ACADEMIC DEBATE · BP PROGRAM · ONLINE
English Debate Classes in Kaohsiung | Jungle Lion's Online BP Debate Program on Zoom
Jungle Lion, Sanmin, Kaohsiung | Small online classes on Zoom, up to 6 students | Grade 5 to Grade 12 | Grouped by CEFR B1–C1 | Taught entirely in English by a three-time Malaysian national champion
How do you choose an English debate class in Kaohsiung? All of Jungle Lion's English debate classes run online on Zoom with up to 6 children, and every class is taught entirely in English by our debate coach Daniel Muk himself. We suggest children have at least passed Cambridge PET (about GEPT Intermediate) before joining. Classes are grouped by CEFR B1, B2 and C1, and cover PEEL argumentation and DR MO rebuttal up to British Parliamentary (BP) strategy and pre-tournament training for TSDC, the national schools debate tournament. Since 2019, Jungle Lion children have reached the top 8 or better at the national English debate tournament every year, and in 2021 we took the national runner-up title in the TSDC Junior division.
COURSE FILM
Video | Introduction to Jungle Lion's debate course (official Jungle Lion YouTube channel). It includes live English debate clips on topics such as privacy and the government, white lies, and whether spouses should be paid for housework.
What Are the Benefits of Learning English Debate? Six Key Points from the Video
There are six benefits: stronger communication, critical thinking, research skills, self-confidence, teamwork, and a big gain in English. Children must come up with ideas on a topic and rebut opponents in a short time, which trains thinking and quickly builds vocabulary and listening.
01 Stronger communication: learn to express and deliver ideas effectively, and build speaking and public-speaking skills.
02 Critical thinking: learn to analyze problems, gather evidence and evaluate information, and practice logical reasoning.
03 Research skills: study issues in depth and improve at finding, organizing and evaluating information.
04 Confidence: overcome stage fright and learn to state opinions comfortably in public.
05 Teamwork: plan strategy and build arguments with teammates, and practice dividing up work and coordinating.
06 A big gain in English: coming up with ideas on a topic and rebutting opponents in a short time takes intense focus, and it quickly builds vocabulary and listening.
During the pandemic in 2020, Jungle Lion students joined TSDC online. Our team reached the top 8 of the Junior division, and our students took 3 of the Junior division's top 10 speaker places.
WHY DEBATE NOW
Why Learn English Debate in the Age of AI?
English debate trains skills that AI cannot do for a child: understanding an issue, building an argument, and responding to an opponent on the spot, under time limits and with no outside help.
English-only teaching | Critical thinking | Social-emotional learning (SEL) | Taiwan 108 Curriculum competencies
01 Pushing back against “cognitive outsourcing”
Think before you prompt.
During debate prep time, students cannot look things up or ask AI. Within the time limit, they have to take the motion apart themselves, work out what each side must prove, and test their reasoning against strong rebuttal. This kind of native critical thinking is something algorithms cannot replace.
02 Helping quiet children find their voice
Even if they are right, we can still win.
The course blends in social-emotional learning (SEL). Through “Even if…” two-layer defense drills, children learn to treat an opponent's questions as problems they can work through, not as a rejection of themselves, and slowly build the psychological safety to speak.
03 Linking to the 108 Curriculum and admissions skills
From the debate floor to the portfolio.
Debate directly trains two competencies in Taiwan's 108 Curriculum Guidelines: systems thinking and problem solving, and the use of symbols plus communication and expression. A child's preparation and tournament experience can be written up for a self-directed learning portfolio, and the long-form, cross-subject reading and argument skills also help with the reading and writing questions in major exams.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
How does the debate course improve communication?
Debate builds three communication skills: speaking with structure, listening before responding, and persuading different kinds of people, practiced again and again in real conversation every week. Children use PEEL to make their ideas clear, DR MO and POI to listen first and then respond, and framing and weighing to adjust to their audience.
01 Speaking with structure
Say it so it sticks.
Students organize every paragraph with PEEL (Point, Explain, Example, Link). They learn to give the conclusion first and the reasons after, instead of saying whatever comes to mind.
