Our Approach
At Champion Press, we are working to revolutionize the speech and debate educational landscape. Our unique pedagogical approach and innovative Flexbooks are designed to transform students into confident speakers and effective debaters.
Expanding Access to Speech and Debate Education
We are driven by a profound belief in the transformative power of speech and debate education. But speech and debate education can have a steep learning curve for both students and teachers new to the field. Our primary goal is to make this activity more accessible so that all students can learn these key skills, irrespective of their background or previous experience.
Starting with the fundamental building blocks of speech and debate, our Flexbooks gradually introduce more complex concepts, making it possible for any student to start from scratch and achieve proficiency. Beginners finding their footing in the world of debate and advanced speakers seeking to sharpen their competitive edge will both find value in our resources.
More importantly, our Flexbooks empower students to carry these skills beyond competitions and into their everyday lives. The abilities honed through speech and debate – such as critical thinking, effective communication, and persuasive argumentation – are invaluable across academic, professional, and personal contexts. By making speech and debate education more accessible, we aim to equip students with these essential life skills, enriching their futures no matter the path they choose.
Embracing Active Learning
Our approach to teaching is rooted in active, hands-on learning. We believe that the best way to develop understanding and mastery in speech and debate is through direct engagement and continuous application of the concepts learned. This philosophy is embodied in our Flexbooks, where every lesson and concept presented is immediately followed by a stimulating activity. These activities challenge students to apply their newfound knowledge in diverse contexts, thereby fostering understanding and skill retention.
Activities are frequent, not just posted at the end of chapters. Every time students learn a new actionable skill or concept, they will immediately apply that knowledge in some way. These activities range in function to ensure that students of all learning styles find value in applying their new skills. Chapters are broken into consumable sections, each ending with a series of comprehension questions to ensure students are processing the requisite information.
Our Flexbooks present a balanced blend of theory and practice, combining instruction with action in a meaningful way. From structured exercises to open-ended exploratory tasks, our books are designed to ensure that every new skill learned is immediately put to use.
Meeting Age-Specific Needs
To cater to different learning needs, we have carefully curated two distinct series.
Our Foundations of Speech & Debate series is created for students in Grades 5 – 8. It simplifies the complexities of speech and debate, breaking concepts down into digestible lessons that younger students can easily grasp. Each book includes multiple events so that students can apply core skills in multiple ways then pursue further education in the event that they feel most passionately about. The aim is to make the world of speech and debate accessible, interesting, and enjoyable for students at this stage of their academic journey.
Our Competitive Speech & Debate series is designed for high school students, with a focus on competition preparation. This series goes beyond imparting basic skills. It explores complex strategies, further analyzing the principles that underpin successful debating. With a stronger emphasis on the ‘why’ behind each technique, our high school Flexbooks foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the art of debate.
Supporting Teachers
We recognize that a valuable educational resource should support both students and educators. To that end, we provide teachers with comprehensive guides that accompany each Flexbook. These guides help educators understand what successful mastery of skills looks like and offer insight into students’ comprehension of key concepts.
Beyond the books, we have a rich supply of supplementary materials available on our website. These resources include additional application activities, team-building exercises, student and parent guides, educational videos, and more. Our goal is to go beyond the book and provide ongoing support and enrichment for both teachers and students.
Envisioning Outcomes Beyond Competition
While our Flexbooks undeniably prepare students for competitive speech and debate events, our vision goes far beyond trophies. We understand that speech and debate skills extend into all facets of life, from personal communications to professional presentations, and even to participating meaningfully in societal conversations. Our ultimate goal is to equip students with a skill set that lasts a lifetime.
With our Flexbooks, students starting from scratch can embark on a journey of growth and skill acquisition, ultimately gaining a comprehensive understanding of various speech and debate events. We believe that this transformative journey will not only prepare students for success in competitions but also enrich their personal, academic, and future professional lives.
Future Plans
As we look to the future, our ambition is to develop resources that cover all main speech and debate events. From Original Oratory and Extemporaneous Speaking to Interpretation, Policy Debate, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, our goal is to be your one-stop resource for all things speech and debate. Our continued commitment is to create materials that will guide students at every stage of their speech and debate journey.
At Champion Press, we are dedicated to equipping students with the skills they need not only to excel in speech and debate competitions but to thrive in their future endeavors. We invite you to explore our resources and join us on this exciting journey of lifelong learning.