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Debating, Mooting and

Public Speaking

DEBATING

Inter-School

Senior School

Somerset enters debating teams from each year level in the Queensland Debating Union Gold Coast - Brisbane Competition. Each team has a coach who helps pupils with method and presentation and discusses ideas. Pupils are expected to spend time on discussion of their case and preparation of their material. This is usually done in school lunch hours and sometimes after school.

It is not necessary to have had experience to be interested in a position on a team. Teachers with Junior teams try to provide opportunities for as many pupils as possible. Top Senior teams, however, are usually comprised of pupils with experience.

Gold Coast LOTE Speech Contest

The Gold Coast LOTE Speech Contest gives pupils the opportunity to speak their studied language in a competitive environment. There are divisions for primary and secondary pupils.

MOOTING

Mooting is presenting a legal argument in front of a judge or judges. There are four speakers, known as barristers. Two barristers argue for the person who took the case to court. The other two barristers argue for the person who has been taken to court. Each team is given a brief outline of the facts, and a statement about what each side claims happened. The judge has to decide which side's argument is correct. He/she has to apply the law from past decisions, called precedents. Each mooting team must read those past cases and work out arguments to show why these cases should or should not be applied in the present situation. As they speak the judge can interrupt to ask questions. They must answer these questions, to the best of their ability. They are marked on how well they speak and how well they answer questions. The judge also evaluates the legal argument presented.

There are two levels of involvement in mooting at Somerset. Firstly any pupils in Year 11 or 12 Legal Studies can enter the intraschool competition in Term 1. The winning team, the three best speakers (mooters), will then take part in the Bond University Interschool Mooting Competition. This is now an Australia wide competition taking place during Term 2. The winning team is awarded the trophy. The best oralist receives a half scholarship to Bond University Law School.

Pupils also have the opportunity to compete in the Beenleigh/Logan District Mooting Competition and the Griffith University Mooting Competition.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

There are many opportunities for pupils to be involved in public speaking and debating. Every year the College is offered places in the following local, state and national competitions which have a strong public speaking component:

- Lions Youth of the Year Competition in early March

- Rostrum Voice of Youth Competition in late March

- Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition in May

- Plain English Speaking Competition in May

- Jaycees Youth Speaks for Australia in May

- A.B. Paterson Public Speaking Competition in October

Many of these competitions also require pupils to have a considerable knowledge of and interest in current affairs and to be able to demonstrate their involvement in a wide range of school and community activities. Many competitions include an interview with a judging panel and pupils are often required to present both prepared and impromptu speeches. Winners of these competitions can proceed through local, regional and state and national levels.

Pupils taking part in these competitions gain much from the experience and meet many other pupils and members of the community.

The overall co-ordination of these competitions is conducted by the Debating/Public Speaking Co-ordinator and includes the organisation and allocation of places in various heats. Other staff assist and will advise details of upcoming competitions, closing dates for entries and distribution of entry forms in the daily bulletin.

The closing dates for entry into many of these competitions is often very early in the year, in some cases at least one month before the actual date of the heats. Pupils who are interested should contact the Debating/Public Speaking Co-ordinator to ensure they are registered as entrants as early in the year as possible.

Pupils should be prepared to spend time in preparation for these activities and teachers will give guidance in a number of different ways.

Public Speaking - Intraschool

Somerset College has a rich history in Debating and Public Speaking competitions.

The Public Speaking Competition involves pupils from Years 4 to 7 participating in the competition with experienced senior debaters and public speakers acting as officials and adjudicators.

The Public Speaking Competition is conducted in June/July for the Junior School. This evening event is designed for maximum participation.