Competitive Speaking: A Guide for Preparing and Winning High School and College Speaking Event Competitions

By Sam Lester

Thousands of students in middle school, high school, and college compete in speaking events every year through their student organizations. The differences between first place and tenth might only be a few points. This guide will show students, parents, and advisers a way to successfully plan and win in these events! The events covered are public speaking, job interview, impromptu or extemporaneous speaking, team or individual presentations, and the various scenario-based events. The scary events, such as impromptu and scenario in which students or teams are given a topic and just a few minutes to prepare a verbal response, are reviewed and a winning approach to the preparation and practice of these events is discussed. In addition to the preparation, dozens of hints and suggestions are given to ensure students receive the highest score possible on the judge's rating sheets. Students will not only get on stage but will be in the running for winning first place!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sam Lester
• Release date: Oct 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311927408

Sam Lester

I was raised on a farm in south Georgia and grew up to become a teacher at Central Georgia Technical College. I have been there for twenty years and now serve as the Director for Professional Development. I live in Warner Robins with my wife Amanda and three sons: Marshall, Lewis, and Eli. Marshall has gone on to graduate from Houston County High School and splits time between his mother's house and mine. He is working now but plans to save his money and get back into college and pursue Radiology.

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Competitive Speaking: A Guide for Preparing and Winning High School and College Speaking Event Competitions

By Sam Lester

Copyright 2014 74Blues Publishing

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Chapter One - Introduction

Chapter Two – Prepared Speeches

Chapter Three – Report Presentations

Chapter Four – Impromptu or Scenario

Chapter Five – Interactive Scenario

Chapter Six - Interviews

Chapter Seven – Further Development

Chapter Eight - Delivery

Chapter Nine – Day of the Event

Introduction

I think most people would rather kiss a frog than stand in front of a group of people and deliver a speech or presentation. In my years associated with student organizations at Central Georgia Technical College, I have seen dozens of students take the plunge and enter into a competitive event that involves speaking. I have seen a great number of these students exit the competition as more confident and motivated people, too. I can’t tell you how many of these folks have come back to tell me they never thought they would have the courage to go through with the process. These same folks can now tackle any challenge or obstacle in front of them.

Membership in student organizations either at the middle school, high school or collegiate level has many more rewards in terms of development than the costs of membership. When I talk with my colleagues about student members of our organizations and the impact the students feel, the word ‘blossom’ is almost always used. It is an enormous undertaking to build a speech or presentation based on the guidelines of the competitive event, and then spend weeks practicing, then to go through the competition process! Coming out the other side of this ordeal – win or lose – is a tremendous learning experience and a life-enriching one.

I have been lucky to serve as a competitor, an adviser, and a judge. Students in the organization that I advised have won 125 District-level awards, 112 State awards and 11 National awards, including two National Champions and it has been a privilege to be a small part of their success. This document is a collection of notes on the various techniques we have employed over the years that have worked for students.

Differences between competitive speaking and speeches

There are several reasons for speaking in front of a group of people and there are a few characteristics that distinguish between speaking competitively and formally. In a more formal setting, the audience is usually larger than a few judges in a competitive event. There is also less scrutiny; the audience in a formal setting is not likely to keep a scorecard on the speaker! There is still a degree of assessment on the part of any listener toward any speaker whether a teacher or preacher or trainer. We’ve all heard speakers we enjoyed and others we have not.

Competition environments could exist in several differing structures but