009.

Interest seems very high in the program this year, so apply early, because when spaces at the lovely Hotel Ormoz are gone we will close registration.

IDAS 2009 Is Ready to Rock Your World

THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL DEBATE ACADEMY SLOVENIA
& IDAS/FUTUR 2009 TOURNAMENT

THE BEST IN WUDC/BP DEBATE INSTRUCTION AND COMPETITION

21-29 NOVEMBER 2009
Full program for students – instruction, IDAS/FUTUR 2009 tournament
IDAS/FUTUR 2009 tournament for students – tournament in Ljubljana at the Faculty of Administration-University of Ljubljana.
Full program for trainers, teachers, coaches, club leaders, judges at any level in any debate format.

SPECIFIC DATES
Arrive in Ormoz, Slovenia November 21 2009
Instruction in Ormoz November 21-26 2009
Transfer to Ljubljana morning 27 November 2009
FUTUR tournament in Ljubljana afternoon 27-29 November 2009

APPLICATION FORMS AVAILABLE FOR TOTAL PROGRAM OR JUST TOURNAMENT

Organized by:
ZIP – Za in proti (ZIP), Pro et Contra, Institute for the Culture of Dialogue, Slovenia
WDI – World Debate Institute, University of Vermont
Debate Club, Faculty of Administration, University of Ljubljana

Scholarship Fund established by
Download Application Form HERE

FACULTY -- more to come!

• Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore: Well known Asian debate trainer, WUDC breaking judge, honorary professorship North-Eastern University China, SAID Singapore, 5th IDAS.
• Jens Fischer, Germany: Berlin Debating Union, Chief Adjudicator at Europeans, 5th IDAS.
• Leela Koenig, Netherlands: Cork Worlds 2009 Best ESL speaker, Top ESL Speaker at Euros 2007 and 2008, DCA Newcastle Euros 2009, CA of Amsterdam, Euros 2010 bid, lecturer at The Hague University, philosophy student at Leiden University. 1st IDAS.
  
• Chris Langone, USA: Cornell University. 2nd IDAS.
• Isabelle Loewe, Germany: Winner EUDC (ESL), ESL-Semifinalist Worlds 2007, DCA Tallinn EUDC 2008; CA/DCA of several tournaments, among them, Prague, Tilbury IV, Yeditepe Open, Jacobs Open; Winner and finalist of several tournaments in Europe; Officer for International Law and Human Rights Education
• Branka Marusic, Croatia: Former President Europeans Council, IDAS Finalist, 3rd IDAS.
• Rhydian Morgan, UK: Chief Adjudicator and Finals judge at numerous tournaments, Welsh Debating Federation, World Debate Institute faculty 2008-09, 3rd IDAS.
• Maja Nenadovic, Croatia: Founder of several debating societies across Europe, currently busy with introducing debate to countries in the Western Balkans region, and with finishing her PhD in political science at the University of Amsterdam. 2nd IDAS.
• Debbie Newman, UK: President of Cambridge Union, England and Wales National Champion, WSDC 2008 World Champion coach for England. 2nd IDAS.
• Alfred Snider, USA: Professor at University of Vermont, Director World Debate Institute, USA Coach of the Year, six recent debate textbooks, Convener 2009 US Universities Nationals, 7th IDAS.
• Bojana Skrt, Slovenia: Director ZIP, three times WSDC EFL World Champion coach, 7th IDAS.
• Anne Valkering, Netherlands: Oxford ESL semi-finalist 2006, finalist 2007, winner ESL final Manchester IV 2007; EUDC ESL finalist 2006, semi-finalist 2007, quarterfinalist 2008, ESL second speaker 2008, fifth speaker 2006; WUDC ESL champion 2008; DCA Dutch Nationals 2009, CA Bonaparte Debate Tournament 2007, DCA Amsterdam Open 2008 and 2009, CA Sciences Po IV 2009.
  

CURRICULUM

• STUDENT TRAINING : Each Instruction day features a main lecture, exercise and drill sessions, and two complete critiqued practice debates. Many elective classes offered. Many training preparation sessions offered. Judge evaluation and training offered. Advanced, basic and beginner tracks available. The best way to get ready forn WUDC in Turkey.
• IDAS 2009 TRAINER PROGRAM
  The International Debate Academy Slovenia will be offering a special track for trainers, coaches and those interested in learning about how to train debaters and create debate organizations such as clubs, academic programs and leagues. The program will call upon the extensive experience of the faculty to provide specialized training, including: Basic debate training steps: observation, advice from experienced trainers and curriculum guides Judging: instruction, shadow judging, real judging experience Tournaments: hosting, administering, including tabulation software. Advanced debate training: observation, advice from experienced trainers, curriculum guides. Organizing: recruiting debaters, implementing training, scheduling meetings, publicity. Attendees will have a sample judging session every morning as well as a special training session in the afternoon. All events at the program will also be open to attendees. Special needs and requests specific to individuals can be met if given advance notice.
• TOURNAMENT: Sponsored by IDAS, ZIP and hosted by Faculty of Administration University of Ljubljana. Six preliminary rounds and semifinals in the WUDC format. No team caps as of now. Faculty will serve as adjudication core and administration for the tournament.
  
