Public Speaking & Debate (PSD)
Learn the art of presenting and advocating for yourself.
A foundation-level Public Speaking & Debate course over the school year — students develop oracy, leadership, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.
Why CKSTEM teaches PSD
Confidence and the art of persuasion.
CKSTEM believes in providing a well-balanced, holistic, and fun learning environment where students not only develop their intellect, problem-solving, math, or programming skills but also gain confidence and empower themselves. Public Speaking and Debate is an intrinsic part of our life and a successful society — hence, it is essential that students from an early age are given the opportunities and coaching to develop these skills.
The Public Speaking & Debate Program at CKSTEM aims at offering a structured and safe learning environment over the course of the school year where students have all the abilities to develop their oracy, leadership, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills. Through this program, students will learn to master the art of presenting and communicating in a convincing, credible, and persuasive manner. It also helps students become more informed and engaged citizens.
Program details
32 online sessions over the school year.
Who should join: students ready to build communication confidence and prepare for academic and competitive debate.
What students learn over 32 online sessions (training + practice):
- Public Speaking — voice, structure, and stage presence
- Debate Basics — formats, roles, etiquette
- Argument Construction & Deconstruction
- Rebuttal Speeches
- Practice & Competition
- Graded Assignments
Course objectives
Goals for every student.
Purpose: To empower students with the skills and confidence to express ideas clearly, think critically, and engage in constructive dialogue.
Why join: Students who learn public speaking and debate perform better across all subjects — from essay writing to science presentations. These are lifelong skills that open doors in academics, careers, and civic participation.
PSD in action
The 6 P's of Public Speaking.
To build a strong speaking style, just remember the 6 P's of Public Speaking — words that represent important elements of every great talk. We teach the framework, then practice it.
Organizing your speech.
Frameworks and structures for planning, drafting, and delivering an organized, persuasive speech.
Research skills for debate.
Students learn how to research a topic, identify credible sources, gather evidence, and organize their arguments with supporting data — skills that transfer directly to academic writing and presentations.
Types of speech.
From informative and persuasive speeches to impromptu and extemporaneous formats — students practice multiple speech types and understand when and how to deploy each style effectively.
Semester structure
Two semesters, progressive skill building.
Semester 1 (Sep–Dec): Foundations of public speaking — voice projection, body language, speech structure, the 6 P's framework, informative and persuasive speeches. Students deliver graded speeches and receive structured feedback.
Semester 2 (Jan–Jun): Debate fundamentals — argumentation, rebuttal, research skills, debate formats and roles. Culminates in practice debates and preparation for CIPC (Canadian Innovation Public Speaking & Debate Contest).
Sessions
32 online sessions (training + practice) over the school year
Duration
75 minutes per session, weekly on Zoom
Eligibility
Grades 5–7. Foundation level — no prior experience needed.
Join the next cohort.
The PSD program runs alongside our other CKSTEM courses on Moodle. Cohort start dates published with each season.