Learning the Basics: Learn the ins and outs of coaching in our Intro to NSDA Coaching course! This course is hosted on our learning management system, NSDA Learn, where you can enroll in courses and complete them at your leisure. You can also check out our Getting Started hub for helpful tips on the beginning stages of setting up your team. If you get stuck, just reach out and let us know!
Event Overviews: The sheer number of choices for speech and debate activities can be overwhelming, but never fear! Explore the Competition Events page to see descriptions of events, sample videos, and explanations from students. You’ll be an expert in no time! Interested in what students are debating right now? Head over to the Topics page to take a look—and remember, now you can help us select upcoming topics!
Access Resources: As a member, you have access to videos of performances, lesson plans, speech resources, debate evidence and updates, and webinars. To explore a few of our most popular tools, visit our coaching hubs for speech, debate, team management, and self-guided student learning. To check out everything we offer, visit our Resources page and use the filter boxes to sort by event. Tips for accessing resources:
- Make sure you are logged in to your member account. Your school must have the Resource Package to access resources labeled “Resource Pkg.”
- Use the filters in the word cloud on the left side of your screen to narrow down the list of resources in the table. Click on one or more relevant tags.
- Type keywords in the search bar to filter the list further.
- In the top line of the table, sort by clicking the arrows next to Title, Date, or Access.
Interested in even more great resources to help you get started? Check out the additional tools you can access with a Resource Package!
Prepare to Compete: Check out tournaments in your area on our Tabroom.com calendar and start planning to bring your team out for their first speech and debate experience.
Prepare to Judge: Take our free Judge Training course, and encourage your other coaches or judges to complete it as well.
Check Out Our Equity Resources: Be sure to read our Equity Statement, Harassment and Discrimination Policy, and Coach Code of Ethics in order to build a safe team for your students.
Expand Your Resume: While your students learn and grow, remember to plan your development as a coach by perusing our professional development options.
Explore the Honor Society: Members are eligible to join our Honor Society! Your students will earn points through speech and debate competition, as well as community service, public speaking, and leadership activities. Plus, you’ll be working toward higher degrees, too! The points your students earn are added to your coach record and lead to special recognition over time.
Understand Your Role: There are three main roles on an NSDA speech and debate team: advisors, coaches, and students. Check out what each group can access from their NSDA account dashboards based on their role and permissions.
We’ll Be in Touch: Be on the lookout for our weekly coach newsletter where we’ll share what’s new and noteworthy in the world of speech and debate. If you need anything in the meantime, be sure to reach out!