World Schools Debate Winter Academy

About this program

The Winter Academy puts the winter break to work. It is the same 12-hour beginner course as our summer bootcamp, fitted into two weeks: six two-hour classes on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of December 21–23 and December 28–30. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day are all left free. Students go from never having debated to giving a real speech in a judged practice round. There are three time options: one for families on the US West and East Coasts, one that works for both the East Coast and the Gulf, and one for the Gulf and Singapore. It is built for complete beginners, and it finishes a week before Term 2 of the Foundation class begins on January 8.

When it meets

The academy meets on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for two weeks, which keeps Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day free. Pick the time option that suits where you will be over the break. Times show in your timezone by default, and you can switch it below.

What students achieve

• ✓Understand how a World Schools round is structured and what each speaker does
• ✓Build and deliver a simple, complete argument (claim, warrant, impact)
• ✓Offer and answer points of information without freezing
• ✓Debate in a judged practice round by the final session
• ✓Leave ready to join the Foundation class when Term 2 begins on January 8

What a session looks like

Every class runs the same loop, so students always know the shape of the hour.

1. 0:00

   Warm-up

   A short speaking or thinking game to get students talking before the pressure is on.

2. 0:15

   Skill of the day

   One idea taught directly (a speaker role, an argument, or POIs) with clear examples.

3. 0:40

   Guided practice

   Students try the skill in pairs or small groups while the coach circulates and corrects.

4. 1:15

   Mini-debate

   A short round applying the day’s skill, so every session ends in real speaking.

5. 1:45

   Feedback

   The coach debriefs and each student leaves with one thing to work on next time.

Curriculum

What's included

• ✓Six live 2-hour classes over two weeks (12 hours in total, $32 an hour)
• ✓A judged practice debate in the final session with written feedback
• ✓The printable beginner resource pack: speaker cheat sheets and a first-motion set
• ✓A placement note recommending the right Term 2 class
• ✓A small-group setting capped so every student speaks in every session

Who teaches it

Biser Angelov · World Schools Coach

Won the European University Debating Championships. Finished top 16 in the world at WUDC.

Netra Easwaran · World Schools Coach

Debates with the Yale Debate Association, with a strong record on the APDA circuit. Directs World Scholar’s Cup programs.

Matt Mauriello · Debate & Writing Coach

Won the Yale Invitational on the APDA circuit. Reached the final at multiple APDA tournaments.

Tin Puljić · Debate Coach

2021 World Universities Debating Champion. Best ESL Speaker at WUDC 2020 and 2021.

Cailyn Min · World Schools Coach

Best Open Speaker at WSDC Panama 2025, a first for Team USA. USA National WSDC Team, 5th place at Worlds 2025.

Full credentials for the whole team are on the coaches page.

Our students got accepted into

How enrollment works

1. 1

   Enroll and pay

   Secure checkout takes a minute. You enter each student’s details and pay for the enrollment unit shown below.

2. 2

   We reach out in 24–48 hours

   A coach contacts you to welcome the student, confirm the age group and time slot, and answer any questions.

3. 3

   Placement and first session

   We place the student in the right class and send the class link and materials before the first meeting.

Enrollment is covered by our Refund Policy and Terms of Service.

Read this before you start

Everything below is free and needs no account. It is the background the first few sessions of World Schools Winter Academy assume.

• What is World Schools Debate?

  Worth reading before the first session if the format is new.

• The winter debate camp, explained

  What the academy covers, both tracks, the three time options, and what it costs.

• Format quick reference

  Speech order and timings on one page, printable for the first week.

• The World Schools glossary

  The vocabulary the academy moves quickly through.

• World Schools vs Public Forum

  For students arriving from PF, every difference to adjust to.

• 40 practice motions

  Sorted by motion type, for practice between sessions.

Frequently asked questions