Debate and public speaking camps

Is your child interested in debate and public speaking? Are they looking develop or hone their skills in these areas? In Canada, there are many debate and speech camps to choose from, including in Toronto, Etobicoke, Ottawa, Guelph, Orangeville, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Victoria.

Most of these camps offer training in both debate and public speaking. Some, though, focus exclusively (or primarily) on one or the other. Make sure you pick a camp that fits your child’s interests.

What will my child learn at a debate and speech camp?

Debate and speech camps teach your child crucial skills. First, your child will learn the basics of debate and public speaking. They’ll also be given the opportunity to deliver a speech and engage in individual or group debates in front of an audience, and be given feedback on their performance. And in many camps, they’ll participate in competitions, such as the Junior National Debate Championships, in Canada, or the National Debate and Speech Tournament, in the US.

Your child will also acquire a number of other skills in debate and speech camps. In a debate camp, these will likely include many of the following:

• Researching topics
• Adopting and summarizing a position
• Defending a position or claim
• Understanding and using arguments and counter-arguments
• Using evidence and counter-examples
• Understanding the parliamentary debate procedure

Although your child will learn many of these same skills in a public speaking camp or course, they’ll also learn some other skills. These include the following:

• Effective body language
• Presentation and delivery strategies
• Organizing and structuring a speech
• Different types of speeches and topics
• Projecting and modulating one’s voice
• Engaging an audience and keeping their attention
• Effective use of humour

What will my child gain from a debate or speech camp?

Debate and speech camps are a great option for many kids. They can enable them to develop lots of important skills, that will help them in and outside of school. These include the following:

• Speaking and articulating
• Amplifying one’s voice
• Adjusting one’s presentation to an audience
• Organizing and structuring a talk
• Reasoning
• Evaluating and critiquing claims
• Brainstorming and thinking on one’s feet
• Understanding complex issues

In addition, though, these camps can benefit your child in less obvious ways. In particular, they can help them develop or improve on the following traits:

• Confidence
• Self-esteem
• Social and political awareness
• Team work
• Leadership abilities
• Understanding of diplomacy and international issues

Below, we list debate and public speaking camps across Canada. Find a camp near you.