JUNIOR SPEECH

Age Category:

JUNIOR SPEECH IS FOR STUDENTS AGES 8-12.

Cost:

$30 per student for the first 1 or 2 events
$15 per student for each additional event
(NOTE: Students may enter a maximum of 5 Junior Speech events for this tournament.)

Time-keeping:

All competitors must bring a working time piece and should have it with them during check-in. Junior Speech events will have a timer provided in rooms when available. Volunteers are needed from debate/speech students to fulfill the need for timers.
NOTE: Wrist watches and electronic devices such as cell phones will not be acceptable as time pieces.

Junior Speech Events:

ATTENTION STUDENTS! You are encouraged to observe one another in any or all events at this tournament!

Interpretation:

  • Children’s Storybook Reading: Student has up to 5 minutes to read from a children’s storybook, bringing the book and characters to life. Student must bring and use an actual book in this event.
  • Dramatic or Humorous Interpretation: Student has up to 5 minutes to present a memorized dramatic or humorous cutting from a stage play script, radio script, or piece of literature. The goal of interpretive events is to develop a selection from a single work of literature into a uniquely original performance that communicates both the oral and physical dimensions of the piece.
  • Duo Dramatic or Duo Humorous Interpretation: A team of two (2) students has up to 5 minutes to present a memorized dramatic or humorous cutting from a script. It must be from a stage play script, a radio script, or piece of literature published by someone other than the competitors. The goal of the competitors should be to bring the literature to life by representing the characters through body posture, facial expression, voice inflection, and gestures.

Limited Preparation:

  • Bible Reading: Students should bring their own NIV or KJV Bibles to their rounds. Students pick out one passage (i.e. Psalms 23) from an envelope, then they get up to 2 minutes prep time to look up the passage, read it over, then start their speech with, "A reading from the Book of Psalms, Chapter 23." This helps students develop skills in reading out loud from the Bible, with expression, looking up at the audience, and bringing the words of the Bible to life. The reading should be a sincere, personable, reading out loud of the Bible for the purpose of reading out loud at Bible Studies and other sharing. It should not be for the purpose of interpretation or performance with melodramatic hand gestures or dramatic voice inflection. Neither should it be monotone, but instead, striving for a well modulated tonal quality that is pleasant and keeps the interest of the hearer.

(NOTE: A list of Bible passages for this tournament is at the bottom of this page.)

  • Impromptu: This is an original work prepared on the spot. The student will pick three topics from an envelope, choose one, and in two minutes prepare an up-to-5-minute speech on that topic. These topics are either sayings, quotations, or abstract words. Some students may choose to write their thoughts down during prep time, but when they come up to present the speech, they are not allowed to bring any of their notes.
  • Salesmanship: Students pick out three objects (words) from an envelope at the judges' table. They have 1 minute of prep time to come up with a 2-minute speech (sales pitch) to sell the product. This helps students develop skills in persuasion, organization, creating a need, selling the benefits, and closing the sale.
  • Small Group (2-3) Impromptu: This is also an original work prepared on the spot, but with a two-to-three-student team. The students use two to four characters and an object listed on slips of paper to create an up-to-five-minute speech after a two-minute prep time. (Example: Character: plumber, preacher; Object: water bottle). Students choose three papers from the envelope. From the three, they choose one to present and put the other two back in the envelope. Each paper should have three related characters and one related object. Groups of two do not have to use all three of the characters. If there’s a duo, they need to only use two characters. However, students can use or add more characters if they wish to without penalties.

Platform/Original:

  • Expository: An up to 5 minute, original, prewritten and memorized speech that the student delivers on a topic that informs, persuades, or is of interest to the audience WITH VISUAL AIDS.
  • Original Oratory: An up to 5 minute, original, prewritten and memorized speech that the student delivers on a topic that informs the audience.
  • Persuasive: An up to 5 minute, original, prewritten and memorized speech that the student delivers on a topic that persuades the audience to action. (This speech usually requires some support or sources to back up speaker’s positions.)
  • Musicality/Dance: Students perform an entire piece of music and prepare a speech to describe the piece of music and what it means to the student (for more details click HERE,) OR students perform an entire dance and prepare a speech to describe the dance piece and what it means to the student (for more details click HERE,) -- up to 5 minutes in length.

List of Bible Passages for Junior Bible Reading Event:

Genesis 6: 9-22
Genesis 8: 1-14
Exodus 40: 1-19
Joshua 18: 1-10
Esther 1: 1-12
Daniel 1: 1-12
Psalm 25
Psalm 103
Psalms 116 & 117
Psalm 119: 1-24
Psalm 135
Psalm 145
Proverbs 1: 1-22
Proverbs 2
Proverbs 10: 1-21
Proverbs 12: 1-22
Proverbs 15: 1-22
Proverbs 19: 9-29
Matthew 2: 13-23
Mark 4: 9-28
Mark 7: 1-15
Luke 2: 25-39
Luke 3: 3-16
Luke 23: 26-41
Ephesians 1: 1-17
Colossians 1
2 Thessalonians 1
Titus 2
1 John 3: 1-12
1 John 4: 1-12