On 3 March 2021, Lower Sixth students Caitlin V and Grace W took part in a virtual public speaking debate with Reading School.
Here's Caitlin's own account of this event:
Before coming back to school, Grace and I took part in the second debate with Reading School this term. The debate motion was “This house supports the revival of capital punishment” in which I, along with a student from Reading School argued against the motion, while Grace and another student argued for the motion.
I believe the debate went very well, as everyone who viewed it was attentive, asking lots of questions which we could debate further on. I found the motion incredibly engaging as it is something often discussed, and when involved in a formal debate it allows you to explore both points of view - this also helped me determine my own views on the matter. By taking part in this debate I was able to develop my public speaking skills and communication skills with those involved.
I decided to participate in public speaking at Queen Anne's as I find debates very exciting experiences. Although you prepare your points beforehand you simply cannot determine what questions you will asked, or what points the other side puts forward, so it creates an interesting dynamic as you have to think on the spot. I found it quite similar to debating with my peers, although being a formal debate it allowed me to find evidence for the points I put forward and allowed me to present these points in a much more confident manner as I was of course able to prepare before.
To discover her thoughts on the matter, I spoke to Grace who told me about how she found the debate. She commented, “While I disagree with the statement that the death penalty should be revived, I thought it was a good experience to look at and argue against my own beliefs”. Grace added “I found the debate very compelling as it is an emotionally charged topic, and I feel it was a good experience which will benefit me later on”.
In conclusion, the debate was extremely enjoyable, while also creating insight into the wider world of debates.
By Caitlin V
