Motions

The topics can range from current affairs, to economics, philosophy, politics, etc, thus, there is no specific theme. Check out our Facebook page to see prepared motions that we have given out in previous years.

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Teams

All teams consist of three speakers with room for two reserve speakers (optional), but only three will compete in any round. Schools may choose to register fewer than five members but no fewer than three per team will be allowed.

 

Rules and Policies

SISDL 2019 will use the World Schools Debate Championships Format. This means that three 8-minute constructive speeches will be made per team, followed by a 4-minute reply speech to summarize the team’s case. Preparation for impromptu rounds will be 1 hour long. The first round of SISDL 2019 will be a prepared round, with the motion being released one week prior to the competition.

 

This year, there will be 3 rounds - one prepped and two impromptu rounds for Day 1. All the rounds in Day 2 will be impromptu [quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals]. Please refer to the breaks to check whether your team will go through 2 or 3 rounds on Day 2.

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Please wear school uniforms [regular or formal wear] as the attire for the day. Otherwise, lanyards will be given out as identification, for security reasons. These must not be taken off at any point during the competition.

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One adult has to be accompanying the team on the day(s) of the competition - a teacher-in-charge or a coach. Lanyards will be given to represent your school, and these lanyards must be worn at all times

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Breaks

There will be 2 separate breaks, the Open break and the International break. The top 8 schools will automatically enter into the Open break, with quarterfinals, while 4 subsequent international schools will break in to the International Break, directly into semi-finals. [This is subject to change depending on the data of participants, and will be updated as soon as possible]. All other non-international institutions will not be allowed to opt for the international break.

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Teams are allowed to bring any printed materials and books with them into the preparation rooms. No electronic devices or hand phones are allowed in the preparation rooms.