The Asian Society for Critical Thinking Education is dedicated to helping students develop essential skills in reasoning, communication, and teamwork through structured debate and writing programmes. Over the past two years, we have partnered with AISL Harrow Schools to introduce Chinese debates and argumentative writing competitions across multiple campuses.
With nearly 1,000 students from nine different schools participating, the initiative has encouraged learners to think critically and express their ideas confidently. Building on this success, we are thrilled to announce the expansion of our debate competitions to AISL Harrow Bangkok’s campus this December. This will mark the third annual competition, with ten schools taking part. Additionally, the Chinese debate format will evolve into a bilingual debate competition, broadening students’ linguistic and analytical skills.
ENHANCING LEARNING THROUGH DEBATE
Debate is more than just a competition. It is a valuable educational tool that nurtures teamwork, public speaking, logical reasoning, research skills, and leadership. In regions where structured debating is less common in schools, such as parts of Asia, these programs provide a unique opportunity for students to sharpen these critical skills. We have been particularly impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of Harrow students, who have shown remarkable progress over the past two years.
Among AISL Harrow’s campuses, students from Chongqing, Beijing, and Haikou have excelled in national and international competitions, including the prestigious 2024 Global Youth Chinese Debate Competition. Competing against nearly 100 schools worldwide, AISL Harrow Beijing earned recognition in the Jury Recommendation Award, highlighting the impressive development of its debate teams.
INTEGRATING CRITICAL THINKING INTO EDUCATION
UNESCO emphasises that critical thinking is one of the most important skills young people should develop. We are grateful to AISL for its commitment to fostering this ability in students. Our partnership allows us to bring expert-led courses to AISL campuses, ensuring students gain exposure to structured debate and analytical reasoning from an early age.
Beyond student participation, we also focus on equipping teachers with effective debate instruction techniques. Through dedicated teacher training programmes at ten AISL campuses, we help educators integrate critical thinking strategies into their lessons. As a result, inter-class debates and writing focused debate courses have become a regular part of the curriculum, making critical thinking a core component of the learning experience.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we continue this collaboration, we are excited about the future of debate education at AISL Harrow schools. In addition to debate competitions, we look forward to The Global Youth Chinese Debate Competition’s partnership with AISL schools, allowing students from around the world to experience its distinctive educational culture and dynamic learning environment. By encouraging young minds to analyse, articulate, and defend their ideas effectively, we are shaping a generation of thinkers and leaders ready to navigate the complexities of the modern world.