02 Listening before responding
Listen before you answer.
Before rebutting, students first have to catch the opponent's real claim and assumptions. DR MO and POI (point of information) questioning drills train children to listen accurately and respond well, rather than rushing to cut in.
03 Adjusting to the audience
Know who you are talking to.
Framing and weighing train children to see from other people's side. The same event means different things to a child, a parent, a government or a company, and the way to persuade each has to change too.
04 Staying calm under pressure
Calm under pressure.
Timed preparation and impromptu replies teach children to collect their thoughts and speak clearly when questioned. That calm carries over into class presentations, interviews and everyday conversation.
Debate coach Daniel Muk speaking at the closing ceremony of an international English debate tournament.
DEBATE COACH
Who Teaches? Debate Coach Daniel Muk
Debate coach Daniel Muk personally teaches every English debate class at Jungle Lion. He is a three-time Malaysian national debate champion and has judged the grand finals of more than 15 international tournaments.
Personal debating record
Three-time Malaysian national debate champion
20 times a top-10 speaker at debate tournaments in Asia
13th place at the 2018 Asian British Parliamentary (ABP) Championships
Judging record
2018 Malaysia Outstanding Adjudicator of the Year award
Three times a break adjudicator at major international tournaments
Judged the grand finals of more than 15 international tournaments
Student coaching record (Malaysia and China)
From 2018 to 2024, coached 6 students onto Malaysia's national team and 1 student onto China's national team (WSDC). The national-team students he coached include a world championship quarterfinalist and a global top-15 speaker.
Twice coached students to the Malaysian high school debate championship
Six times coached a best speaker at debate tournaments in Malaysia and Shanghai
The syllabus covers the judging standards of three international formats: WSDC, BP (British Parliamentary) and AP (Asian Parliamentary).
CLASSES
Which English Debate Classes Are Available?
We currently run three English debate classes, all online on Zoom, grouped by CEFR level: a B1 beginner class, a B2 beginner class and a C1 advanced class. A survey for new beginner classes is open, and the pre-tournament TSDC training class opens separately according to the tournament schedule.
Beginner class (Wednesday), CEFR B1
Time: Wednesday 19:00–21:00 | Lessons: 10 | Focus: the same syllabus as the Tuesday class: beyond PEEL, burden of proof, POI questioning, weighing
Training focus: the same curriculum as the Tuesday class: beyond PEEL, burden of proof, POI questioning, weighing
Beginner class (Tuesday), CEFR B2
Time: Tuesday 19:30–21:30 | Lessons: 10 | Focus: beyond PEEL (claim → mechanism → impact → comparison), burden of proof, POI questioning, weighing
Training focus: going beyond PEEL (claim → mechanism → impact → comparison), burden of proof, POI questioning, weighing
Advanced class, CEFR C1
Time: Friday 19:30–21:30 | Lessons: 10 | Focus: British Parliamentary (BP) strategy, extension arguments in the Closing House, Weighing 2.0
Training focus: British Parliamentary (BP) strategy, extension arguments for the opening benches, weighing 2.0
New-class survey | Registration for November classes is open
■ Brand-new beginner classes
Monday 19:00–21:00 (expected start Nov 9)
Friday 17:00–19:00 (expected start Nov 13)
Sunday 16:00–18:00 (expected start Nov 15)
■ Classes for students with some background (open to mid-term joiners)
Wednesday class 19:00–21:00
Friday class 19:30–21:30
Fill in the new-class survey form →
We suggest at least a pass in Cambridge PET (about GEPT Intermediate) to enroll. Class times and places follow the latest timetable. Each class has up to 6 children and is taught entirely in English. Regular classes are all online on Zoom and do not meet at the Baozhong or Yichang campus.
CURRICULUM
The 10-Week Syllabus: What Does My Child Practice Each Week?
Every English debate class runs for 10 weeks, with one topic each week. The first half builds solid argument and rebuttal skills, and the second half puts them to work in live debates on cross-subject issues. The two beginner classes, Tuesday and Wednesday, currently share one syllabus.
