Parliamentary Debate
Audience Participation Guidelines
Parliamentary debate provides a forum for students to enjoy a fast paced match of wit, critical thinking, and oratorical skills. Parli also offers a unique opportunity for the audience to participate. Loosely based on the protocol used in the British House of Commons, audience members are allowed to engage in limited audible feedback during the speeches. While this adds to the fun and energy in the round, it is important to help students and other listeners learn the proper balance between their natural enthusiasm and appropriate decorum.
Helpful Guidelines:
- Knocking or verbal affirmation is reserved for the strongest arguments. Agreeing verbally and knocking for every argument of a favorite team is not the purpose of audible feedback. It will help the students if they understand this is not about cheering on their team. It is about recognizing good thinking and truth from either side.
- Audible feedback, knocking or verbal, should never drown out the speaker or be loud enough to distract the judge.
- Knocking should take place on the desk or chair of the audience member, never on a judge’s chair or desk.
- Verbal affirmation should be a short phrase that does not drown out the speaker or distract the judge. Something like, “Here! Here!” or “Well said.”
- No conversation among audience members should take place while a speaker is at the podium. This is the same for any debate round.#
- If what you do wouldn't be fun if YOU were the speaker (golden rule), don't do it.
- No negative feedback.
These guidelines were compiled from suggestions by Parli coaches and College Parli Alumni.
Further suggestions:
- We encourage coaches to use these guidelines as a spring board for brief lesson plan before your students attend their first Parli tournament.