Improved critical reasoning skills
“Arguing, in fact, has been claimed by cognitive scientists to be not just central to human thinking and reasoning but its central objective … argument [is] the umbrella under which all reasoning lies; it is ‘the more general human process of which more specific forms of reasoning are a part.’”
“Debate programs provide various academic benefits, according to researchers. Learning how to develop an argument is a real-world skill, for one. It helps students gain critical thinking skills, and experts say that understanding how to marshal evidence can help students succeed in their future careers, whether they become a sales person making a case for a new product or a lawyer defending a client in a court room.” – US News and World Report, May 24, 2017
– Diana KuhnProfessor of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, observed our summer debate institute programs for two weeks with a group of over 100 students in middle school and high school.