B1/B2 beginner classes | 10-week syllabus (shared by the Tuesday and Wednesday classes)
Week 01 Beyond PEEL: Claim → Mechanism → Impact → Comparison
Week 02 Burden of proof: what must each side prove? (Game: Burden Detective)
Week 03 Find the weakest link: break down the CMIC of each argument and attack the weakest part
Week 04 Rebuttal is more than “you're wrong”: DR MO, plus challenging the mechanism, assumptions and impact
Week 05 Trade-offs: freedom vs. safety, efficiency vs. equality, privacy vs. security, individual choice vs. social welfare
Week 06 Framing: the same fact means different things from the position of different people
Week 07 POIs as a weapon: five types of questions: clarification, trap, contradiction, concession and set-up
Week 08 The 5-minute prep system: what the motion asks, what we must prove, the opponent's strongest argument, our two strongest arguments, and how we win
Week 09 Weighing: who really won? (scale, probability, timeframe, scope)
Week 10 Course review and live debate
C1 advanced class | 10-week syllabus (in-depth BP)
Week 01 Finding value: what matters most in a debate, and how to win the judge over (Why this? Why now? Why you?)
Week 02 Prioritization: making the biggest impact in the least time, and balancing rebuttal with constructive argument
Week 03 Awareness in the room: anticipating attacks, with lots of practice in the “Even if” two-layer defense
Week 04 Openings and grabbing attention: a speech's opening needs more careful planning than the arguments
Week 05 Extension arguments: mastering the Closing House in British Parliamentary debate
Week 06 Evidence and research: the Middle East conflict, and starting to build your own matter file
Week 07 Topic lecture: war and colonialism, plus a full debate
Week 08 Weighing 2.0: how the world's best teams weigh arguments
Week 09 BP live practice: economics
Week 10 BP live practice: philosophy and ethics
TSDC 2026: Coach Daniel with Team PIP. Jungle Lion students reached the top 8 of the Junior division.
HONOUR ROLL
English Debate Honour Roll: National Tournament Record, 2019–2026
Since 2019, Jungle Lion students have reached the top 8 or better at the national English debate tournament every year, and in 2021 they took the national runner-up title in the TSDC Junior division.
2026 | TSDC Junior division: national top 8 (Quarterfinals): Team PIP (Ping, Pony, Ian); 8th place in the Junior Speakers individual ranking: Una Hsiao
2025 | TSDC (Taiwan Schools Debate Challenge) Junior division: national top 8
2024 | TSDC Open division: national top 8; Junior division: national top 4
2023 | TSDC Junior division: national top 8
2022 | TSDC Junior division: national top 4
2021 | TSDC Junior division: national runner-up; Japan SOLA Cup: international top 8
2020 | TSDC Junior division: reached the top 8 (6th of 29 teams in the preliminary rounds), and took 3 of the Junior top-10 speaker places (3rd, 4th and 9th)
2019 | TJDC national top 8
These records are published with parents' consent. Only the English names of the 2026 award-winning students are listed.
A note on TSDC 2020: the Junior division had 29 teams and 99 speakers, and 56 teams entered overall, including overseas competitors from Hong Kong and the Philippines. Jungle Lion entered two teams. One qualified as 6th in the Junior preliminary rounds (18th overall), and our students took 3rd, 4th and 9th place among the Junior top-10 speakers.
Jerry, a student in our first debate class in 2019, returned to the classroom in summer 2026 as a debate teaching assistant.
SUMMER CAMP & ALUMNI
From Student to Teaching Assistant: Passing the Torch in Jungle Lion Debate
Our regular English debate classes are all online on Zoom. In summer we also run a short in-person debate course so students can practice a full debate face to face.
Jerry, a student in our first English debate class in 2019, came back in summer 2026 as a summer debate teaching assistant, helping younger students break down motions and practice questioning. From student to assistant is the most moving kind of legacy a debate class can have: children who learn to think start teaching others to think.
At the end of the summer 2026 short in-person course, the Grand Finalists received certificates signed by Coach Daniel.
