It is an undeniable fact that we have been learning English since in the elementary, junior high school, senior high school, even in the university also. (either in school or in English course
Now the question is, despite the fact  that we have spent so many years to learn English, why do we still have  difficulty in speaking English?
The  answer is simple, it's because during all of those years we rarely had  an opportunity (either being asked to or had a chance to or even brave  to) to speak in English. All of the speaking part in the lesson was  mostly dominated by the teacher or by some more talented students. So  even though you already have a lot of grammar knowledge, but rarely have  a chance to use it in the conversation or in the public speaking (e.g.  speech, news reading, debate), then when you have to speak in English,  either in a conversation or in a public speaking, you'd feel afraid to  use it, you'd feel afraid to make a mistake, you'd loose your confidence  to use it, you'd be feel very awkward to produce any verbal  communication in English.
Practice  makes perfect, the often you speak in English, the more you will feel  confidence to use it in any occasion, either in a conversation or in a  public speaking.
So,if you are looking  for a situation and condition where the speaking activity is dominated  by the students (and not the teacher), you could find it in the ENGLISH  DEBATE COMPETITION.
There are several  systems of English Debate Competition, the most used systems in the  competition are; Asian Parliamentary system and Australian Parliamentary  system.
In these systems of  competition, there are two teams (each team consist of 3 speakers), the  affirmative team should support the given topic/motion, while the  negative team should attack the given topic/motion.
In  which when these two teams are debating, instead of just using their  SPEAKING skill, at the same time, they are also using their LISTENING  skill (because they have to hear all of the detail of the opponent  team's argument), and before the debate they are also have to prepare  their material of debate, in which when doing so, they often have to  search the information related to the topic/motion in the internet or  other sources, this activity automatically trains their READING skill  too, since they have to search for information that would be relevant to  support their argument. After that they will have to WRITE down all of  those information and arrange it into the most suitable way that can  persuade and can be easily understood by the audience and the  adjudicators (judges/juries).
So  basically by joining English Debate Competition, you will be facing a  situation and condition in which you have to use and have to train all  of those English skills (Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing) at the  same time. This is of course the most suitable way to enhance your  English Skills. And not only those English skills, at the same time you  will also enhancing your CONFIDENCE to speak in front of public and you  will also enhancing your ANALYTICAL THINKING where you will be trained  to analyze every national and international issue around the world in a  critical way and logical way of thinking (e.g.politics, social,  economics, cultures, law, war, middle east, global warming, etc). This  is of course will also change you into a person that MORE CARE AND AWARE  on every issue (problem/conflict) that happen in the national or  international region.
For more information on Asian Parliamentary System, you could see it here, Asian Parliamentary System
For some examples of Asian Parliamentary System English Debate Competition video, you could see it or download it here:
WSDC 2008
Now,  since most of English Debate Competition event is only held by and for  Junior/Senior high school students and University students, the next  question is, where and how can I enhance my English skills through this  English Debate method?
Therefore, we try to make an offer to help  anybody out there who would like to enhance their English skills  through English Debate method.
Of course after seeing the example  of debate video that we provide in the link above, you could see that  this method will be more effective if there are 6 people (3 people will  be the affirmative team and the other 3 will be the negative team).  That’s why the maximum amount of number of students for each class would  be only 6 students.
For further information or question you may ask:
S.C.U.D
(Surabaya Community of Debating)
Contact person:
Surabaya:
Teguh Adimarta – 0856.4808.2021
Muhammad Ziad Balbeid - 0838.5816.242 / 0829.6076.832 / 0819.6076.832
Rizal Kuddah – 817.5273.884
Ponorogo and Madiun:
Dwi Supriono – 0852.3503.3934
 
 
