Luck of the Irish Invitational
2024 — Online, MI/US
Extemporaneous Speaking
Event Description:
Judge(s) will receive a copy of the topics for extemporaneous speaking.
The topics generally reflect subjects reported in popular news magazines, such as Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report or newspapers, such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor.
Topics are made available to speakers in the following manner:
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The extemporaneous speaking topics will be shared by the director with the individual in charge of extemporaneous speaking approximately forty-five minutes in advance of the program. The sheet of topics for each round of the contest is then cut into individual topic strips, which are placed in the appropriate envelopes for the contest draw. Only one sheet of topics should be cut per section.
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Prior to the drawing of topics, the contestants speaking order will be randomly assigned. At eight-minute intervals, following the order for speaking, each contestant draws three topics, selects one topic, and the other two topics are returned. No contestant should draw prior to the conclusion of a previous round of competition.
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Following the selection of a topic, the speakers should remain in the prep room under supervision. The contestants may confer with no one, but may consult any material that they have brought with them. With regard to electronic materials, contestants may use personal technology to access resources to acquire information, but using technology to confer with external sources is unacceptable. Students may leave the room to practice their speeches in the hall, but may confer with no one while outside the preparation room(s). The coach in charge of the preparation room may dismiss a student from the contest if the contestant persists in talking or if the use of personal electronic technology is disruptive. The speakers have thirty minutes in which to prepare their speeches. No speeches should be prepared prior to the drawing of topics. If two or more students from the same school are participating in a contest, a mutual "team" file of material may be shared, providing there is no collaboration on the speaking topics.
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Each contestant will be permitted thirty minutes from the time of topic selection until the presentation in order to prepare the speech.
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Each contestant should give the chosen topic to the judge prior to the presentation. The person in charge of the extemporaneous drawing will provide a master sheet for the judge(s) in each round with the code number of each contestant by the appropriate topic. Only one contestant per section may speak on a particular topic.
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Following the presentation, the participant must remain in the contest room with camera off until the conclusion of the section. A contestant who leaves the contest room following his or her presentation may be disqualified from further participation in the particular tournament. A rank of four with no percentage points could be assigned to the contestant for the round in which the individual left the contest room following his or her presentation.
For senior high competition, the suggested time limit is four to seven minutes. For the middle school level, the suggested time limit for the extemporaneous speech is three to six minutes in length.
BASIS OF DECISION
Concept of Extemporaneous Speaking: The purpose of this event is to encourage an interest in current issues and to give practice in extemporaneous speaking. The student is expected to base remarks on factual material and then interpret these facts in the light of personal experience and thinking; to be successful the contestant must endeavor to offer a unique approach to the solutions of the problem. During the process of the speech, the speaker may only use notes made during the one-half hour preparation time given preceding the time of speaking.
Adherence to the Topic: The speaker should hold to the assigned topic. Knowledge of facts directly bearing on the speaker's subject must be evidenced. The extemporaneous speaker should possess and advance some original thought or point of view with regard to the topic drawn.
Action and Platform Conduct: While the student may choose to refer to notes while delivering the speech, it must be stressed that in extemporaneous speaking the student words the speech while delivering it. Notes should simply consist of a brief outline of the main points the speaker wishes to make. The student may, however, read direct quotations. It is further understood that the use of notes is not mandatory. If a student wishes to speak without the use of notes, it is permissible. The speaker should give the impression of genuineness without affectation in attitude, manner, or appearance. There should be a communicative audience contact.
Oral Presentation: Oral delivery should avoid artificiality and be direct, animated, and communicative.