  COST
  
  250 Euros for full program, 60 Euros for tournament.
  Fees: Includes all meals, double rooms, instructional materials, transportation from Ormoz to Ljubljana, and social activities. Accommodations: Rooms and full meals provided in Ormoz and Ljubljana. Social activities each evening. Limited crash available for tournament.
  
  Scholarships: We hope to offer substantial scholarships to needy applicants. Scholarship forms available soon.

Financial Disclosure: IDAS is a non-profit program, trainers are not paid, trainer travel is not reimbursed, participation fees pay for attendee expenses of rooms and food only, trainer accommodations and food and other costs are covered by ZIP.

Social Events: We will have frequent social events. We will not distribute free alcohol to 18+ attendees out of the workshop fees. We will seek soft drinks-beer-wine sponsors. We prioritize scholarships for attendees over free alcohol. We want as many people as possible to join the program.

Website: http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html
Blogsite: http://internationaldebateacademy.blogspot.com/

Organizing Committee:
Director of the Academy: Bojana Skrt, ZIP, bojana.skrt@siol.net
Head of Training: Alfred C. Snider, World Debate Institute, University of Vermont, alfred.snider@uvm.edu
Tournament Host: Helena Felc

IDAS Wins $5000 Scholarship Fund from Dallas Law Firm

The Dallas-based law firm of Bickel and Brewer announced today a $5000 grant to the International Debate Academy Slovenia, sponsored by ZIP Slovenia and the World Debate Institute USA, for scholarship funds to bring the best and neediest of students to the 2009 program, a week-long intensive debate training program that will take place in November.

Sarah Marshala, director of the Bickel and Brewer Foundation, called in this message to Bojana Skrt, IDAS director. "I am happy and very grateful for this award, and I am excited about now offering more scholarships than ever. I hope that the example set by this visionary law firm is something that lawyers in Europe will learn from," said Skrt.

Bickel & Brewer is one of the most aggressive, creative and successful litigation firms in the United States. The firm's concentration in complex litigation and dispute resolution is not confined to particular substantive areas of the law, but to the litigation practice itself. As such, many of the firm's attorneys have gained national recognition by handling cutting-edge cases in a wide variety of substantive legal fields. Bickel & Brewer has proven time and again that the well-honed skills of its litigators may be universally applied to forge profitable resolutions of disputes in any area of law or any area of commercial enterprise. Although the trial and forensic abilities of Bickel & Brewer litigators are unparalleled, these tools are often used as strategic deterrents rather than as implements of first resort. Thus, a substantial portion of the firm's practice is preventative counseling and problem solving. The firm recognizes that in many instances its clients' objectives are best served by successfully avoiding litigation and that success is measured by the advice and counsel provided to achieve this end. However, if full-scale litigation is in the client's best interest, no law firm in the country understands and successfully galvanizes the process as well as Bickel & Brewer. http://www.bickelbrewer.com/index.php?id=the_firm

The International Debate Academy Slovenia is now in its seventh year and has become one of the world's premier debate training programs, focusing on training in the WUDC format. Students from over twenty countries have attended the program, and faculty members come from the top ranks of debate trainers from around the world. http://debate.uvm.edu/idas.html

The dates for 2009 are 21-29 November 2009.

One of the other events Bickel and Brewer supports is the International Public Policy Forum that it operates in partnership with New York University. It is a debate contest that allows high school students from all over the world to compete against each other to earn an all-expense paid trip to New York City for the top eight teams and a chance to win $10,000. Formerly known as the Bickel & Brewer/ NYU National Public Policy Forum, the IPPF is a unique debate competition involving public and private schools from across the globe. Visit www.nppf.net for more information! See their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/International-Public-Policy-Forum/211483875322?ref=ts .

Debate Academy for Schools Students About to Begin

WORLDS SCHOOLS DEBATE ACADEMY AND TOURNAMENT

Zreče, Slovenia, 5th – 12th July 2009

Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga Slovenia, www.zainproti.com and World Debate Institute, USA, debate.uvm.edu kindly invite you to participate at the International Worlds Schools Debate Academy and Tournament Zreče Open, 5th – 12th July 2009.

The Academy is divided in two parts. The training part starts on Sunday evening, and finishes on Friday lunch time. The tournament starts on Friday early afternoon, finishes on Sunday evening. The participants can apply for the whole event or for the tournament only.

High school students, teachers, coaches and trainers are invited. At the training part the participants will be divided into three different groups based on their experience and expertise - beginners, intermediate and advanced. There will be a special group for trainers and coaches. There will be small groups with a 1 to 6 student trainer ratio, meaning lots of individual attention.

Participants will be staying in Hotel Smogac in the center of Zreče. You can check about the hotel at www.smogavc.si

Prepared motions for this year:

This house has no confidence in capitalism.
This house would focus more on adapting to climate change than preventing it.
This house believes that religious belief is the most important barrier for multiculturalism.
This house would forcefeed anorexics.

