World Schools Debate is a relatively new type of debate. Introduced in 1988, it is a combination of international debate formats. Worlds is practiced in the U.S., although debate programs that use it are still quite rare. This is what sets CASE Debates apart from any other debate league in the country. When CASE for Kids was developing CASE Debates in 2017, they decided that the World Schools format would be offered as well as the more common, Policy format. In fact, CASE Debates has hosted one of the largest World Schools Debate Tournaments this season. Students are excited to learn and implement this cutting-edge type of debate. Worlds gains their interest because it is based on real-world and applicable situations that has real global effects.

As a result, Worlds requires that debaters focus on their delivery of the argument instead of only presenting research that was compiled beforehand. To be a successful Worlds Debater, participants must consider the practical consequences of the motions that they propose. Brainstorming these types of situations builds critical thinking skills which includes an expanded worldview while also giving the students valuable public speaking experience. Alumni of CASE Debates have found this essential in their career and college journeys.

College-readiness is a key goal of CASE Debates, and the ability to pursue valuable research and present it to an audience is a critical skill needed for university work. Results from a ten-year long study of high school debaters in Chicago also prove that, “high school students who debate have higher 12th grade [GPAs], are more likely to graduate high school, and are more likely to be college-ready…” (Mezuck, 2009; Mezuck, Bondarenko, Smith, & Tucker, 2011). By contesting a researched point, students learn how to listen to their peers and absorb more about the world around them.

Source:

The BUDL Effect: Examining Academic Achievement and Engagement Outcomes of Preadolescent Baltimore Urban Debate League Participants
by Daniel Shackelford