Impromptu
OVERVIEW:
Impromptu speech is a very fast-paced event focusing on quick thinking. Competitors are given a list of 3 topics from which they must immediately choose. These three topics may be general ideas (love, honor, tradition), quotes, song titles (“Don’t Stop Believing,” is one I’ve gotten twice), everyday objects (camera, uniform, umbrella), etc. They are then given 2 minutes to plan your speech. Novice competitors may use a piece of paper for planning and reference while speaking, but varsity competitors may not. Once the 2 minutes are elapsed, the competitor delivers his/her speech, which may be a maximum of 5 minutes (~15 second grace period). Successful speeches usually range from 4.5-5 minutes.
STRUCTURE:
Speeches are often structured similar to a 5 paragraph essay—intro, 3 body arguments, and a conclusion. The intro should consist of an attention grabber (often an interesting and unfinished story, a joke, a quote, or an alarming fact), a clear thesis (VERY important, because it governs your entire speech), and, if desired, a brief roadmap of the rest of your speech. For beginners, the 3 body arguments are usually examples from literature, history, and personal life. Other common structures include past, present, and future, and national, international, and interpersonal, and basically any 3 aspects of the topic. The conclusion should summarize and tie the speech together with a final say on the thesis. It often goes back to the introduction and attention grabber to make the speech seem more fluid. If you used an unfinished story as your attention grabber, now is the time to finish it.
JUDGING:
Contestants are ranked on both presentation (voice modulation, speaking speed, body language, etc.) and content against the other competitors in the room. 5-7 competitors are usually present in 1 room. Most commonly, 1 judge is present at the preliminary rounds of league tournaments, with 3 or 5 at break rounds.
EXAMPLES:
CA State Champ http://goo.gl/2G1Ej
IL Champ http://goo.gl/rXdvf
Impromptu speech is a very fast-paced event focusing on quick thinking. Competitors are given a list of 3 topics from which they must immediately choose. These three topics may be general ideas (love, honor, tradition), quotes, song titles (“Don’t Stop Believing,” is one I’ve gotten twice), everyday objects (camera, uniform, umbrella), etc. They are then given 2 minutes to plan your speech. Novice competitors may use a piece of paper for planning and reference while speaking, but varsity competitors may not. Once the 2 minutes are elapsed, the competitor delivers his/her speech, which may be a maximum of 5 minutes (~15 second grace period). Successful speeches usually range from 4.5-5 minutes.
STRUCTURE:
Speeches are often structured similar to a 5 paragraph essay—intro, 3 body arguments, and a conclusion. The intro should consist of an attention grabber (often an interesting and unfinished story, a joke, a quote, or an alarming fact), a clear thesis (VERY important, because it governs your entire speech), and, if desired, a brief roadmap of the rest of your speech. For beginners, the 3 body arguments are usually examples from literature, history, and personal life. Other common structures include past, present, and future, and national, international, and interpersonal, and basically any 3 aspects of the topic. The conclusion should summarize and tie the speech together with a final say on the thesis. It often goes back to the introduction and attention grabber to make the speech seem more fluid. If you used an unfinished story as your attention grabber, now is the time to finish it.
JUDGING:
Contestants are ranked on both presentation (voice modulation, speaking speed, body language, etc.) and content against the other competitors in the room. 5-7 competitors are usually present in 1 room. Most commonly, 1 judge is present at the preliminary rounds of league tournaments, with 3 or 5 at break rounds.
EXAMPLES:
CA State Champ http://goo.gl/2G1Ej
IL Champ http://goo.gl/rXdvf