The ability to speak persuasively does not necessarily mean the ability to engage in dialogue. One can have a loud voice, respond quickly and stand firm, yet fail to hear the other person, confuse facts with emotions or reduce an argument to “I’m right, you’re wrong”. That is why oratory for children is about the ability to clearly express one’s own opinion, hold oneself in front of an audience, hear objections and respond to them substantively.
Modern teenagers face an information flow every day: comments, videos, news, debates about AI, politics, school rules and choosing a future profession. In such an environment, it is important to be able to distinguish a strong argument from manipulation, ask precise questions and change one’s own opinion when the facts are more convincing.
These are the skills that debates teach. At the Gymnasium A+, the A+ Debate Club operates — a debate club for children and teenagers in grades 7–11. Here, students train critical thinking, oratory, public speaking, teamwork and the culture of complex conversation. It is a space both for those who already love to perform and for a child who is afraid to speak in front of the class or make a mistake out loud.
Debates as a space where you can think out loud
The debate direction at Gymnasium A+ has existed almost since its foundation, while the A+ Debate Club format has been running since the last academic year. Currently, about 20 students from grades 7–11 attend the sessions. The club is open to everyone: previous experience, flawless English or confidence in front of an audience are not prerequisites for starting.
Over the year, several teams have formed in the club: an English-speaking one and Ukrainian-speaking ones. The senior group meets weekly on Tuesdays after the eighth lesson. They conduct training rounds according to the rules of real tournaments, work on individual and team strategies, learn to respond to opponents’ questions and separately support newcomers.
“We live in a time when opinions polarise very quickly, and conversation is often replaced by shouting. Debates teach the opposite: to value the quality of an argument, not the volume of a voice. For a teenager, this is a skill that protects against manipulation and helps them think independently”, — says Oleh Khainatskyi, coordinator of intellectual, international and leadership programmes, head of the A+ Debate Club and English teacher at Gymnasium A+.
What debate formats do students master
The A+ Debate Club works in two formats.
World Schools — team debates that include both prepared and impromptu topics. Participants must quickly analyse the resolution, find arguments, assign roles within the team and build a line of defence for their position.
Karl Popper — a structured format with rounds of cross-examination. It develops the depth of argumentation, teaches students to see weaknesses in their own logic, work with evidence and correctly refute an opponent’s arguments.
Debates are not limited to a speech at the podium. Students learn to find reliable sources, separate fact from assumption, negotiate within a team and stay focused when only a few minutes are available for preparation.
“To refute an opponent, you must first truly understand them. Debates also teach teamwork, self-control under pressure and the ability to quickly structure thoughts when you have only a few minutes to prepare”, — explains Oleh Khainatskyi.
Why it is important in debates to defend a position you do not agree with
In debates, students do not always choose their side themselves: the position is determined by a draw. Today you need to prove one point of view, tomorrow — the exact opposite. This experience breaks the habit of dividing people into “us” and “them”.
To perform convincingly, it is not enough to repeat your own beliefs. You need to understand the logic of the other side, anticipate its arguments and honestly assess the weaknesses of your own position. This is how intellectual flexibility and respect for the interlocutor are formed: without devaluation, personal attacks or simplifications.
“In debates you do not choose the position: it is assigned to you by a draw. Today you defend one side, tomorrow — the opposite. This is the best school of empathy I know. To win, you need to understand the opponent’s logic better than they do themselves”, — says the club head.
The most interesting debate topics
The most interesting debates begin where there is no obviously correct answer. Students of the A+ Debate Club discuss topics that directly relate to their lives and at the same time require a broader perspective.
For example, the resolution “Students should have the right to evaluate their teachers” quickly goes beyond the desire to switch roles. Teenagers reflect on whether they are capable of evaluating fairly, rather than under the influence of resentment for a low mark, what criteria can be fair and where the line of responsibility lies.
The topic “Artificial intelligence tools should be allowed in all school exams” turns into a conversation about the purpose of assessment: whether an exam tests memory, thinking, problem-solving ability or the skill of responsibly working with technology.
And the classic Machiavellian question “It is better to be feared than loved” leads to a discussion about power, leadership, trust and relationships within a team. Students refer to historical examples, modern politics and their own experience.
Such conversations are valuable not for ready-made answers. They teach children not to fear difficult questions, to withstand disagreement and to change their point of view if someone else’s arguments turn out to be stronger.
How debates teach children not to fear making mistakes
The first performance for many participants begins with a short speech and a glance at notes. But a safe environment, regular practice and team support gradually change this feeling.
In the A+ Debate Club, winning or losing does not affect a student’s English language grade. The club is deliberately separated from subject assessment, so participants can experiment, ask uncomfortable questions, make mistakes and draw conclusions without fear of being “punished” with a mark.
“At first, a child speaks briefly and looks at a piece of paper. After a few months, they are already asking to speak first themselves. In the club, a mistake is material for the next round, not a reason for assessment. That is why we deliberately separated the club from school grades. When the fear of being punished for a mistake disappears, courage appears”, — notes Oleh Khainatskyi.
