Teaching Strategy of Public Speaking and Debating to College Students within the Context of Nurturing Global Competence

In an increasingly interconnected world, the mission of higher education has expanded beyond knowledge dissemination to include the cultivation of globally competent citizens. For English majors, public speaking and debating are the ultimate application of their core studies. They transform passive analytical skills into active performance. This paper argues that courses in public speaking and debating, traditionally focused on rhetorical skill and persuasion, are uniquely positioned to serve as a critical platform for developing global competence. The paper begins by deconstructing the multifaceted construct of global competence, then critically examines the limitations of traditional public speaking and debating pedagogy, which often overemphasizes linguistic fluency and rhetorical technique at the expense of cross-cultural understanding, critical analysis of global issues, and ethical engagement. The core of the paper proposes a comprehensive pedagogical framework of four segments for transforming these courses. The conclusion posits that through this deliberate pedagogical recalibration, public speaking and debating courses can evolve from being mere training in eloquence into powerful, transformative experiences that equip students to engage, lead, and collaborate effectively in a diverse and complex global society.