Instead of domestic issues, students are forced to focus on the world, with something other than modeling disadvantages and which country has more nuclear weapons. Instead, students must focus on the culture and the background of the host country. It allows you to apply what you have learned in your classes into debate, instead of the other way around. Instead of spending hours upon hours cutting cards, parliamentary debate forces you to look at what is happening now in the real world. The following are some of the major advantages I see to parliamentary debate as both D.O.F. and Instructor of courses in Speech Communication.
Parliamentary debate stimulates interest in forensics.
Because it is such a dynamic, yet familiar format for public argument, students exposed to rounds display curiosity and a desire to participate. Both the content and the delivery of arguments in parliamentary debate serve to excite curiosity rather than baffle and intimidate. Because the goal of parliamentary debate is to win the hearts and minds of the judge and audience, the language employed is accessible to the student unfamiliar with forensics competition. Uncommon terminology and specialized jargon are frowned upon and almost nonexistent. Therefore, newcomers observing rounds are less intimidated by the prospect of participation in the event.