developing leaders
future-ready your grade 1-12 gifted child!
Debaters enrolling at top U.S. colleges
Non-debaters (grey) Debaters (blue)
Based on 1,963 NSDA surveys, 2019
SPECIAL: STANFORD & HARVARD UNIVERSITY TOURNAMENTS
SPEECH DEBATE INDIA GRADE 6-12 STUDENTS:
Selections for two of the most prestigious academic events in the world, the Stanford University and Harvard University Tournaments will be made from students enrolled in The Global Chronicles Q3/Q4 course. Learn more about our tournament preparation course, The Global Chronicles 2.0 below and signup today - Limited Seats!
The Stanford University and Harvard University Tournaments will be held online February 2021 with typically the top 1-2% of Middle School and High School debaters in the United States, China and other countries compete in these highly prestigious events. Students selected from grades 6-8 will compete in the Middle School Division and students selected from grades 9-12 will compete in the High School Division. Learn with the best in the world!
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Traditional education with teachers simply imparting knowledge is failing to holistically prepare kids.
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U.S. Debate is research-backed, engaging students in a thrilling learning experience and proven to boost grades, critical thinking, and balanced leadership. Debate can pay back in productivity gains, making school easier, with debaters typically in the top 10% of their class.
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U.S. Debate Aumni include Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Ted Turner (CNN), Oprah Winfrey; U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton.
"Confidence, eloquence, friendliness, and open-mindedness... truly essential for leaders." – Mr. Kacholia in Tribune India.
#1: Live US Coaching
U.S. COACHING FOR GIFTED CHILDREN:
Inspired by our Founder – two time U.S. State Debate Champion and Stanford University alumnus, Rajiv Kacholia.
"Their points need to be evidence-based and backed by research... I wanted to give them a voice and the confidence to speak up, though respectfully, and express their opinion." – Mr. Kacholia in Indian Express.
#2: Unique approach
FUTURE READY – CREATIVITY, CRITICAL THINKING, & COLLABORATION
Uniquely thrilling and rigorous U.S. curriculum is taught by U.S. faculty based in Mumbai. This is not a traditional elocution class. Mr. Kacholia has developed a uniquely modern pedagogy to advance competitive debate and essential 21st century life skills by augmenting evidence-based debate formats.
"Research demonstrates that debaters advance in reading, writing, and life skills. We use exciting games and challenge our students to extend beyond their personal opinions and explore alternative perspectives through rigorous analysis and discussion. Children dive into topics, become self-motivated to read and process information faster, while aspiring to formulate creative ideas supported by evidence-based reasoning." – Mr. Kacholia in Education World.
#3: Grade level determines division and course time
No prior debate experience or content knowledge is required. Our pedagogy integrates new kids quickly - they will start participating in discussions and debating in their first week!
Based on your child's grade level, we will assign them to the appropriate class time for their age group. Available times are on the Application Form. Our divisions are:
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Grade 1-3: JES (Junior ES) - Requires pre-assessment to determine eligibility for new students.
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Grades 4-5: ES (Elementary School)
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Grade 6: JMS (Junior MS) or MS (Middle School)
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Grades 7-8: MS (Middle School)
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Grades 9-12: HS (High School)
#4: select courses
Join Speech and Debate India's high energy, live online classes, practices, and small group competitive team debates! We limit debates to small groups and every child has a speaking role within debates to express their evidenced-based views. We have limited seats and this is a competitive activity - please review the FAQs further below and sign-up to engage your child socially and intellectually.
NO PRIOR DEBATE EXPERIENCE NEEDED FOR ANY OF OUR COURSES. We are able to integrate new students into our courses quickly and gradually build their comfort level and competitiveness. Students should participate with an open mind and respect alternative perspectives.
Dates:
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Quarter 1 Core Courses - August 17th to October 3rd
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Quarter 2 Core Courses - October 12th to December 5th
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Quarter 3 Core Courses - January 11th to March 6th
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Quarter 4 Core Courses - March 15th to May 8th
Schedule:
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Core Courses meet twice a week for 1.5 hours each on stated days, for a total of 20 hours.
