Does Your Child Have the Foundation to Debate, but Want to Go Further?
Your child may already be eloquent and be able to present their arguments, but find it challenging to:
Develop deeper, more convincing arguments
Anticipate opposing arguments and respond strategically
Compare competing viewpoints and explain why one side has the stronger case
Identify the most important issues in a debate and prioritise them under pressure
Adapt their strategy as a debate unfolds
How Our Programme Grows Debaters
It takes more than making a good argument to win a debate. Your child needs to know how to analyse, respond and prove why they should win.
Designed for students who have completed the Beginner Debate Programme or already possess a strong foundation in debating, the Advanced Debate Programme develops the skills to analyse motions, construct deeper arguments, anticipate opposing cases and ultimately compare both sides of the debate. Your child will learn to make strategic decisions and respond effectively as debates unfold.
If your child is new to debating, start with our Beginner Debate Programme to become a more confident speaker, learn to build arguments and hone critical thinking skills. Explore the Beginner Programme here.
Why TWC Partnered with RedDot Academy
10,000+ Students From Singapore's Top Schools
RedDot Academy has coached students from leading local and international schools, including ACS (Junior), Singapore American School, St. Nicholas Girls' School, and many more.
Highly Experienced National Debate Coaches
Develop critical thinking, persuasive communication, and logical reasoning through a structured curriculum led by experienced competitive debaters.
Authentic Competition Opportunities
RedDot Academy organises prestigious regional debate tournaments (e.g. the RedDot Open) providing students with meaningful opportunities to put their learning into practice.
RedDot's Proven Approach to Debate
Proprietary Structured Thinking Frameworks
Rather than memorising scripts or arguments, students learn a structured approach to analysing unfamiliar topics, organising ideas, and building persuasive arguments.
Interactive Coaching & Practical Application
Every lesson combines guided coaching, regular speaking practice, and personalised feedback to build confidence and strong communication skills.
Critical Thinking for School & Beyond
Students develop logical reasoning and critical thinking skills that strengthen classroom participation, presentations, interviews, and leadership opportunities.
Skills Students Will Develop
Advanced Argumentation
Build deeper, more persuasive arguments by explaining mechanisms, establishing cause and effect, using relevant examples and demonstrating impact.
Analytical Thinking & Motion Analysis
Analyse the context of a debate motion, understand stakeholder motivations and identify the key issues before developing arguments.
Team Strategy & Adaptability
Use speaker roles strategically, prepare as a team, respond to Points of Information (POIs) and adapt to emerging clashes during a debate.
Strategic Rebuttal & Comparative Reasoning
Anticipate opposing arguments, defend and rebuild cases, weigh competing impacts and explain why one side should prevail.
The Debate Journey
The 12-week programme is designed progressively with five key developmental phases, with each phase building upon the previous one:
Phase 1: Understand the Debate (approx. Weeks 1-2)
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Analyse the status quo and context of the motion.
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Identify key stakeholders and understand their motivations.
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Recognise the underlying problem before developing arguments.
Phase 2: Frame the Debate (approx. Weeks 3-4)
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Determine what each side must prove.
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Establish the yardstick for evaluating the debate.
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Define the team’s position and identify key areas of disagreement.
Phase 3: Build the Case (approx. Weeks 5-6)
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Develop well-structured arguments using the advanced PEESL framework.
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Explain how and why arguments lead to specific outcomes.
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Support arguments with relevant examples and demonstrate their significance.
Phase 4: Compare & Clash (approx. Weeks 7-8)
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Anticipate and rebut opposing arguments.
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Defend and strengthen the team’s own case.
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Compare competing arguments by weighing their severity, likelihood, duration and impact.
Phase 5: Strategy & Application (approx. Weeks 9-12)
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Apply strategic speaker roles and team preparation techniques.
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Use Points of Information (POIs) effectively.
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Practise third-speaker and reply-speech strategies.
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Apply these skills in full mock debates and tournament-style practice.
Meet Your Coaches
Coach Lee Youqing
Debate Coach & Public Speaking Educator
Lee Youqing is an experienced primary school debate educator. He currently coaches debate teams at ACS (Junior), Temasek Primary School, Northland Primary School, and Bedok Green Primary School, equipping students with the skills to excel in competitive debating and public speaking.
