Impromptu Speaking Instructions for Virtual Tournament

Impromptu Speaking Draw

You will be Competing or Judging in an Impromptu presentation room (NSDA Campus virtual room).  

There will be a chat function by which you may communicate, in written form with the competitors.  You will also be able to communicate verbally through the "Zoom Room" like NSDA Campus system.

Impromptu Speakers will need to "draw" (be presented with) 3 topics, pick the one they like the best (or hate the least) and they have 2 minutes in which to prepare, while observed by a proctor.   Then they deliver a speech of not more than 5 minutes duration (30 seconds grace time beyond that is given if absolutely necessary).  

Thus, the Judge runs IM  Draw as follows (for virtual tournaments):

-- The Judge gets the topic list/collection for the round.  The collection is grouped into 7 groups of 3 topics each.

Sample/Mock Topics for X Round of Impromptu Speaking (SAMPLE only -- not for use with this tournament)

1st Competitor:

A non-biased news site is impossible

The Romain Empire was the most important empire to have existed

Keyboards will be replaced by speech-to-text technology in 10 years

2nd Competitor:

Performance enhancing drugs should be allowed in sport

Colour affects the way people feel

Poor health begins in the mind

3rd Competitor:

Team sports build strong individuals

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Poverty is a state of mind

4th Competitor:

What characteristics make an ideal villain?

How would you describe an average person?

In what situation is lying a good idea?

5th Competitor:

Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?

Pets are for people who don't have children

Real learning doesn't occur in a classroom

6th Competitor:

It is better to be influential than rich

Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?

School uniforms removes individuality

7th Competitor:

Children should not watch television

Art is not important to the future of the human race

Future conflicts will be confined to online hacking

-- There may be up to 7 competitors run through each judging room, so there need to be 3 choices present for each of the 7, as the situation plays out.  Some rooms may have fewer than 7, and, in that case, the Judge will stop off at the last competitor for that room, but continue on up to the 7th for any rooms having as many as 7 competitors scheduled.

-- The Judge will be able to see a list of competitors (or at least their codes) who are to present in each room .

-- The First competitor for the round is shown the first grouping of 3 topics (highlight, control C key for copy, then cursor "plop" and control V key to paste them into the chat box).

-- The First competitor reads them, chats back to the Judge as to which they chose, and the Judge notes their start time, telling them they now have 2 minutes in which to prepare -- with their cameras on, in full view.  

It really doesn't matter in what order the competitors draw, so long as the round keeps moving.  Some of the competitors will be dual registered, and due to present in another division; you will have to wait upon those who manage to be delayed by their other presentation.

-- This process will need to be continued throughout all the rounds that may be needed for the tournament.

Individual Events (aka Speech) Schedule – SATURDAY ONLY

8:15 -- "Tech Check"/Sign In Time

8:45 -- Extemp Draw

9:00AM — Schedule for Round 1; Extemp Rd. 1 begins; all other competitors and judges

report to virtual rooms

9:15AM — Round 1 Start Time

10:30AM -- Extemp Draw

10:45AM — Schedule for Round 2 released; Extemp Rd. 2 begins; all other competitors and

judges report to virtual rooms.

11:00AM — Round 2

12:30PM — Lunch

1PM -- Extemp Draw

1:30PM — Schedule for Round 3 released; Extemp Rd. 2 begins; all other competitors and

judges report to virtual rooms.

1:45PM — Round 3

3:30PM -- Extemp Draw

3:45PM — Schedule for Round 4; Extemp Rd. 4 begins; all other competitors and judges

report to virtual rooms.

4PM — Round 4

Should a "Final"/break round be needed:

5:30 EX Draw

6:00PM — Schedule for Round 5; Extemp Rd. 5 begins; all other competitors and judges

report to virtual rooms

6:15PM — Round 5