On Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November, nine keen Wyvern debaters travelled across to Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College in North Sydney for their annual Primary Debating Workshop. This was the first time that any Wyvern boys had participated in this program. There were 90 students from many different schools in both Year 5 and Year 6.

Over the two days we spent many hours with an experienced debating coach. He introduced us to lots of word games and drills to develop our impromptu speaking and listening skills. It was lots of fun and a great way for us all to interact and get to know each other. One example was ‘half baked’ where we were given two random words, had to smash them together and advertise it as a product. We found it challenging but hilarious attempting to promote all kinds of things such as a ‘torch pug’, a ‘chicken segway’ and a ‘knife sock’.

Then we moved on to more debating skills training starting with the 3Ms of debating: Matter; Method; and Manner. We also spent time understanding characterisation, how to create a case, the role of each speaker, how to conduct our arguments and also how to approach rebuttal – an important part of debating. For some of us who have debated at Wyvern this coaching extended the skills we have already been learning with Ms Dillion and Mr Baker.

The workshop finished on Saturday afternoon when we all got to participate in a competitive debate. It was a fun two day workshop and I’d be really excited to attend again next year.

Adam Cooper 5B