International Schools Chinese Debate Tournament | 纵横杯辩台，载誉而归！

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At the recently concluded 2026 Zongheng Cup International School Chinese Debate Tournament, our Secondary School’s four teams delivered outstanding performances, earning multiple team honors including divisional championship, fourth places, and a 2026 Annual Third Place. Three ISD students were also named Best Debater.

The Zongheng Cup, organized by the Asian Critical Thinking Education Association, is one of the most prestigious international Chinese debate tournaments. This year’s competition brought together students from leading international schools across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. ISD competed alongside schools including BISZ, ISNS, Tsinglan School, ISB, YCIS Beijing, CIS, ISA Tianhe, The ISF Academy, Harrow Shanghai, and Wellington Shanghai.

Many participating schools are well known for their strong debate programs and long-standing debate traditions, making the competition exceptionally challenging. Against such experienced opponents, ISD debaters rose to the occasion with confidence, demonstrating impressive critical thinking, composure, and communication skills throughout the tournament.

*Our students competing in online debate against teams from other schools.

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the competition’s age-group structure: Group C (Under 14), Group B (Under 16), and Group A (Under 19). As a result of the tournament rules, many of ISD’s Grade 6 students in Group C faced competitors from Grades 7 and 8. 

Despite the age difference, our students performed with confidence and maturity beyond their years. Grade 6 student Alexia stood out for her clear reasoning, quick thinking, and calm presence under pressure, ultimately earning the title of Best Debater. Her performance reflected the courage, resilience, and strong skills demonstrated by our ISD debaters.

Behind these achievements is ISD’s long-term commitment to developing students’ critical thinking and communication skills through our Chinese curriculum. At ISD, Chinese language learning goes beyond fluency and vocabulary; it also emphasizes critical thinking, independent perspectives, and clear expression. Through project-based learning, classroom debates, and text analysis, our students learn how to examine issues critically, build their own viewpoints, and communicate them effectively, skills that provide a strong foundation for competitive debating.

In preparation for the tournament, our Chinese teachers also provided focused debate training to strengthen students’ argumentation and rebuttal skills. Through repeated practice in presenting arguments, responding to questions, and thinking on their feet, our students developed the confidence and adaptability needed to perform under pressure. This preparation enabled them to express their ideas with clarity and logic while responding effectively to opposing viewpoints during competition.

*Our Chinese teachers coaching students during debate training sessions

What inspires our students to step onto the debate stage is their genuine interest in the Chinese language. At ISD, Chinese is not just a subject; it is connected to real life through project-based learning. 

For example, during a unit on intangible cultural heritage, our students design surveys, conduct field research, and write investigative reports. Some even develop proposals advocating for the recognition and preservation of local cultural traditions that are not yet officially listed as heritage items. 

These hands-on experiences help them see the real-world value of language learning while building confidence, curiosity, and stronger communication skills, all of which naturally support their growth as debaters.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the debate coaches Ms. Toryna Liu, Ms. Winter Wu, Ms. Shuying Li for their dedication and support. They generously devoted many weekends to train and guide our students, playing a vital role in the success of this competition.

The true value of debate lies not simply in winning or losing, but in learning how to think critically, listen carefully, and grow through every exchange of ideas. Congratulations to all of our participating students. May you continue to carry your curiosity, confidence, and passion for expression onto even bigger stages in the future.