See What My Clients & Students Have to Say

  • "Your feedback on speeches was very helpful and specific, I knew exactly what I needed to improve on as well as what I should keep doing. I also really enjoyed your teaching method! I feel like you made a public speaking class as enjoyable as it can be. I remember in the beginning you said your goal was to help us succeed, and I felt like I had the tools necessary to do that. I always thought I was horrible at public speaking but this class has given me more confidence in my speaking ability."

    — Mary K.

  • "When I began this class, I was shaking in my boots but this class has helped me gain confidence and helpful tips to take with me. Especially since I want to become a teacher, I need to learn how to be confident and efficient in getting my message across. I didn't realize how much detail to consider as well as various ways to continue to grow in the public/communication speaking area."

    — Krystal Castro

  • "I feel that you did an excellent job in building a foundation for us. This will not only help in our future educational goals but in our chosen career fields as well. I have gained a great amount of confidence in my public speaking abilities which I have already used in my current academic goals. I was able to obtain a place in a highly competitive program, due in part to my ability to communicate effectively during the interview process. I would not have had this confidence without your tutelage."

    - Julie M.

  • "I think the set up you already have planned is successful for an online learning environment which made me really love this class. Each module is organized making it very easy to follow."

    — Sterling O’Ray

  • "The lessons were very engaging with relevant content. The mix of humor into the lessons kept my mind engaged to better help me retain and apply the information."

    - Julie M.

  • "As far as online courses go, this was a great one! The modules were easy to follow, all of the information we needed was easily accessible, and the lessons were engaging. I really like watching any videos on lessons or even videos of the lesson from the professor."

    - Jane Mulligan

  • "I honestly wish this class had longer meetings. I really enjoyed the activities we did because they were engaging and fun and provided a completely different way of learning than just lectures, notes, and textbook."

    - Kennasey G.

  • "When I first decided to take public speaking, I expected it to be my most dreaded class. I've always had public speaking anxiety and have never had a good experience when speaking publicly. Luckily, this wasn't the case. Prof. Briscoe helped me feel comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes. He provided me with constructive criticism on how to better prepare myself and my speech. Overall, I felt this class helped me grow as a speaker and as a person."

    - Jennifer Varajas

  • "As someone who is going into teaching, it is super important that I know how to structure my lessons and what I will be saying to my students. I feel like this class has helped me with my subbing because I don’t get the material in advanced and I have to put lessons together in as little as 30 minutes that need to last an entire school day. I have been doing better about quickly structuring what I need to talk about within a certain amount of time and using non- verbal things as well to get the students attention, as well as furthering their understanding."

    - Katie Silva

  • "The past year has been super stressful and classes have been really terrible, but your class was the one I always looked forward to going to because I genuinely learned. I thought the way you taught your class had elements that could benefit everyone no matter what type of learner they are. Each class was very interesting and always had my full attention, I definitely have notes that I will be using for a long time. I always enjoyed group activities because it gave me a chance not only to get to know my peers and make friends, but also to get other insight that I wouldn’t have thought of. Each assignment felt purposeful and was creative and fun. I think this class has contributed the most to what we will all need in the real world more than any class I have taken so far. Most professors throw the material into Canvas and say good luck, but you did so much more than that and it really made a huge difference. It is super obvious how much you care about your job and all of your students. Thank you so much for an awesome semester! "

    - Katie Silva

Praise for Books by Shawn Briscoe

Beck, Molly K., Shawn F. Briscoe, & Amy J. Johnson. Companion Guide for Speech & Debate Coaches. Edited by Shawn F. Briscoe. IL: My Debate Resources, 2017.

 

“Briscoe’s Companion Guide is an invaluable resource for Speech & Debate educators and coaches. While a useful resource to all experience levels, I use this text in my teacher education prep classes and have received a great deal of positive feedback from students who are now teaching in the field, sharing how much this resource has helped them successfully teach and lead a team early in their career. This text is an absolute “must have” in your teacher toolkit!”

  • Dr. Nicole Freeman, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies & Assistant Director of Forensics, University of Central Missouri

“This resource provides a lot of helpful insight into building and running a successful program.”

  • Katy Bishoff, Elementary School Teacher & Middle School Debate Coach at Girdwood School, Alaska

Briscoe, Shawn F., Policy Debate: A Guide for High School and College Debaters, Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2017.

