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Craft an argument and practice public speaking in this 3-week program for elementary school students on Fairfield University’s campus.
Course Description
Choose a topic you care about, decide what you want an audience to understand, and build a case that makes your point clear. Students learn how persuasive speakers organize an argument, connect ideas with reasons, and prepare a speech that others can follow.
Practice turns those ideas into communication. Through public-speaking simulations, students try presenting to an audience, listen to feedback, and adjust how they explain their thinking. They work on expressing ideas clearly while becoming more comfortable speaking in front of other people.
Debate activities add a new challenge. Students listen to an opposing viewpoint, respond with reasoning, and practice discussing topics where people may disagree. The goal is not simply to win. It is to make a thoughtful argument, listen carefully, and communicate with confidence and respect. By the end, students have prepared a persuasive speech and practiced taking part in a structured debate.
This three-week course is part of Summer Discovery’s Institute for the Gifted program on Fairfield University’s campus. The course is available to commuter students. Beyond class, students connect hands-on learning with campus life, new friendships, growing confidence, and curiosity students can keep exploring.
What Will You Do?
• Choose an engaging topic and identify the point you want to make
• Organize reasons into a clear and persuasive argument
• Prepare a speech for a specific audience
• Practice delivering ideas through public-speaking simulations
• Debate an opposing viewpoint and respond with thoughtful reasoning
• Revise a message after listening to questions and feedback
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Construct a persuasive argument with a clear point and supporting reasons
• Deliver a prepared speech clearly to an audience
• Listen to an opposing viewpoint and respond during a structured debate
Students will leave with a prepared speech, debate experience, a course completion certificate, and greater confidence to keep developing their voice.
Why Public Speaking Skills Matter
Public speaking helps students turn a thought into something other people can understand. Organizing an argument teaches them to choose a main point, explain their reasons, and notice when an idea needs more support. Those skills are useful during class discussions, presentations, group projects, and everyday conversations.
Debate adds careful listening. Students cannot respond well unless they first understand what another person is saying. Practicing speeches and discussions also helps confidence grow through preparation and repetition. Students learn that strong communication is not about being the loudest person in the room. It is about making a clear point and responding thoughtfully.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for elementary school students who have completed 4th or 5th grade and enjoy sharing ideas, asking questions, discussing interesting topics, or finding better ways to explain what they think. It welcomes students who already like speaking in front of a group as well as those who want more practice becoming comfortable with an audience.
Students should be ready to participate in speech and debate simulations, listen respectfully to different viewpoints, and revise their ideas after feedback.
View the eligibility requirements for the Institute for the Gifted on our FAQ page. A completed program application is required.
Why Fairfield University?
Fairfield gives elementary students a fun and welcoming first taste of campus life in a coastal Connecticut town along Long Island Sound. The day includes hands-on classes, outdoor courtyard time, shared meals, and opportunities to make friends in a setting that feels active without feeling overwhelming.
The commuter-only Institute for the Gifted has operated at Fairfield for more than two decades. Students try new challenges and build confidence within a clear, structured program day. For families, Fairfield offers an age-appropriate combination of learning, creativity, friendship, routine, and support. Students get the fun of a summer program and the satisfaction of discovering what they can make, solve, and explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive