Public speaking often features highly on lists of phobias. Likewise, the ‘debate’ which takes place in the public sphere so often seems to descend into ‘shouting matches’. But here at the Festival of Ideas, we do things properly.

In this session, you are invited to learn the fundamentals of how to shape an argument and present it to an audience.

There will be a debate during the session. Members of the audience will be actively invited to join in with this impromptu event.

Through this, participants will sharpen their quick thinking, adaptability, and the ability to construct coherent arguments on the spot.

No matter how successfully this is done, it is a superb opportunity to learn about how ideas are developed and communicated.

This session is aimed at students in KS3 and KS4 (11-16 years). Audience participation is expected.