Five years ago, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools · China’s Speech & Debate program was little more than an idea. What began as a single elective course with eight students is now a comprehensive curriculum integrated across all campuses, offering students in Grades 5 to 12 specialized courses, electives, and local and international competition opportunities. As the program grew, so did the need to build a strong community of coaches.
Inaugural Speech & Debate Teacher Symposium
This fall, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools · China (BIBS · C) hosted its first-ever Speech & Debate Teacher Symposium in Shenzhen, bringing together educators from nine campuses nationwide. This event focused on collaborative training to ensure a consistent and high-quality approach to speech and debate education.
“For me, the highlight was being in the room with our cohort of Speech & Debate educators and having the ability to be truly invested in the growth of our community to serve our students better,” reflected Colin Malinak, Director of BIBS · C Speech & Debate Program.
The 1.5-day intensive workshop combined global insights with in-house expertise, covering topics from extemporaneous speaking and congressional debate to managing online competitions and leveraging student agency and autonomy. Participants came away with practical tools and strategies to prepare their students for both local and international success.
Insights from Esteemed Speakers
One memorable session featured Dr. Tripp Rebrovick, Director of the Harvard Debate Council, who shared advice on preparing students for high-stakes international competitions. Another standout speaker, Jordan Blumenthal, founder of China’s Tournament of Champions, shared insight into building bilingual debaters’ language skills, critical thinking, and argumentation abilities.
Live Coaching Demonstrations
In a particularly engaging workshop, “Working the Performance: Coaching Methods on Display,” a teacher conducted a live coaching session with a student, demonstrating the nuances of guiding student growth. The session also included strategies for peer coaching and maximizing one-on-one time with students.
The same student who participated in the live coaching demonstration with his teacher led a workshop for his fellow BIBS · C students that same day, introducing new competitors to various interpretation events. This seamless transition from learner to leader epitomizes the BIBS · C approach, with both teachers and students learning and empowering their peers.
Positive Feedback
This is how professional development should be,” shared Judson Tomaiko, Middle School Speech & Debate Teacher and Dean of Student Activities at BASIS International School Shenzhen. “Everyone had a really good time, and there was so much learning on display.” Tomaiko especially valued collaborating with his colleagues, noting, “It was great to see what other teachers are doing in their classrooms and if there were any ideas I wanted to take for my own.”
The symposium was a rare opportunity for coaches to connect in person, away from the demands of competition. “Normally, when we see each other, it is during competitions, and we don’t have time to talk and discuss things since we are trying to manage our teams,” explained Cody Jackson, Speech & Debate Coach at BASIS International School Guangzhou. “I loved collaborating with the other network speech and debate coaches in person.”
This sentiment was echoed by Andrew Dupre, Founding Speech & Debate Coach at BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Chengdu: “I’ve never left a workshop before where everyone was genuinely very satisfied with every aspect. It was excellent and invaluable. There was a genuine sense of camaraderie.”
“Having this opportunity to gather and truly focus on pedagogy and teaching practice was truly invaluable,” Malinak shared. “We brought in multiple thought leaders in Chinese debate from across Guangdong and the country while connecting with global leaders in the activity online. Being able to access these resources made the workshop a dynamic and powerful experience for these educators.”
Looking Ahead
The success of the symposium reflects BASIS China’s commitment to excellence in speech and debate education. Today, the program hosts China’s largest speech and debate tournament circuit, with alumni going on to attend prestigious universities worldwide. As the BASIS International & Bilingual Schools network grows, events like this symposium are important to sustaining academic excellence and building a strong professional community.
As the coaches return to their classrooms, they bring with them new strategies, global perspectives, and a deeper sense of community. But most of all, they bring a renewed enthusiasm for inspiring and supporting their students as thinkers, speakers, and leaders.
