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| Contests
Table Topics - 1 to 2 minutes in length. Impromptu speaking. All contestants are taken out of the room and brought back in one by one to speak on the *same* topic, which should be general in nature and not require specialized knowledge which some contestants might have while others might not. Since no contestant hears the topic before his turn to speak on it, the judges can judge their impromptu speaking abilities by the way in which each person's effort stacks up against the others.
Humorous speech - 5 to 7 minutes. Humorous speaking, which must be original. Year after year, people hear the rules read to them and then stand up and present Bill Cosby routines and then act puzzled when they're disqualified. It's supposed to be a *speech*, not a monologue, and it MUST be original. It should also be 'clean.' So-called 'blue humor' will get you zero points in the 'appropriateness' column of the judges' forms. In other words, it should be a five-to-seven minute speech with a lot of humor value, but ALSO displaying good speechmaking abilities.
A lectern is provided but its use is optional.
Timing starts from the first definite verbal or non-verbal communication with the audien ce.
If timing lights fail, card will be held up and an extra 30 secconds given.
Lights on 5/6/7 mins and Red stays on until each speaker stops. Disqualified if under 4.30 mins or over 7.30 mins.
Evaluation - 2 to 3 minutes in length. A target speaker gives a speech which all the evaluation contestants are to evaluate. The contestants are taken from the room by the Sargent-at-Arms and given 5 minutes to prepare their speeches and make notes. Then, their notes are taken away and they are brought back into the room one by one (at which time the contestant gets their notes back) to deliver their oral evaluation of the target speech. Since no contestant hears what another said about the target speech, the judges can compare the analytical abilities of the contestants.
Lights on 2/2.5/3 mins and Red stays on until each Evaluator stops. Disqualified if under 1.30 mins or over 3.30 mins.
International Speech - 5 to 7 minutes. Any topic at all, so long as it's original. Can be funny, serious, whatever. It should be the best speech the contestant can give, and it must be original. Please don't do what so many speakers do and crib at length from someone else's works and then expect that no one in the audience will smell a rat. The reason this contest is called 'International Speech' instead of 'General Speech' or 'Miscellaneous Speech' is because it's the only one of the five contests that goes as far as the World level. Note that the International Speech contests go as far as International level.
Lights on 5/6/7 mins and Red stays on until each speaker stops. Disqualified if under 4.30 mins or over 7.30 mins.
Contests #01
Orgnisers/Contest Chairs
Preparations...
Speech Contest Planning Timeline: click Speech Contest Planning Timeline
List of forms typically needed for a contest: click List of forms
Contest Checklist: click Contest Checklist
Contest Responibilities: click Contest Responibilities
Participants List: click Participants List.
Contest Chair Script: click Contest Chair Script.
Notes to Contest Chair: click Notes to Contest Chair.
Speaking Order (a list for the Contest Chair to read from) : click Speaking Order .
Draw for Speaking Order: click Draw for Speaking Order.
Contest Do's : click Contest Do's .
Contest Chair (Evaluation)
Just Before the Contest...
# Congratulate contestants for accepting the challenge of being a contestant.
# Explain that the Evaluation contest will occur first.
# Explain that they will be escorted out of the room after the Test Speaker has completed the speech to a room where they will have 5 minutes to prepare their evaluations.
# When 5 minutes are up, their notes will be taken away by the Sergeant-at-Arms(SAA)and will be given back to them when it is their time to present.
# MAKE SURE TO SAY THE FOLLOWING: 'When you are escorted into the contest room by the SAA, stand just inside the door until you are formally introduced. After you are introduced, approach the Chair and shake his hand but DON'T say any words or the Timers will start. Just shake the hand and, when you're ready, begin your evaluation and that's when the Timers will start.'
# Mention that the timers have been instructed to begin the clock when you say your first word or utter your first gesture to the audience.
# Show where the timing lights are and turn them on so the contestants can see what they look like.
# Cover the timing rules for the Evaluation contest:
* Green light comes on at 2 minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 2.5 minutes
* Red light comes on at 3 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
* You MUST speak no less than 1 minute, 30 seconds but no more than 3 minutes, 30 seconds or you will be disqualified
# Ask if there are any questions.
# Draw for speaking order by placing numbers in a hat or a pint glass and having the contestants blindly draw for speaking position.
# Write the names and speaking position on a piece of paper for annoucing to the judges and the audience during the contest.
N.B.Correct Speaking Order is really critical
During the contest...and be brief
# Welcome the group.
# Provide an upbeat introduction and overview of what the audience will see during this contest.
# Mention the first place winners of this event will go on to the Area contest to compete against 4,5, or 6 other club contestant winners on xyz date and then have the opportunity to compete at the Division levels and finally the District.
