Event Details
- Date: March 1, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
- Location: Virtual
- Divisions/Grades: Open to SEDA members in Grades 5 to 12
- Three categories of speech:
- interpretative reading
- persuasive speaking
- impromptu speaking.
- All students will compete in the interpretative reading and persuasive speaking categories. The top 3 students in each division will move on to compete in the finals, which will be an impromptu speech.
Judging
- All competitors must provide one judge for the event.
- Competitors that do not provide a judge may be unable to compete.
- Judges will be provided with a scoring rubric and do not need previous experience.
- Judge registration will be open HERE from Friday February 14 to Friday February 21.
Registration
- There may be a limit to the number of students who can register.
- Observers for virtual tournaments must be registered on the student registration form.
- Student registration will be open HERE from Friday February 14 to Friday February 21.
Tournament Fee
- $20 tournament fee per student.
- E-transfer to director@saskdebate.com by Friday February 21. Put the student's name followed by SPE2 in the memo line.
- Students that cancel less than 24 hours before the tournament will still owe tournament fees.
- We offer a 25% or 50% subsidy. If the subsidy prices are still a barrier to participation, please contact SEDA at info@saskdebate.com.
Category Definitions
Interpretive reading
All competitors will be presenting an interpretive reading. Each participant should pick a piece of writing to read. SEDA does not pick a piece for you. Students should pick the piece beforehand and practice reading it before the competition.
- Speaking time: 5 to 8 minutes
- The piece can be serious or humorous.
- Include an appropriate brief introduction that states the author, title, and theme of the work.
- The piece must be published work and may not have been written by the reader.
- Students may read from the published text or from word processed pages in a folder.
- Competitors may stand or sit but should not move around excessively.
Judges will be considering:
- Quality and helpfulness of the competitor’s introduction
- Delivery (Ex. eye contact, energy)
- Voice (Ex. pace, timing, enunciation)
- Overall appeal
Learn more about Interpretive Reading HERE.
Persuasive Speaking
All competitors will be presenting a persuasive speech. Each participant should pick a topic and plan and practice their persuasive speech before the competition day.
- Speaking time: 5 to 8 minutes
- This speech is designed to persuade and must be on a serious topic, but humour can be incorporated if the speaker feels it is useful.
- Speakers must identify a problem and propose or examine one or more solutions to it.
- Speakers may reference note cards, but eye contact and some memorization is expected.
Judges will be considering:
- Analysis of the problem
- Persuasiveness of the discussion (Ex. logic, appeal)
- Interest
- Delivery (Ex. eye contact, energy)
Learn more about Persuasive Speaking HERE.
Impromptu Speaking
Only the top 3 competitors in each division will move on to the impromptu speaking round. Tournament staff will draw three topics, which may be a word, a quotation, a phrase. The speaker must choose one of the three, and then prepare for 10 minutes.
- Speaking time: 3 to 5 minutes
- Speakers may take notes but may not bring them up when they speak.
- Speakers may interpret the topic within reason.
- Speeches should be structured and logical.
- Speakers will not use the internet during prep time.
- Speakers will not use prepared material for this event.
- No props of any kind are permitted.
- Adoption of a persona is not allowed for Impromptu speaking.
Judges will be considering:
- Adherence to topic
- Organization
- Interest
- Delivery (Ex. eye contact, energy)
Preparing for impromptu speaking is similar to an impromptu debate. You can see SEDA’s impromptu resource HERE.
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