du tournoi inter-lycées de débat en anglais
de la French Debating Association
→ formal debating in English
→ Friendly debates with other schools
→ Henri-IV’s debating team is a member of FDA (French debating association) http://www.frenchdebatingassociation.fr
Formal debating:
In the English-speaking world, all universities and schools have their debating clubs and organise tournaments.
The format of this rhetorical game was inspired by the debates at the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and its rules were inspired by an extremely popular form of debating known as World Style Debating: debates involve two teams who argue a motion, alternating between «proposition» and «opposition» speakers who take turns to deliver short speeches (3 to 5′), giving spirited arguments as well as rebutting one another in the course of an event that offers more and more space for improvisation and rhetorical amusement to inspire an audience and, above all, convince the members of the jury.
Joining the debating society is a way to
- practice your English in a fun way,
- develop skills for speaking in public,
- become familiar with a tradition that is part and parcel of academic life in the English speaking world.
We participate in friendly debates and debating tournaments organised with other lycées in Paris (Louis-le-Grand, Camille See, Fénelon, Ecole Alsacienne, American Lycée in Paris, Ecole Massillon, Lycée Berlioz de Vincennes, Lycée International de l’Est Parisien, Claude Monet, Sévigné…)
Our lycée was proud to win the first high-schools tournaments in 2016 and 2019 (due to the Covid crisis, there were no tournaments in 2020 and 2021). We were in the semi-final in 2022 and 2023.
Every year, some happy few members of our debating club can also attend the prestigious grand « final » of the debating tournament between Grandes Ecoles at the Hotel de Lassay (Assemblée Nationale).
Workshops and friendly debates take place every Friday room F003 from 12:30 to 13:30
From classe de seconde to CPGE 2e année, if you wish to practice your English in a fun way, come and join us !
For further information, contact Laure Nafissi-Geschwind via the ENT.