For students, debates become a place where they can be serious, passionate, inquisitive and alive at the same time.
“I joined debates because I was looking for an activity that gives real life skills, not just theory. Debates teach you to look at any problem from different angles, set aside emotions and see the essence. For me, it is about confidence in my own abilities and the ability to defend my ideas in any environment”, — shares Vira Martynenko, a student of grade 11-A.
“I like preparing, finding arguments and trying to win together with the team. I also really like our community: everyone supports each other, prepares together and celebrates victories. That is why debates are now one of those school activities that I really want to attend”, — says Sofiia Dmytrieva, a student of grade 10-B.
From the first rounds to the All-Ukrainian debate tournament
In the 2025–2026 academic year, club members performed at four tournaments: Veritas at KMDS School, Athens Forum at Athens Private School, Cherkasy Open Debate Tournament at Gymnasium No. 17 and A+ Debate Cup at Gymnasium A+.
At Veritas, students won six gold and three bronze awards; at Athens Forum — two silver and three bronze; at A+ Debate Cup — three silver. In total, 13 club students became prize-winners of the season’s tournaments.
A special achievement is the result of Danyil Orlioglo, who received the Best Speaker title at all four tournaments. Danyil Nikolaіuk also earned the Best Speaker title at the Veritas tournament.
“I joined debates because of the opportunities they open up. For those planning to study abroad, this is a strong activity for a resume that universities value. At the same time, debates are an opportunity to develop public speaking, English and teamwork skills”, — says Danyil Orlioglo, a student of grade 10-B.
The A+ Debate Cup became the first All-Ukrainian debate tournament in the history of the A+ Educational Holding. About 20 schools from different regions of Ukraine, more than 80 students along with their coaches, came to Gymnasium A+. Representatives of the A+ Debate Club competed simultaneously in the senior English-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking leagues and judged the junior and middle leagues.
This experience showed an important transition: students master debates, explain the rules, evaluate performances and give useful feedback to younger participants.
“A+ Debate Cup was the moment when our students were both participants and judges at the same time. Children who a year ago had stepped behind the podium for the first time were evaluating the performances of younger schoolchildren from all over Ukraine, explaining their decisions to them and giving advice. That is when I saw that the club is no longer just teaching debates — it is nurturing people capable of teaching others”, — says Oleh Khainatskyi.
Open debates: when parents see how their child speaks
The debate movement at Gymnasium A+ goes beyond a single club. Last academic year, the club presented the format of open debates at the Parents’ Circle. Parents, students and teachers could see live how participants build arguments, respond to opponents’ questions and work as a team under time constraints.
To hear that a child attends a debate club and to see how they confidently hold their position in front of an audience are two completely different experiences. Open debates help parents see the result not in the form of a grade or diploma, but in how a teenager thinks, speaks, listens and reacts to a complex situation.
The club operates in an open format. Newcomers do not need to know the rules in advance: they take their first steps alongside senior participants who help them understand the formats, preparation and roles in the team.
“For me, debates are primarily about communication and the opportunity to learn from Mr. Oleh how to express my thoughts correctly and convey my position to other people. I realised that the ability to quickly generate new ideas on the spot is also an important skill that debates develop. And it is a great place where you can learn and have a good laugh”, — adds Volodymyr Khomyn, a student of grade 10-B.
“I came to debates because I saw in them an opportunity to develop and discover new perspectives. Here you can learn to confidently express your own opinion, argue your position and find common ground with people who think completely differently. For me, it is also an opportunity to improve my English, develop critical thinking and gain experience that will be useful in the future, including when applying to foreign universities”, — says Aleksiya Kuznetsova, a student of grade 10-B.
“I have been attending debates for quite a long time, and during this time they have become something more for me than just a club or a hobby. Every time there are completely different topics, and you never know in advance what you will get. It is an opportunity to constantly train your thinking: to find arguments, build strong logic and work with the team towards victory. But the most important thing is our community, where everyone supports each other, helps with preparation and genuinely celebrates successes”, — shares Hryhorii Naumenko, a student of grade 9-C.
“I came to debates because I wanted to spend my free time usefully and try something new. I was interested in learning to confidently express my own opinion, argue my position correctly and speak in front of an audience. Debates are also teamwork: you need to prepare together, discuss arguments and support each other”, — says Heorhii Riaboshapka, a student of grade 10-B.
Where the A+ Debate Club is heading
The next step for the A+ Debate Club is the creation of a junior league for students in grades 5–6. Senior debaters, who were recently newcomers themselves, are now ready to pass on their own experience to the younger ones.
Plans also include participation in international competitions, in particular the World Council Debate Championship, as well as offline and online European championships.
Debates do not teach a child to always win an argument. They give something more important: the ability not to get lost in a conversation when the topic is complex, people disagree and there is no ready-made correct answer. It is this skill that later works everywhere — in studies, at university, in a profession, in a team and in life.