Quarterfinals: This house would make only organ donors eligible for organ transplant.
Finals: This house believes trade unions should be mandatory.

Trainers:

Maja Cimerman, member of the Team Slovenia at Worlds Schools Debate Championship 2006, 2007 (EFL World Champion WSDC Korea)

Filip Dobranic, member of the Team Slovenia at Worlds Schools Debate Championship in 2006, 2007, 2008 (Top EFL speaker at WSDC 2007 Korea and 2008 USA, EFL World Champion WSDC 2007 Korea and 2008 Washington).

Anna Mojca England Kerr, member of the Team Slovenia at Worlds Schools Debate Championship 2006, 2007 (EFL World Champion WSDC Korea).

Rhydian Morgan, Great Britain, Chief Adjudictor at numerous tournaments and trainer.

David Register, University of Vermont. USA, award-winning coach.

Bojana Skrt, Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga, Slovenia (EFL Worlds Champion Coach WSDC Canada, Korea, USA).

Alfred C. Snider, University of Vermont, USA, award-winning coach.

Anja Šerc, Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga, Slovenia

Ruth Zisman, Doctoral Fellow at New York University, USA, award-winning coach.

Organising committee:
Miha Andric
Bojana Skrt

Attend the entire event:
Arrival on Sunday late afternoon, July 5th
Departure on Monday morning, July 12th
Participation fee: 250 EUR covers all instruction, accomodation and food for 8 nights, trainers, materials and tournament.
Application form for entire event

The participants should apply individually.

Attend the tournament only:
Arrival: Friday, the 10th, morning
Departure: Monday, the 12th, morning
Participation fee: 100 EUR covers accomodation and food for 3 nights and tournament expences.
The cost for an additional night (coming on Thursday) is 30 EUR.
Application form for tournament only

The participants should apply as 3 members teams. Each team should be accompanied by a judge.

Participation fees should be paid in cash upon arrival or via bank tranfer prior to the event. The ones who would like to pay via bank tranfer, please, contact debata@siol.net for additional information.

Application forms in the attachments. Please, send the application forms to debata@siol.net as soon as possible but not later than June 25th.

You can check the news and updates at http://debate.uvm.edu/wsda.html

SCHEDULE

Sunday, 5th of July 2009
16.00 – 19.00 Registration
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner
20.00 – 22.00 Opening, participants test, demo debate and introduction to the format.

Monday, 6th of July 2009
7:30 -- 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 Morning announcements
9.00 – 10.00 Lecture: Public speaking
10.00 – 12.00 Exercises
12.00 – 13.00 Lecture: Points of information
13.00 – 14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 19.00 Debates (preparation for debates, debates, feedback)
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner

Tuesday, 7th of July 2009
7:30 -- 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 Morning announcements
9.00 – 10.00 Lecture: Argumentation
10.00 – 12.00 Exercises
12.00 – 13.00 Lecture: Argumentation
13.00 – 14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 19.00 Debates (preparation for debates, debates, feedback)
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner
20.00 – 21.00 Electives

Wednesday, 8th of July 2009
7:30 -- 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 Morning announcements
9.00 – 10.00 Lecture: Building proposition case.
10.00 – 12.00 Exercises
12.00 – 13.00 Lecture: Motions analyses
13.00 – 14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 19.00 Debates (preparation for debates, debates, feedback)
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner
20.00 – 21.00 Electives

Thursday, 9th of July 2009
7:30 -- 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 Morning announcements
9.00 – 10.00 Lecture: Building opposition case.
10.00 – 12.00 Exercises
12.00 – 13.00 Lecture: Refutation.
13.00 – 14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 19.00 Debates (preparation for debates, debates, feedback)
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner
20.00 – 21.00 Open Forum

Friday, 10th of July 2009
7:30 -- 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 Morning announcements
9.00 – 10.00 Lecture: Third speeches
10.00 – 12.00 Exercises
12.00 – 13.00 Lecture: Reply speeches

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Prepared motions will be announced during first weekend in May.

Friday, 10th of July 2009
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.30 Openning of the tournament

15.00 – 17.00
Debater briefing
Adjudication briefing and judges test

17.00 Round 1 prepared

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner

Saturday, 10th of July
9.00 Round 2 – prepared

11.00 Impromptu motion announced
12.00 Round 3 – impromptu

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 Impromptu motion announcement
15.00 Round 4 – impromptu
17.00 Round 5 – prepared
19.00 – Dinner and socials

Sunday, 11th of July
9.00 Round 6 – prepared

11.00 Impromptu motion announcement
12.00 Round 7 – impromptu

13.30 – 14.30 Lunch

14.30 Quarterfinalists announcement
15.00 Quarterfinal – prepared

16.30 Semi – finalists announcement, impromptu motion announcement
18.00 Semi – finale
19.30 Dinner

21.00 Finale – prepared
Closing ceremony
Party