# Introduce the Chief Judge.
# Mention that Contestants, judges, timers and counters have been briefed and the contestants have drawn for speaking order.
# State that judges will not consider timing as this is accounted for separately.
# Request that the audience take a few seconds to check their pagers, cell phones and other devices with alarms and turn them off for the duration of the contest.
# Be firm that no one should leave or enter the room while a contestant is speaking.
# State that it is very important to provide an 'equal platform' for each contestant and by adhering to these requests, they'll have one. This means no leaving the room, no doors slamming, no dropping changes on the floor, etc. I always like to say 'If someone's cell phone goes off during a speech, we'll have to recruit someone to activate his cell phone for every speech!' That always draws a chuckle.
# REMEMBER to announce which contestants will be presenting in which order and repeat the order twice in a clear manner.
# Announce that the contest may now begin!
# To begin the first event, consider this verbiage:
'We will start this evening with the Evaluation Contest. At this time, I would like to introduce our Test Speaker, Name, Title of Speech, Title of Speech again, Name.'
NOTE: There should be no other introduction of the Test Speaker than name, title, title and the name.
# After the Test Speaker has finished, congratulate the speaker and request that your Sergeant-at-Arms now escort the Evaluation contestants out of the room.
# When the contestants have exited, explain that they are being taken to a room (the bar downstair) where they cannot hear what is going on within the contest room and that they will have 5 minutes to consider their evaluation content. Then, they will be brought in one by one to offer formal evaluations of the speech they just heard.
# To burn up some of that 5 minutes, prepare 5-10 Table Topics to call on audience to do a 0.5/0.75/1 mins Table Topics until 5 mins is up. Ask the Timers to time the Table Topics events.
# When 5 mins is up, call for the first contestant using this format: 'Our first Evaluation contestant is: Person's Name. Please help me welcome Person's Name.'
# When the contestant walks to the front of the room, meet the person with a handshake and walk away. Do NOT encourage the contestant to say anything to you like 'thank you' because the timer will start!!
# After a contestant has completed the evaluation, offer another handshake and say: 'May we please have one minute of silence while the judges mark their ballots?'
# When you feel a minute might be approaching, announce to the judges to finish up so that we can move on to the next contestant.
# When the timer signals that 1 minute has arrived, move right into introducing the next contestant by saying: 'Judges, please prepare for our next presenter.'
# Introduce the next Evaluation participant:
'Our next Evaluation contestant is: Person's Name. Please help me welcome Person's name.'
# After the final contestant has presented, request 2 minutes(N.B. It is 2 mins at the end) of silence for the judges just like the judges received for all of the contestants. When the minute is up, say: 'Now we request continued silence until all judges have cast their official votes for best evaluation. Judges, please raise your ballot in the air when you have completed your votes and our Chief Judge and counters will collect the ballots.'
# After all ballots have been collected, say:
'Let's give all of the contestants another round of applause!!'
Contest Chair(International Speech)
Just Before the Contest...
# Call out among the audience that you would like to have all International Speech Contestants report to the front of the room for briefing.
# Congratulate contestants for their decision to compete in the contest.
# Assure that the judges have been briefed and that it has been made clear to each judge that this is an important contest and that they need to be unbiased in their selection.
# Explain that the Speech contest will occur second, after Evaluations.
# Explain that they will be introduced only by Name, Speech Title, Speech Title, Name.
# Show where the lights are and turn them on so the contestants can see what
they look like.
# Cover the timing rules for the Speech contest:
* Green light comes on at 5 minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 6 minutes
* Red light comes on at 7 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
* You MUST speak no less than 4 minutes, 30 seconds but no more
than 7 minutes, 30 seconds or you will be disqualified
# Ask if there are any questions.
# Draw for speaking order by placing numbers in a hat or in a pint glass and having the contestants blindly draw for speaking position.
# Write the names and speaking position on a piece of paper for annoucing to the judges and the audience during the contest.
N.B.Correct Speaking Order is really critical
During the contest...and be brief
# Announce: 'And now for the International Speech Contest!'.
# Say: 'Our first contestant is: Name, Speech Title, Speech
Title again, Name'.
# Receive the contestant by offering a handshake. Try to avoid saying anything to the contestant because if the person responds with any words, the timer will start.
# When the speaker has finished, ask for one minute of silence while the judges mark their ballots.
# At 45 seconds, say: 'Judges, please complete your balloting in preparation for the next speaker.'
# When the timer signals, say: 'Our next contestant is Name, Speech Title, Speech Title again, Name.'
# After the last contestant, ask for 2 minute of silence(n.b. Note the difference) for all the judges to complete their ballots (It can be longer than 2 mins if necessary for judges to complete tallying ballots).