Beyond the classroom, Youqing is the organiser of the annual RedDot Debate Competition, one of Singapore's leading platforms for young debaters. Since 2021, RedDot tournaments have welcomed 500+ student participants from over 40 schools across Singapore and the region, providing students with authentic opportunities to compete, receive expert feedback, and develop real-world communication skills.
Through his work with schools, competitions, and curriculum development, Youqing is committed to raising the standard of debate education and helping students become confident, articulate, and critical thinkers.
Coach Metys
Senior Debate Coach & Competitive Debater
Metys is an experienced debate coach, adjudicator, and competitive debater with over seven years of coaching experience. She has guided students to championship victories over higher-division schools and led teams to historic breakthroughs in the elimination rounds of major debate tournaments.
Most recently, she coached one of her schools to a 5th-place finish in Division 1 at the 2025 Singapore Secondary School Debating Championships—the highest placement in the school's history.
Drawing on experience as both a competitor and judge, Metys equips students with the skills to think critically, construct persuasive arguments, and communicate with precision under pressure. Her coaching emphasises intellectual independence, careful reasoning, and disciplined advocacy, helping students grow into confident and capable debaters.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Programme
1. What is the difference between the beginner and advanced debate programme?
The Beginner Programme introduces students to the fundamentals of debate, including argument structure, basic rebuttal, speaker roles and confident delivery. The Advanced Programme builds on these foundations, focusing on deeper analysis, strategic rebuttals, comparative reasoning, team strategy and competitive debating skills.
2. What is the programme entry requirement for my child?
Students should meet at least one of the following:
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Have completed and passed the TWC × RedDot Academy Beginner Debate Programme; or
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Have prior debate training or debate competition experience and demonstrate an equivalent level of proficiency.
Students entering through prior experience may be assessed to ensure they possess the necessary foundation for the Advanced Programme.
Students should already have a basic understanding of:
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Speaker roles
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Argument structure
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Rebuttal
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Proposition and Opposition
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Basic debate preparation
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How a full debate is conducted
3. What will my child learn in the Advanced Debate Programme?
Students will learn a systematic approach to debate preparation, moving beyond simply brainstorming arguments. They will first learn to understand the motion through characterisation and stakeholder analysis, establish the burden and yardstick, build well-developed arguments, anticipate the opposing case, and weigh both sides to determine which arguments are more persuasive.
Through this process, students progress from presenting arguments to becoming more strategic debaters who can analyse issues in depth, respond effectively, compare competing arguments and make informed decisions during a debate.
Students will apply these skills to increasingly challenging motions and full mock debates, building their readiness for the next stage of competitive debate training and potential tournament participation.
4. How can advanced debating skills benefit my child beyond competitions?
Our advanced debate programme is not only for students who want to go for debate competition, but also those who want to reap the benefits of the sophisticated skills required in competitive debate.
Advanced debating develops analytical reasoning, the ability to evaluate different perspectives, persuasive communication and the confidence to respond thoughtfully under pressure. These skills can support classroom discussions, presentations and other situations where students need to explain and defend their ideas clearly.
Debate Competitions
5. Will my child have opportunities to participate in debate competitions?
Yes. Students who demonstrate sufficient readiness and interest may be recommended for suitable competitions. RedDot Academy also provides guidance on competition registration, including tournaments organised by RedDot and selected external competitions where appropriate.
6. Is competition participation guaranteed?
No. Competition participation is not automatically guaranteed. Recommendations are based on several factors, including the student's readiness, commitment, and the availability of suitable competitions. Our priority is ensuring students have the skills and confidence to benefit from the experience.
7. Can my child still participate in RedDot competitions after completing the programme?
Yes. Students who have completed the 11-week programme remain eligible to participate in RedDot Academy competitions, even if they are no longer enrolled in regular classes. Students who wish to continue developing their debate skills may also progress to RedDot Academy's Intermediate Programme for more advanced training.
Beyond the Programme
8. Can this programme help with DSA?
While no programme can guarantee DSA outcomes, the communication, critical thinking, and reasoning skills developed through debate are highly transferable. These skills can be valuable during DSA interviews, group discussions, and other selection activities where students are expected to think clearly and communicate confidently.
9. What happens after the 12-week programme?
Students who completed and passed the Advanced Debate Programme may progress on to our Competitive Debate Programme. We will share more details in due course.