Hi (: I’m Monica

Here are a few words about me

My name is Monica Forman, and I am a lecturer in rhetoric and debate, a coach of world champions, ranked 4th best speaker in Europe and 6th in the world, and an expert on effective communication and presentation. Chief adjudicator of the European University Debate Championship 2020. I hold two degrees with high honors: a BA in sociology-anthropology and general studies from Ben-Gurion University, and an MA in the history and philosophy of science and ideas from Tel Aviv University. I have turned my argumentativeness into a professional for over a decade now 😉 

What makes me
the best debate coach in the world?

I honestly believe I am the best debate coach in the world. In addition to the empirical evidence to support my claim, my achievements that confirm it, and my extensive experience, I can demonstrate the following skills:

I am sharp.

I’m able to listen and identify flaws and logical mistakes and leaps. I know how to ask questions, understand the person in front of me, and respond appropriately. I can come up with dozens of arguments and different ways to make an argument successful.

I'm competitive.

I want to win, and I want my students to win (whether in a debate competition or persuasion and communication in general). Nevertheless, I want to win properly. No cheating, no demagoguery, no cutting corners. As a matter of fact, I strongly oppose attitudes that teach people to manipulate others.

I am broad-minded

and have extensive general knowledge. These qualities are crucial to my work because they help me assist each individual in expressing themselves in their chosen field. The knowledge I have (and acquire) allows me to connect with and understand the presentation or communication needs of the person in front of me, make helpful suggestions, or ask the right questions. While at the same time, I can put myself in the audience's shoes and identify any gap in knowledge or understanding that needs to be filled.

I take my work very seriously.

Everything I do must be top-notch; I am allergic to "80/20". I have high standards. It is how I teach and what I expect from my students. For better or worse, I don't lower my level. Because I am personally invested in the result, it is important for me to be proud of it.

Everything fascinates me.

I find beauty in whatever my clients need to present to me, whether a construction method, a startup, academic knowledge, or a yearly report. I enjoy the challenge of making it excite others. Each client teaches me something new, and I always enjoy meeting new people.

I speak English fluently.

Teaching is my strong suit.

I developed methods and simulations that ensure my clients succeed (and continue to do so as needed).

Lastly, I genuinely love what I do

"Debate has changed my life" "

The thing I enjoyed most when I was a child was talking. As a small, physically weak girl, I was largely dependent on my language to represent myself and respond when necessary to others.

As time passed, I became increasingly preoccupied with questions such as: What can be done to prevent short communication? What is the best way to resolve complex arguments? What can be done to ensure that the ocean of information does not drown out the message? How can we motivate and impact people?

During my time at the university, I found a place where I felt at home in debate. There, I was rewarded with trophies, recognition, and appreciation for my verbal abilities, beautiful language, and original ideas. Over time, I realized that I am also very good at teaching the skills that made me well-recognized in the global debate community, and that I have additional techniques and insights to share with others. During my time coaching debate after leaving the academy, I realized there is also a real market demand for my skills. There is a universal need to communicate clearly, effectively, and emotively. The more I applied debate skills to different situations and presentations, the more I realized that I wanted to do this every day.

Speaking Matters

My Vision

I aim to improve debate culture worldwide and bring clear, sharp, and convincing communication to the forefront. Providing people with an effective way to communicate their message that is aesthetic, logical, and evocative.

This is because words can change the world. 

I have seen over and over again that people can flourish when they are able to express themselves properly - as individuals, as members of organizations, and as a society. My mission at Speaking Matters is to help others use words to achieve their goals.

Why, then, the name "Speaking Matters"? For its double meaning. In one sense, I provide solutions and guidance in all matters of communication and presentation. In another sense, speech is meaningful and worth investing in and improving.

To eliminate any doubt, Speaking Matters is (only) me. In fact, one of the greatest advantages of working with me is that you always receive services exclusively from me - guaranteeing that it is top-notch. I offer a high-quality and personalized boutique service.

What makes me passionate about what I do?

It has been my privilege to witness positive results in a short time: students who were shy now have the confidence to speak, people who tell me their success stories after being given tools, and entrepreneurs who raised millions with great pitches.

What I teach helps people become better versions of themselves, find their voices, and convince properly. Also, as trite as it may seem, I believe I contribute to improving societal discourse with each client.

"All that was left for us was to follow her recommendations."

(Tirza Biron-Fried, Computational Prosody Researcher, Smadar Szekely R&D Manager and Software Engineer, Weizmann Institute of Science)

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