# After ballots have all been collected, say: 'Let's give all of the speech
contestants another round of applause for their well done speeches!'
Contest Chair(Table Topics)
# Congratulate contestants for their achievement of making it to this level of competition and thank them for showing up.
# Assure that the judges have been briefed and that it has been made clear to each judge that this is an important contest and that they need to be unbiased in their selection.
# Explain that the Table Topics contest will occur first.
# Explain that they will be escorted out of the room to a secured location so that they cannot hear the topic or the responses and that they will be escorted to the room when it is their time.
# MAKE SURE TO SAY THE FOLLOWING: 'When you are escorted into the contest room by the SAA, stand just inside the door until you are formally introduced. After you are introduced, approach the Toastmaster and shake his hand but DON'T say any words or the Timers will start. Just shake the hand, listen for the table topic, and when you're ready, begin your topic response and that's when the Timers will start.'
# Show where the lights are and turn them on so the contestants can see what they look like.
# Cover the timing rules for the Table Topics contest:
* Green light comes on at 1 minute
* Yellow light comes on at 1 minute, 30 seconds
* Red light comes on at 2 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
* You MUST speak no less than 30 seconds and no more
than 2 minutes, 30 seconds or you will be disqualified.
# Ask if there are any questions.
# Draw for speaking order by placing numbers in a hat and having the contestants blindly draw for speaking position.
# Write the names and speaking position on a piece of paper for delivery to the contest Toastmaster.
Contest Chair(Humourous Speech)
# Call out among the audience that you would like to have all Humorous Speech Contestants report to the front of the room for briefing.
# Congratulate contestants for accepting the challenge to compete.
# Assure that the judges have been briefed and that it has been made clear to each judge that this is an important contest and that they need to be unbiased in their selection.
# Explain that the Speech contest will occur second?after the break, if there is one.
# Explain that they will be introduced only by Name, Speech Title, Speech Title, Name.
# After you are introduced, approach the Toastmaster and shake his hand but DON'T say any words or the Timers will start. Just shake the hand and, when you're ready, begin your speech and that's when the Timers will start.'
# Instruct the contestant that they are welcome to stand at the front of the room, take a relaxing breath to organize their thoughts and then deliver. Mention that the timers have been instructed to begin the clock when you say your first word or utter your first gesture to the audience.
# Show where the timing lights are and turn them on so the contestants can see what they look like.
# Cover the timing rules for the Speech contest:
* Green light comes on at 5 minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 6 minutes
* Red light comes on at 7 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
* You MUST speak no less than 4 minutes, 30 seconds but no more
than 7 minutes, 30 seconds or you will be disqualified.
# Ask if there are any questions.
# Draw for speaking order by placing numbers in a hat and having the contestants blindly draw for speaking position.
# Write the names and speaking position on a piece of paper for delivery to the contest Toastmaster.
Chief Judge/Judges
# Call all judges to the front of the room for briefing.
# Thank each judge for showing up. Explain the importance of this event. Things to include might be that 'the contestants have all worked very hard to get to this point and everyone really wants to win. Please be attentive and unbiased.'
# Present 1 Evaluation Ballot and 1 International Speech ballot OR 1 Table Topics Ballot and 1 Humourous Speech ballot to each judge.
# Ask if there are any judges present that have never judged before.
# If any raise their hands, take a few moments to review the ballot and make sure they know how the ballot should be completed. Remember, they can use the grading system provided in any way they want or not at all. The only thing you need from them is the actual ballot at the bottom, torn off and signed.
NOTE: If a judge does not sign a ballot, that vote is void so make sure it is made clear to sign all submitted ballots.
# Explain that the Evaluation contest will occur first and then, after the break (if there is one), the Humorous Speech contest will begin.
# Explain that the judges should not even pay attention to the lights. If someone goes over or under, they will be automatically disqualified.
# Explain that judges will have 1 minute to mark their ballots after each presentation and then will have as much time as they need of each event to tally their votes and complete their final ballot.
# When a judge makes a decision, the ballot at the bottom should be completed, signed and torn off from the rest of the form. Note that if a judge does not SIGN his or her ballot, the ballot is void.
# Have the judges hold their ballots in the air and the counters will pick them up.
NOTE: The Tie-Breaker vote is ONLY used if there is a tie.
Judging Guidelines/Criterias/Ballots
Criterias
For Humourous Judging Criteria please click Humorous Speech Judging Criteria .
For Table Topics Judging Criteria please click Speech Contest Planning Timeline.
For International Speech Judging Criteria please click List of forms .
