The topics of discussion were challenging enough because: · It was kind of hard to find information about them; · We had to do research and the topics were vast enough to discuss on a high level; · They involved research from different fields; · They required quite a lot of research but were also interesting; · They tackled real problems that needed a lot of research; · You really needed to think when and how to present your arguments; · We don’t discuss things like that every day and we needed to think hard and find a solution; · I’ve never thought about them, for example comparing European and American films.
This contest contributed to my academic and personal development because: · I am sure my language and vocabulary got better and I met a lot new interesting people; · I consider that the contest is a good experience for every student; · I found out a lot of new things about the topics; · I was able to gain experience and develop my English speaking skills and how to speak in public on a given topic, and also how to research on the topics; · A debate on a topic is a great way to not only socialize but also put personal ideas to use. For someone who enjoys speaking it is a fun activity; · Debating and English are important to me although I am a newbie. This contest boosted my self-confidence; · It helped me speak without any inhibitions; · It was a challenge that took me out of my comfort zone + I love people around here; · Presentation skills are very important and I believe that the debate helped me improve my presentation skills; · It enabled me to approach different tasks/perspectives as opposed to what I do in school; · It was a great experience and I will definitely take part in the contest next year; · It helped me overcome social anxiety a bit and make new friends; · I learned to compete under pressure and against better prepared arguments. It is a very important experience that you gain here.
Suggestions for improvement: · I think every participant should have equal time to present their ideas; · The organizational aspect, in my opinion, ought to be more carefully planned; · Everything was well organized and you shouldn’t stress about making the contest better; · More food J; · More topics of international importance; · Don’t give us the topics in advanced! That would make the contest even more challenging; · An improvement from last year, the same trend should happen next year as well; · It would be nice if you could make a site about this contest and if there could be more than one round or more speaking time for each round. · It would be a good idea to limit the number of arguments each student can come up with and maybe extend the duration of the contest.
"People can experience
teamwork. This is the type of exam which prepares us for future exams."
“I wish all contestants
and those who came with this idea good luck. I would also like to
congratulate the organizers."
"… meeting new,
amazing people, developing speaking skills, taking up the challenge and being
in a wonderful city."
“A useful means of
developing one's speaking skills. It's a good practice before any speaking exam
in English.”
"It makes you realize
what your level of English is and decide if you still need some exercise…”
“I would gladly recommend
this contest because it helped me see how high my speaking skills are."
"It's an interesting
and challenging experience that can help people get out of their comfort zone.”
"It is a great
opportunity to evaluate yourself and be evaluated by specialists…"
"It is an exercise of
interaction between students."