Speaking, Listening and Understanding, Revised Edition

Speaking, Listening and Understanding, Revised Edition is designed to introduce debate to new English language speakers. Written in clear, simple language, it presents the basics of debate while avoiding the complexity and excessive cultural references that make standard texts difficult for this audience to use. Chapters include:

• Welcome to Debate
• Debate Basics
• Delivery for Effective Speaking
• Organization for Debating
• Debate Formats 
• Propositions
• Critical Thinking
• Research
• Refutation
• Tournaments and Judges

Each chapter includes a list of important concepts, key vocabulary terms, and exercises to help students master the skill discussed. All definitions are listed in a glossary.

Gary Rybold debated his first round in 1965. Since 1993, when he started coaching at Irvine Valley College in California, his teams have placed first or second in national rankings 17 times. In 2003, he conducted the first IDEA debate training in China. Professor Rybold received his PhD in Applied Linguistics from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 2011

Neill Harvey-Smith is a communication consultant at Garnett & Simpson and author of The Practical Guide to Debating Worlds Style. He was chair of the World Debating Council from 2008 to 2010. He is a former chief adjudicator of the European Championships, U.S. National Championships, and World Online Debating Championships, and is a five-time grand final judge of the World University Debating Championships.