• DEBATE, COMMUNICATION AND TRIAL SKILLS CLASS 2022-2023
    ALL material posted for this class can be found on the Google Classroom site set for class.
     
    This course is designed to allow students to debate in a public forum using legal terminology, and allowing the student to learn to speak more clearly, concisely and develop story telling skills to become a more accomplished speaker.
     
    In addition, the kids will be given the opportunity to utilize key critical thinking skills by breaking down real life situations and re-telling their story based on the objective given to them in class.  These types of skills will allow the students to focus on the most important things an audience needs to know and tell a story through their team objectives; skills that are easily usable to any life goal.  

    Here is my course outline: Go Here
     
    Direct Examination PowerPoint:  Direct Top 10 Rules
     
     
    Hearsay Reading: Nolo Hearsay Reading
     
    FINAL EXAM CASE: 
     
     
     GRADING  
     
    Classwork and Lessons:    		 10%        
    Class Preparation: 20%
    Speaking Tasks: 50%
    Legal Concepts and Procedures: 20%

    Grading in this class is centered around speaking tasks and showing an understanding of the use of clear objections, evidence procedure, court manners and legal concepts.  All students must maintain a notebook and objection sheet.
     
         
         
         
         
         
         
     
    Students will use the first semester to develop and practice skills in the following items:
    • Direct examining- the art of storytelling, without "leading" questions.  Allowing the witness to tell their side of the story using facts, details and examples
    • Cross examining- The so called "truth medication".  Developing a strategy to test a witnesses credibility, knowledge of facts and understanding of the details, using leading questions.
    • Opening Statements- Telling a story through the eyes of your side of the debate.
    • Closing Statements- The only real argument in the trial process.  Explaining the events, making the jury understand them better, and telling the jury why you are correct
    • Objections- How to use them, when to use them and what they mean
    • Evidence- What its purpose is, how to enter it in and what it adds to the case

    Here is an excellent website for further reading and information on trial techniques:http://dhsmocktrial.weebly.com/index.html

    Here is an example of a trial used for the New York State Competition Finals in May of 2012: http://www.totalwebcasting.com/view/?id=nysbar#

    Prior year Mock Trial Cases can be found here:  http://www.nysba.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PublicResources/LawYouthCitizenshipProgram/MockTrialTournament/MockTrialArchives/Mock_Trial_Archives.htm

    MikehannahTeam2juryTylerUB Library


    What Students will learn:
    1. Steps in the trial process (Both Criminal and Civil)
    2. Legal Career Opportunities
    3. Court room objections
    4. Story Telling techniques
    5. Entering Evidence
    6. Use of Expert Witnesses
    7. Cross Examination techniques
    8. Impeaching a witness
    9. The purpose of an Opening and Closing statement
    10. Public speaking- Courtroom practice in front of a local attorney

     
Last Modified on August 1, 2022