Group photo at the end of the summer 2026 short in-person debate course.
HOW TO JOIN
How to Enroll in English Debate in Sanmin, Kaohsiung: 4 Steps from Assessment to First Class
Jungle Lion is in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, and our debate classes are taught online on Zoom. First add us on LINE @junglelion and tell us your child's grade and Cambridge English score, and we will suggest a class that matches their level.
01 Join LINE: Add @junglelion and tell us your child's grade and current English level.
02 Level assessment: we recommend at least a Cambridge PET (B1 Preliminary). You can share an English exam result, tell us the child's Lexile reading level, or book a free 15-minute placement test at our Sanmin District campus (given by our head of teaching).
03 Class recommendation: based on level, we suggest a B1, B2, or C1 class, and we confirm the schedule and available seats.
04 ZOOM start: once payment is complete, classes begin online via ZOOM according to the schedule.
English debate fees are priced separately. Please ask us on LINE.
Ask about English debate on LINE →
FAQ
English Debate FAQ
Are your English debate classes in person or online?
Regular classes are all online on Zoom. Jungle Lion's regular English debate classes run as small online classes and do not meet at the Baozhong or Yichang campus, so children outside Kaohsiung can join too. A short in-person debate course is offered in summer, with sessions announced separately.
What English level does my child need for English debate?
We suggest at least a pass in Cambridge PET (about GEPT Intermediate, CEFR B1). Classes are currently split into a B1 beginner class, a B2 beginner class and a C1 advanced class, and a pre-tournament TSDC class opens separately according to the tournament schedule. If your child has no exam score yet, you can tell us their Lexile reading level or book a free 15-minute placement test.
How does the debate course improve communication?
Debate builds three communication skills: speaking with structure, listening before responding, and persuading different kinds of people, practiced again and again in real conversation every week. Children use PEEL to make their ideas clear, DR MO and POI to listen first and then respond, and framing and weighing to adjust to their audience.
My child is shy and afraid to speak up. Is debate right for them?
Yes. The course first gives children a scaffold for speaking, with the PEEL structure and the four DR MO ways of responding. Then, through “Even if…” two-layer defense drills, children learn to treat questioning as a problem they can work through, gradually building the safety to speak up.
How many students are in a class, and who teaches?
Each class has up to 6 children and is taught entirely in English by debate coach Daniel Muk. He is a three-time Malaysian national debate champion and has judged the grand finals of more than 15 international tournaments.
How much do the debate classes cost?
Debate class fees are priced separately and are not published on our website. Please add our LINE official account @junglelion and tell us your child's grade and level, and we will give you the current classes and fees.
What are the benefits of learning English debate?
There are six benefits: stronger communication, critical thinking, research skills, self-confidence, teamwork, and a big gain in English. Children must come up with ideas on a topic and rebut opponents in a short time, which trains thinking and quickly builds vocabulary and listening.
Does learning English debate help with school admissions?
It can help, but it is not a guaranteed bonus. Debate trains two competencies emphasized in Taiwan's 108 Curriculum Guidelines: systems thinking and problem solving, and the use of symbols plus communication and expression. Preparation and tournament experience can be written up for a self-directed learning portfolio. How a school counts any of this follows each school's own announcements.
How do I enroll in an English debate class from Sanmin, Kaohsiung?
First add our LINE official account @junglelion to register. Jungle Lion is in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, and debate classes are taught online on Zoom. When you register, tell us your child's grade and Cambridge English score, and we will suggest a class by level. If needed, your child can take a free 15-minute placement test at our Sanmin campus.
When does the next English debate class start?
A new-class survey is open. New beginner classes are expected to start on Nov 9 (Monday), Nov 13 (Friday) and Nov 15 (Sunday), and the Wednesday and Friday classes for students with some background are open to mid-term joiners. You can fill in the survey form or register on LINE in advance. Class times and places follow the latest timetable.
Latest timetable: debate class times and places →
Learning path map: when is my child ready to start debate? →
Haven't passed PET yet? See PET preparation in our Cambridge English coaching classes →