 

2016 Finalist for Education

Foreword INDIES Book of the Year

“There is a significant need for an updated textbook that guides beginning students on the nuances of policy debate; many of the existing resources appear to be written by individuals who have not watched a competitive high school policy round in years. Briscoe's Policy Debate fulfills the need for a current, detailed textbook by preparing students for a variety of competitive settings.”

  • Tara Tate, Former president of the National Debate Coaches Association, Former director of debate at Glenbrooks South High School, & social studies teacher at Glenbrooks South High School, Illinois

“Briscoe's wealth of knowledge and experience about policy debate is well represented in [this book]. Students, and even coaches, often must attend summer camps at great expense or spend years working concertedly to gather the information clearly conveyed here.”

  • Derek Buescher, University of Puget Sound

Briscoe, Shawn F., Transcending the Game: Debate, Education, and Society, Edited by Shawn F. Briscoe, Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2023.

 

“Transcending the Game is a unique work that highlights the perceived styles of competitive policy debate and the impact of these styles on lived experiences. The beauty of this book lies in its inclusion of diverse scholars and perspectives that help to detail the evolution of a perfectly imperfect activity.”

  • Shuntá Jordan, head coach, Georgia Debate Union at the University of Georgia

“Transcending the Game offers readers an in-depth and up-close look into the life-changing potential interscholastic debate can afford its participants. The authors’ diverse perspectives take the reader through a compelling journey of thought-provoking, uplifting, and heart-breaking stories that each exemplify the power debate creates outside of the competitive arena. For anyone considering getting involved in the activity, this book is a must read.”

  • Dr. Michael Greenstein, director of debate, Glenbrook North High School, and former director of debate, Georgetown University

“Briscoe has an unparalleled ability to explain the oftentimes complicated and complex concepts of policy debate in a way that is easily understandable. Through his use of personal experience along with his explanation of the theory and idiosyncrasies of policy debate, he creates a space that makes debate open and accessible to all, regardless of background or experience. This text is extremely timely, relevant, and necessary to continue the longstanding tradition and evolution of policy debate.”

  • Nicole Freeman, associate professor of communication, University of Central Missouri

Briscoe, Shawn F., Why Debate: Transformed by Academic Discourse. Edited by Shawn F. Briscoe. IL: My Debate Resources, 2016.

 

***** (5 Stars)

“This collection of essays belongs in the hands of all those looking to persuade a thinking public. Shawn Briscoe's collection of essays Why Debate is a compelling argument for the inclusion of debate and forensics programs in American high schools and universities.”

Foreword Clarion Reviews

 

***** (5 Stars)

"These essays are interesting in and of themselves, but the overall effect of the volume is where this really shines, because it manages to attack the idea of debate from many different angles, showing why it is good for individual people to have these skills, as well as for a society to embrace and create a culture where debate can thrive."

Readers’ Favorite

 

RECOMMENDED

“Briscoe's ‘passion for the subject is obvious; he has organized his material to include a balance of informative essays and deeply personal stories. He makes it clear that modern political debating, through sometimes in the headlines, is only one small aspect of the larger debate system. Why Debate is certain to be popular among those involved in this fascinating discipline that has helped so many people to find a voice.’”

U.S. Review of Books

 

“Words DO matter, and the authors of Why Debate argue the essential benefits that participants in competitive debating receive and the impacts on society that result. Why Debate uses a perfect blend of academic argument and personal anecdote to prove the direct impacts that debating has on student achievement, civic engagement, and crucial skill development.”

  • J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director of the National Speech & Debate Association

“These essays, their personal nature, insights and often humor are compelling. There are arguments about debate I disagree with among the essays. These disagreements make the text better and that is a key point all the authors make...These essays draw on the personal to make the larger point that debate can change the relationship of a student to subject, people and the world in a way that deepens and enriches.”

  • Paul Ongtooguk, College of Education, University of Alaska Anchorage

“Why Debate "is a great resource for students and coaches!”

  • National Speech & Debate Association

"The best of these essays clearly and compellingly distill the benefits of debate...The most thought-provoking essays link debate to larger social issues, including the volume's most affecting piece, Richard Omoniyi-Shoyoola's 'The Speaker in Blue Agbada: What Debate is for Me.'"

  • BlueInk Review

No Guarantee of Results. Any testimonials, examples, or endorsements used by the Owner (Shawn Briscoe / My Speech Resource, LLC) are not intended to represent or guarantee that you will achieve the same or similar results. Each individual’s success depends on many factors, including their background, skills, experience, practice, dedication, and individual life circumstances.