Schools Competitions Handbook Online

This article was published on Thursday 9 September 2010

The handbook is available to view and download here on the ESU website. A hardcopy of the handbook will also be sent to all schools who register for the competitions, as well all ESU branches, in the coming weeks.

This year's handbook has been re-styled and contains a wealth of new information pertaining to both competitions. It contains information on the rules and structure of the competition, a glossary of commonly used terms, and a detailed explanation of important skills for debating and public speaking such as role fulfilment, speaking styles and other techniques. The Handbook also contains a calendar with key dates for the coming year.

Registration for both competitions is still open and will remain open until 1 October 2010. We have received huge interest from schools all over the country so far, for both public speaking and debating.

The motions for the first round of the Mace have been released and are also available to view on the website. When researching the motions and starting to prepare, students should take time to read the Handbook. Students should also refer to the website of our partner organisation, Intelligence Squared, where information on the first round motions is available.

Schools which are new to the competition, in particular, are encouraged to use the Handbook when preparing for the competition. Many schools compete for the first time each year and perform very well. For those teachers, or students, who are concerned about their inexperience, the new Handbook is an excellent place to start.

Click here to view the Handbook.

Related Pages

The Schools Mace

Public Speaking Competition