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Global Chronicles meets Saturday for 2 hour blocks and is a two quarter long course for tournament prep for ES/JMS and MS/HS students. Requires enrollment in a minimum of one other Core Course between Q3 and Q4.
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Class dates and times are subject to modifications per Mr. Kacholia's schedule and availability. We have reserved the week after each quarter for make-up days. The weeks of February 8th for Q3 and the week of March 29th for Q4 are reserved as a Mid-Quarter week off with no classes scheduled during those weeks.
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General Class Time (IST) Options By Division (See above for individual course times and check the application form for specific options available)
- General Schedule
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JES/ES/JMS: 5:00-6:30pm
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MS/HS: 6:30-8:00pm
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MS/HS: 8:00-9:30pm
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Price:
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Each Quarterly Core Course is Rs. 14,900+GST and includes 20 hours of live sessions over the quarter. Sign-up per your child's convenience and interests after reviewing the course options below.
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The Global Chronicles tournament prep course over two quarters is an additional Rs. 34,900+GST.
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NEW: International Honor Society Membership is an annual fee paid once a year of Rs. 4,900+GST to cover the current annual international honor society membership through Q3 and Q4. This is mandatory for eligibility for any international tournaments. It will need to be renewed annually to continue to accumulate honor society points and earn privileges.
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Enrollment in The Global Chronicles gains eligibility for selection to international tournaments. Selection will be based on merit and performance within the course, other enrolled courses and our tournaments.
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Note that international tournaments and any other tournaments not organized or hosted directly by Speech and Debate India will be at an additional charge based on the tournament participation and judging fees.
Additional Info:
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*College Admission Debate is a special one-time offering. This debate course is only open to grade 8-12 students and is designed to help understand what's ahead and prepare towards college admissions through case studies and debates. This special Q2 course is offered at 6:30-8pm Fridays & Saturdays.
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**The Global Chronicles is from 1pm-3pm and 3pm-5pm Saturdays. This special tournament prep semester long course is open only to students fully paid for a minimum of one Core Course between Q3 and Q4. Note, holiday weeks indicated above. This course will begin two weeks early on Jan 2nd to help prepare for international tournaments, subject to student selection. It is similar to our popular Reimagining Our World course which was over-subscribed 250%.
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Check FAQs further below or contact us to setup a time to speak.
the road to nationals 2021
We will continue to provide updates on Nationals for the 2020-21 Academic Year. Here are important notes:
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Point Based Qualification Into Nationals:
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Students will qualify based on cumulative points earned between August 2020 and May 2021.
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Points will be earned for active participation in each course, with extra points in The Global Chronicles, and the highest number of points awarded for team and individual performances in both Regionals Tournaments this winter and next spring (Students are expected to participate in both Regionals Tournaments).
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Regionals Tournaments:
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Tournaments will include students in JES, ES, JMS, MS, and HS
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Regionals A, the Winter Tournament dates
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ES: December 12, 2020, 8am-1pm
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MS: December 19 & 20, 2020, times TBA
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HS: December 27, 2020, 8am-2pm
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international HOnor society membership
Since 1925, Honor Society members have reflected the highest standards of integrity, humility, respect, leadership, and service. Students who join can earn points for competition and community service. The more points accumulated, the higher the designation awarded at the time of High School graduation. Honor Society members may also become eligible for special awards and can wear an honor cord at graduation. Annual membership is valid through August 1, 2021 for Rs. 4,900 + GST.
Earning Points and Degrees of Designation levels reflects your individual growth and achievement as well as your commitment to the speech and debate community. Being a member can also help with college admissions. "College admissions representatives recognize our honor society as an impressive achievement on student applications." - NSDA, November 2019.
We will hold an induction ceremony for all students who signup for Honor Society Membership. This is required for international tournaments. Degree designations students can graduate with are below:
frequently asked questions
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Are programs live? Yes, lectures are live online, with real-time Q&A & interactive small group debates.
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What is the time commitment? 20 Hours of live sessions over each Quarter's course. All Core Courses meet twice a week for 1.5 hours each session. Note, that The Global Chronicles Tournament Series Prep Course meets for 2 hours on Saturdays over the full semester (Q3 and Q4).
