27 Jul 2016
Topic: Free choice
When: Friday 19th August, 2016
Where: Hall
Time: Stage 2 & 3- 9.15am.
Early Stage 1 and Stage 1- 11.20am.
You are invited to participate in a school speaking competition. Two children from each stage will be selected to represent our school on Thursday 1st September at Avoca Beach PS. Parents are welcome to attend.
Speech Times
Early Stage 1: 1 Min (1bell at 30 secs; continuous bell at 1 min)
Stage 1: 1-2 Mins (1 bell at 1 1/2 mins; continuous bell at 2 mins)
Stage 2: 2-3 Mins (1bell at 2 1/2 mins; continuous bell at 3 mins)
Stage 3: 3 Mins (1bell at 2 1/2 mins; continuous bell at 3 mins)
You get to choose a topic of your choice. It needs to be age appropriate without being boring; something YOU, the student, really feels comfortable/enthusiastic/passionate on which to speak. The topic should be a personal choice, not a class assessment task.
Introduction. This needs to grab the audience's attention. Dare to be different but do not turn it into a drama performance. Be creative and original.
Do not begin your speech with good morning/afternoon or introduce yourself and state your topic, as the compare has already done this.
Sustained audience engagement
• The judges will be noting how the audience responds, particularly the students.
• Have a relaxed stance. Make eye-contact. Use facial expressions.
• Project your voice and speak clearly. Try not to rush or mumble. Varying the tone and volume of your voice will make your speech more interesting.
• Use humour to get the audience reacting. Take care not to overdo ‘toilet' humour or be too colloquial with the expressions you use.
• Have small palm cards not sheets of paper. Use these as cues to prompt what you will say next. Do not read sentences as the audience will lose interest. You may know your speech well enough that you do not need to refer to your palm cards. If you drop your palm cards, leave them on the floor and continue as best you can.
Presentation
• Be enthusiastic- this can be contagious for the audience, so look excited, smile and be confident.
• Be prepared- practise in front of the mirror, your family, friends, classmates, stage etc. Make sure you have your timing right. You will be fantastic!
• Stance- feet slightly apart, feel free to move to include gestures. Try not to sway, giggle or stand stiffly.
• Gestures- use these to emphasise a point, assist your humour or sustain the audience engagement. Be comfortable so they look natural and spontaneous.
• Gimmics- eg.‘put your hand up if...'to the audience, shouldn't be overused.
Conclusion Try to finish leaving the audience buzzing. Be creative, original, funny! Perhaps include a rhetorical question, or an outrageous statement or a humourous story.
DO NOT FINISH WITH "THANK YOU FOR LISTENING ".
NO props or visual aids are allowed.
The Adjudication Criteria is as follows:
Matter - 40%
Creativity/originality of introduction - /10
Content - /20
Creativity/originality - /10
Method 30%
Sustained audience engagement, humour, audience, response- /30
Manner 30%
Presentation (enthusiasm, stance, spontaneity and naturalness of gestures, NO Props) - /30
Lynda Tilley
Speaking Co-ordinator