SPEAKING EVENTS
EVENTS, TIMES, RULES
1. Events
We offer 5 Events to
Enter: Impromptu, Extemp, PowerPoint, Platform, Interp.
Reminder: You
can do AT MOST two speech events.
YOU CAN NOT DO
DEBATE AND SPEAKING EVENTS AT THIS TOURNAMENT—THEY HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You
present your speech TWO TIMES—once in round 1 and once in round 2.
(Impromptu and Extemp do three different speeches in round 1 and 2).
2. Speech Times
• Impromptu
ALL ages: 6 minutes (includes preparation)
Extemp
ALL ages:
--questions provided Thursday evening, the week of the tournament
--elementary 5 minute speech
--middle school and high school 7 minute speech.
FOR POWERPOINT,
PLATFORM, AND INTERP SPEECHES:
• Elementary
speeches: 5 minutes.
• Middle
School speeches: 7 minutes.
• High
School speeches: 10 minutes.
3. Event Rules
Impromptu:
You’ll be given 3 topics
and you chose one of them to speak on. You have 6 minutes total to prepare AND also to present.
You cannot read/look at notes made before you received the topic, the internet,
etc. during prep time.
You can outline your speech on a
notecard, sheet of paper, or an electronic device (but again, no researching on
the internet, looking at files on your electronic device).
Extemp:
You’ll be given 3 questions on current
events/issues to speak on Thursday evening before the tournament.
YOU CAN look at the internet and/or an extemp
tub/files. You can and should outline your speech including the question as it
was worded, use multiple source citations, and provide analysis answering the
question you chose.
You speak for 5 minutes answering the question (elementary) or 7 minutes
(middle school and high school). YES—YOU CAN DO DEBATE AND EXTEMP.
PowerPoint:
You present on any topic using a
PowerPoint/Google Slides/Similar throughout the speech.
You should use a combination of bullets, pictures, video, and animation to
create a visually interesting and well supported speech.
5 minutes elementary, 7 minutes middle school, 10 minutes high school.
Platform:
You present an informative, persuasive, or
humorous speech on a topic of your choice.
Your speech should be a written/typed manuscript that you have memorized or
that you use notes very minimally when you present.
Your speech should include source citations, clever and engaging wording, and
have a purpose to inform, persuade or entertain your audience.
You speak for 5 minutes (elementary), 7 minutes (middle school), or 10 minutes
(high school).
Interp:
You present
poetry, prose and/or play material cut to advance a point/insight you wish to
communicate.
Pieces can be published works or self-penned material that is
poetry, prose, or script.
In addition to the material that you perform, you also have an introduction
stating the point/insight made by the material, the author(s) of the material,
and the title of the piece(s).
Movement of your feet should be kept to a minimum usually at most one step from
your starting standing position.
You perform for 5 minutes (elementary), 7 minutes (middle school), or 10
minutes (high school).
You may not write speeches using
ChatGPT/similar other than to do research.