For Evaluation Judging Criteria please click Evaluation Judging Criteria .
Ballots
For Humorous Speech Judge's Ballot please click Humorous Speech Judge's Ballot .
For Table Topics Judge's Ballot please click Table Topics Judge's Ballot .
For International Speech Judge's Ballot please click International Speech Judge's Ballot .
For Evaluation Judge's Ballot please click Evaluation Judge's Ballot .
Tie Breakers
For Humorous Speech Tie-Breaking Judge's Ballot please click Humorous Speech Tie-Breaking .
For Table Topics Tie-Breaking Judge's Ballot please click Table Topics Tie-Breaking .
For International Speech Tie-Breaking Judge's Ballot please click International Speech Tie-Breaking .
For Evaluation Tie-Breaking Judge's Ballot please click Evaluation Tie-Breaking .
Timers - briefed by the Club President/Chair
# Ask the President/Chair for Timer's Forms.
# Both timers are to time each event to avoid mistake. Only one needs to operate the lights.
# One Timer to write each contestants name on their forms and the duration of the participants' performance and checked by another Timer.
# Begin stop watches only after the 1 st word is uttered or the first gesture is given by the contestants.
# Turn on the lights when?
For the Evaluation Contest:
* Green light comes on at 2 minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 2.5 minutes
* Red light comes on at 3 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
For both the International and Humourous Speech Contest:
* Green light comes on at 5 minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 6 minutes
* Red light comes on at 7 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
For the Table Topics Contest:
* Green light comes on at 1minutes
* Yellow light comes on at 1 minute, 30 seconds
* Red light comes on at 2 minutes
* The red light STAYS ON until the participant has finished
# Timers deliver their Forms to the Chief Judge/Vote Counter at the end of each
contest.
#For the Timer Sheet , click Timer Sheet .
Sergeant-at-Arms/SAA(Evaluation Contests) - briefed by the Club President/Chair
# Show up 30 minutes before the contest start time in order to welcome
guests and be on hand to point people to bathrooms and food areas.
# Locate an area at the bar downstair where Evaluation contestants will be taken so that they cannot hear or see the other participants.
# After the Test Speaker finishes his presentation, the Chair will call on
you to escort all of the Evaluation contestants outside the room to the
separate enclosed room that you found earlier.
# When you get them to the room, announce that they have exactly 5 minutes to prepare any notes that they wish.
# After 4 minutes, go back to the contest room, signal that 5 minutes is near, and then return to the contestants.
# When 5 minutes is up, remove notes from ALL contestants and allow the first contestant to keep his own notes. You will give back the notes to the contestants as you escort them individually to the contest room when it is their turn.
# Escorts the first contestant to just inside the door of the contest room.
NOTE: Make sure to prevent the contestant from walking right up to the Chair when you open the door of the contest room. You want that person to receive a formal introduction and then benefit from a welcoming round of applause as he or she approaches the Chair.
# After the first contestant speaks, the judges will have 1 minute to mark their
ballots. This is your time to go get the next contestant so that when the minute is up, you will have the next contestant standing inside the door already. Don't forget to give the notes back to the next contestant.
Again, make sure the following contestants do not just walk right up to the
Toastmaster until the introduction has been made.
NOTE: If there are more than 1 SAA, devide the workloads between them.
Sergeant-at-Arms/SAA(Table Topic Contents)- briefed by the Club President/Chair
# Show up 30minutes before the contest start time in order to welcome guests and setup the room for the contest.
# Locate a room away from the contest room where Table Topics contestants will be taken so that they cannot hear or see the other participants.
# At the beginning of the contest, welcome the audience and introduce Toastmaster of the event or the President of the club.
# Escort contestants to secured location when requested by Toastmaster.
# Direct the first contestant to stand just inside the door.
# After the first contestant speaks, the judges will have 1 minute to mark their
ballots. This is your time to go get the next contestant so that when the minute is up, you will have the next contestant standing inside the door already.
NOTE: Make sure to prevent the contestant from walking right up to the
Toastmaster when you open the door of the contest room. You want that person to receive a formal introduction and then benefit from a welcoming round of applause as he or she approaches the Toastmaster.
Vote Counters- briefed by the Club President/Chair
# Identify an area outside the contest room for votes counting.
# Collect the ballot from the judges when they finish(usually teh judges will raise their hands).
# Work together with the Chief Judge at the end of each contest to count the vote to ensure correct counts.
# Are allowed to disqualify a contestant if the contestants have not met the timing requirements.
# The Tie-Breaker vote is ONLY used if there is a tie.
#Get the Counter's Tally Sheet , click Counter's Tally Sheet .
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