Online Debate Class

Experience our core components, adapted for success.

An ADI program is never just a class. Our program's premier, multi-faceted approach to debate education guarantees an engaging, effective, and individualized online curriculum for students in grades 5-8.

Learn About Pricing, Dates, and Registration!

1. Engaging Online Class

Hour-long labs run once a week over video call. We guarantee a 5:1 student-to-staff class ratio. Expert instructors lead small groups, organized by age and experience level feature individualized lessons and engaging activities to reinforce learning.

"Not only did I feel like my instructor was very clear and helpful in teaching lessons and giving us revisions for our cases, it was a very fun class that allowed me to practice my public speaking and debate skills through the activities during class." - Christine, E-ADI student

2. Reinforcement Activities

We will assign digital homework assignments throughout the week, as well as offer additional enrichment activities for students, which will supplement virtual lab curriculum. Instructors are available for private conferencing to all students.

"I feel that debate is a life skill. ADI has given me the courage to hopefully someday become a lawyer. If you are a student who wants to step outside your comfort zone, ADI is a great option! I give ADI 5 stars!!!" -Karen, E-ADI student

3. Progress Evaluations

Instructors will be in frequent communication with families over the course of the program with feedback about homework, class participation, and speech and debate progress. These goal-oriented evaluations help outline specific student progress.

"We really appreciate the instructor’s weekly email on progress check ... From these emails, I am impressed by how the instructors get to know the students’ debate style and capability and even personality so well in such a short period of time." -Jenny, E-ADI parent

Comprehensive Curriculum​.

During our program, students will:

• ​Master public speaking skills and grow their presentation self-confidence
• Develop long-term critical thinking skills, empowering them to excel academically and in the real world
• Learn and practice debate techniques and persuasion strategies 
• Gain first-hand experience writing cases and engaging in a real debate rounds which uniquely sets them up for competitive success
• Be introduced to speech and debate in a nurturing environment
• Thrive as collaborators and develop strong leadership skills

Spring FAQs​.

on what platform will e-adi host classes?

Our lab classes will be held on Zoom, a free online video call platform. Instructors may choose to post homework and other check-in assignments on Google Classroom or just through e-mail communication. We will guide teachers and students through understanding these platforms if this is your first time utilizing them.

how will students stay focused online?

Our classes are engaging and involve lots of hands-on activities and classroom participation--they will not just be boring, long lectures. We will enforce rules and block distracting behaviors from occurring on online platforms so that everyone will have the fair opportunity to learn.

how does adi ensure e-security?

We utilized upgraded Zoom features including meeting passwords, waiting rooms, and other security measures. Only instructors and registered students will be able to access these calls.

What if students have school during this time?

Our programs run starting the week of June 22. If students are still in school, our Zoom classes are held after the end of the school day, so students should not have any academic classes then. If this is a one-time issue, we can work with students individually to make up what they would have learned. 

what technology do students need?

Students can participate with stable Internet connection and a device with a webcam. If your device does not have a webcam, we highly recommend purchasing an external webcam. We recommend a laptop or a tablet, but you can also participate with a mobile device. We will be presenting a slideshow on the screen. If you have any questions about technological access, please feel free to contact us. 

Is homework required?

We will explain and assign homework to supplement their online Zoom learning. Our instructors will provide thorough feedback on these assignments. There are no mandated classes or participatory activities at ADI, but we think enrichment activities are a valuable part of our curriculum and encourage students to take advantage of the at-home, independent learning.

Will there be a break in the class?

Since our semi-weekly classes are only one hour long, we will not provide a formal break. However, students will be actively participating in engaging lessons, and students are not bored or restless during this hour-long time frame. That means that all of your tuition and energy goes towards effective learning throughout the week.

will adi still run full-day camps?

We do not find it effective for students to learn speech and debate online for multiple hours a day over a one- or two-week period. Thus, we instead adapted our curriculum to fit over a ten-week session, breaking up students' and instructors' hard work into hour-long periods once a week. Since the spring program will coincide with school, we anticipate our students will be more busy so our weekly model allows our students to complete ADI homework throughout the week. 

what one-on-one coaching opportunities does adi offer?

Families will receive highly individualized, goal- and personal progress-oriented feedback evaluations throughout the session, hearing from expert instructors. In addition, instructors are available for private conferencing to make up a portion of class or review any content, skills, etc. throughout the session. This individual conferencing time does not overlap with class time.