I have noticed that most Singaporean debaters are hesitant to truly explore the full range of available speaking styles. I would suggest that you study some of the greatest speakers (and even actors) and learn how they are able to capture an audience’s attention and imagination.
Debate is not about “reading essays out loud” like newscasters – it is about persuading an audience. You should dare to step outside the confines of “reading out notes” and move towards truly capturing the imagination of the audience. Be alive, be on fire, be passionate, be funny, be unique, be memorable. Captivate an audience, and you can be assured that the judge will vote in your favour.
Most young debaters and coaches forget that style is worth as much as content for the WSDC format, so a debate can be won on style. So, try and score higher for style. 
How do I improve my style?
One activity that I sometimes ask young debaters to do is to pick a great speech from history and to deliver it (either from memory or from the script) with the same passion and zeal that you imagine it to have been delivered with. If the speech is recent enough, there is likely to be a video of that speech online somewhere – watch it and copy the style! Don’t be afraid to be human and speak with passion and emotion in a debate – it can really be very persuasive. I’m a big fan of Obama’s speaking style, but there are many others to choose from, so pick a few role models and learn from them.
Time magazine compiled their “top 10 speeches” with full texts and even some videos. Go and try them out!
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841228_1841749,00.html
Loading ...
