Guidelines

Schedule: You are welcome to attend one or all of the tournaments; to be considered for
finals you must compete in 5 out of 8 of the tournaments.

Discussion tournaments: These are good tournaments for novices; students sit in a circle
and discuss their choice of two of six topics. There are three per year.

Individual Events at Regular Tournaments
1. Oral Interpretation of Literature: Each student prepares either a prose or poetry
program. (S)he may choose several short pieces organized around a theme, or
they may choose one longer piece. Length is 6-10 minutes. The selections are
Xeroxed and placed in a folder that is held during competition.

2.  Children’s Literature: One or more selections from published literature for
children. Length is 5-10 minutes. The speaker conveys the emotions of the
selection using voice and limited gesture. The selections are Xeroxed/ retyped and
placed in a folder that is held during competition. There cannot be any pictures on
the pages.

3.  Reader’s Theatre: Two-10 students present any combination of literature united
by theme or may be a single cutting from a play. The main means of conveying
the message of the literature is the voice. Time limit is 6-10 minutes with scripts.

4. Dramatic Interpretation: One or two students present a scene using their
voice(s) as the main means of conveying the message of the pieces. No props or
costumes. Time is 5-10 minutes.

5. Original Oratory: This is a 6-10 minute speech that informs, persuades,
commemorates or entertains. The student prepares the speech and delivers it from
notes.

6.  Declamation: Students present a 6-10 minute speech that has been given
previously by someone else and then present it.

7.  Extemporaneous: Students randomly choose three topics on current events.
They then decide on one to research for 20 minutes from materials we have
brought with us. As they research, they create a 5-7 minute speech on the topic.
They are permitted a 50 word index card during the speech.

Debate Options:
1.  Lincoln-Douglas Debate: One-on-one debate following a set pattern. Topics
change every two months and are researched by competitors.

2.  Team debate: Two-on-two debate after research of a nationally chosen topic. The
topic is the same for the year.