The Middle School Coaches section of the CDL programming site contains resources for program-building and coaching a team in the Chicago Middle School Debate League.
The Chicago Middle School Debate League Format is very similar to the high school debate format — with somewhat shorter speech times, four stock issues on the affirmative (Harms, Solvency, Desirability, and Topicality), and four negative argument options (Case Attacks, Disadvantages, Topicality Violations, and, for JV/Varsity teams, Critiques).
The Chicago Middle School Debate League Argument Limits lay out which affirmative cases and which negative arguments are runnable in each Division (Novice, JV/Varsity), at each CMSDL tournament.
2011/12 CMSDL Core Files Resources
Browse or download the 2011/12 CMSDL CDL Core Files, as well as to other useful Core File-related documents, below:
The 2011/12 CMSDL CDL Core Files
2011/12 CMSDL Core Files Outlines
Outlines enable you to review all of the frontline arguments in the CMSDL Core Files, both case arguments and off-case arguments, both affirmative and negative, without the evidence, to be sure the argument claims being made are fully understood.
The CDL has produced labels for filing the Core Files. These labels are printable on Avery 5160 labels (or the equivalent) and help make the filing process less time-consuming. Simply print the labels, adhere to file folders, and file all of the pages from the CF into the appropriate file folder.
Lincoln Elementary has improved upon the standard Core Files Labels, particularly for Novice debaters (who will often use the Core Files as is for most or all of the season), by adding page numbers to each label, making it very easy for MS debaters to put the correct files into each file folder.
Core Files Labels (with page numbers)
Core Files Ordering Info (Print Copies)
Coaches who need paper copies for their teams can find ordering information and pricing at the following link:
CMSDL Pre-Flows
King Lab Elementary School has put together pre-flows for its teams, adapting the standard CMSDL flow sheet. Pre-flows can be used to make flowing easier for your debaters, as they provide complete the first speech or two speeches of argumentation on a given issue. With copies of the pre-flows, prepared in advance and printed and copied for practice and tournament use, your debates can (a) see how flowing is properly done, and (b) follow this model for the remaining speeches. You should feel encouraged to adapt King Lab’s pre-flows for your squad’s use, and to prepare your own pre-flows on other CMSDL Core Files issues not included on King Lab’s list.
Spending Disadvantage (against the Lunar Mining Case)
Debris Disadvantage (against the Lunar Mining Case)
Coaching Resources
There’s no real improvement in competitive academic debate that doesn’t start with the flow sheet.
This electronic version of a flow sheet is useful if you are flowing on a laptop — a practice that can be more efficient and legible.
Flowing PowerPoint: Teach your debaters the basics of flowing with this Powerpoint presentation.
This CMSDL prepared flowsheet on the Topicality Violation against the Missile Defense case, used at the Coach Training Seminar on February 11th, provides an instructional example of how this issue can be properly debated in the rebuttals (1AR, 2NR, 2AR).
NAUDL Activities Manual: A great handbook that includes dozens of activities and exercises useful for teaching the fundamental skills of competitive academic debate, including a full chapter of exercises on flowing.
SPAR (SPontaneous ARgument) Debate Exercise: Hold a SPAR debate next practice with this useful document.
Mini-Debates Exercise: Hold a mini-debate next practice with this document. Describes the format and details of a mini-debate lesson.
The basics of refutation are laid out in this Basic Refutation Powerpoint presentation.
A highly useful exercise in teaching one of the twin pillars of the educational value of urban debate — responsiveness, or clash: Teaching Line-by-Line Debating.
The Disad Exercise both defines the core terms used in debating disadvantages and offers a very meeting-ready exercise in teaching disadvantages to beginning and intermediate-level debaters.
This is a set of First Meeting Activities that have proven to be effective in interesting students in, and introducing them to, debate.
Teaching debaters responsiveness — the use of refutation, or clash, to answer their opponents’ arguments — is perhaps the most important skill taught to debaters. This Refutation Exercise is a valuable tool that can help coaches accomplish this crucial goal.
You may be interested in, and benefit from, knowing what the yearly CDL Debater Benchmarks are at the high school level. These are the benchmarks that CDL high school debaters are measured against, in their development.
Recruitment Documents:
CPDU Reporting Documents for 2011/12 Courses and Seminars
CDSI – Introduction to Debate Coaching Course Evidence of Completion
CDSI – Introduction to Debate Coaching Course Evaluation
CDSI – Varsity Debate Coaching Course Evidence of Completion
CDSI – Varsity Debate Coaching Course Evaluation
Additional Resources
Learning to Debate is a very concise manual for use in learning about policy debate.
A Debate Glossary produced by Maine East (IL) Debate has useful definitions of many or most of the terms used in Varsity-level debate.
The Emory Policy Debate Manual is first-year and inexperienced Varsity debaters.
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