Extemporaneous Speaking

Student speaking on some topic of current events.

1. Students have a 30 minute “prep” time before speaking. These rounds may have a delay until the first competitor arrives. Check with the prep room if you have questions.
2. Speakers have a 7 minute time limit (30 second grace period). Competitors rely heavily on time signals by the judge. Use hand signals from 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes…etc. A fist indicates to the student that 7 minutes have expired. Continue timing until the student is done. Record the time on the ballot.
3. Students should hand the judge a copy of the question they have been assigned along with their code.
4. The student is judged on how thoroughly they answer the question (not if you agree with the position or not) and the style in which he/she speaks. He/She MUST present citations or evidence from current newspapers, magazines, or other literature to support their answer to the question.
5. The student may NOT have notes in any form while speaking.