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What is the typical student profile? Our students are generally based in major metropolitan cities in India and internationally in the U.S., Europe and Middle East. One common thread is that our students are passionate, attend top schools and are gifted or advanced for their grade level.
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Is there homework? Many students will spend extra time ahead of debates to read and prepare. While this is optional, debate is competitive and helps stimulate self-interest in research and critical thinking. Our goal is to significantly deepen their understanding in each program track and build critical thinking and creativity skills, while gaining perspectives and self-motivated learning in each subject area.
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How do you provide feedback? Students have opportunities during classes to receive assistance, feedback, and ask questions. We track student performance during classes as well as in tournaments.
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Is prior experience needed? Your child will start debating in the first week - no prior experience needed.
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How do you encourage interaction? We leverage technology to promote participation in each live session. We encourage students both through written and verbal shares to communicate their ideas and questions either broadly or privately during lectures that can be responded to live. In breakout rooms, students get to work in smaller teams of 2 to 4 students to prepare for debates, where we check in to see if they have questions or need help preparing. Each child has a speaking role within structured debates and cross examination, and we moderate debates to coach and encourage collaboration among team members and sharing of responsibilities during cross-examination while helping to prepare their fellow team members.
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How does the new Quarterly system work? We will be systematically tracking students in each course and those who participate in The Global Chronicles. Participation and performance in courses each quarter (Q1-Q4), in The Global Chronicles, and in the Regionals A and B Tournaments will be factored for National Tournament 2021 eligibility. Students can select the courses they are excited by. Each course uses a different content area with our unique pedagogy to teach and advance student debate skills while they deepen their knowledge of content areas.
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What does each topic cover? Each curriculum and debate topic is curated by our U.S. instructors and takes a deep dive into issues of global importance and leadership. Kids are introduced to extemporaneous speech, research, critical analysis, and debate skills while gaining insights into influences and impacts on government, business, leadership, economics, science, and the world around us. Watch videos of each of our new courses.
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Can I sign-up for multiple courses? Yes, we've designed the new Debate Academy on a flexible quarterly basis to help students advance their skills and confidence. Students are provided several content options they find engaging on distinct topics with global relevance. Many students have previously enrolled in all our courses. Students can generally choose from two exciting options each day. Core Courses meet Monday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Thursday, and Friday. Students gain critical thinking, creativity, communication, and leadership skills, while raising familiarity with important 21st century issues and leadership decisions. Topics are adapted for age groups. Each division will be challenged to read at a higher grade level. Select the topics and times that work best for your child and schedule.
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What device/materials do I need? Laptop/tablet, internet connection for streaming video, notebook
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Which ages can join? Students from grades 1 to 12 in school year 2020-21 can join while space is available. Students in younger grades can join a waitlist for our next Young Explorers courses which meets for an hour daily over 20 days each month.
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My child is shy, nervous, stammers - can they still enroll? A majority of our students are shy. Fear of public speaking is common in adults and kids. Shy kids can gradually gain confidence in a controlled environment and advance to become successful leaders. This takes time. We encourage shy kids with a safe small group environment to express their views from the comfort of their home. Debate does not require any memorization - we remove such obstacles, encouraging deeper thinking and the use of notes to gradually build confidence.
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How is your approach different? Mr. Kacholia has developed a unique pedagogy to teach students important content through debate, while advancing their debate and life skills with a highly rigorous and evidence-based format of debate. We are also the official, exclusive partners of the world's largest organization in this field, the U.S. NSDA. We take a real-world approach, using games and challenges to engage in practice each session, while gradually imparting theory and encouraging self-reflection and engaging discussions to articulate evidence-based reasoning. We dive deep into each topic area, evaluating evidence from multiple perspectives. We challenge kids to move beyond their personal opinions to develop an appreciation for alternative viewpoints based on evidence. U.S. NSDA debate has been proven over 95+ years to foster balanced leadership and no other academic activity has the extent of research supporting the academic, college, and life benefits. Our approach is very different than traditional courses on public speaking and elocution. This is not an elocution class. We don't memorize speeches. Our format of debate is designed to extend gifted children.
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How do I register and pay? Sign-up here. You'll automatically receive electronic payment instructions to your registered email. Once your payment has been received, you'll receive enrollment confirmation.