Posts by Heather Neumann

Lasting Impact! October and November Online Workshops and Classes

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Can you believe it’s October, already?! It’s prime time to start digging deeper into Speech and Debate. If you haven’t had the opportunity to partake in one of our past Workshops, sign up NOW and don’t miss out on all the ideas, tips, and valuable information!

Signing up for an Online Workshop is easy!! All workshops are through an online forum called Zoom. It’s a quick and easy download that your instructor will send to you, as part of their introduction email (usually within 24 hours of your workshop). We do try to record all our workshops, but can’t guarantee how quickly they will be up and ready on our site. Click HERE to see available recorded videos.

Check out the list of the fantastic line up of Online Workshops and Classes coming directly to you, in the comfort of your own home…

October

Sat. Oct. 6, 11:00am – Big Picture Argumentation with Luke McConnell
$5 members/$20 non members

“Big Picture Argumentation” is an argumentative strategy that allows you to prep better for rounds, know all the vital details of your case, unlock the lost art of conversation, and overall appear more professional and persuasive to your audiences. This is for ALL types of debate!!

More students and coaches need to learn “Big Picture Argumentation.” It is a very simple argumentative strategy that will allow students to connect better with their judges. One of the aspects of the strategy includes pre round and pre tourney prep. If students want to win debate rounds, they have to earn it. Furthermore however, if they are not able to clearly communicate to the judge why the judge should vote for them, aka how they won the round, all their hard work means nothing. This strategy gives them the ability to break the barrier that prevents judges from really capturing the meaning of their arguments.

Sign up HERE.

Sun. Oct. 14 7:00pm CT – The Power of Persuasion with Isabelle Clausen
$5 members/$20 non members

Speaking persuasively is a skill that is extremely powerful in every area of life: speech and debate, college, the workforce, conflict resolution, and ministry. However, as powerful as this skill is, it takes much practice to perfect. That is why I created this workshop, so you can learn how to speak persuasively not only in Speech and Debate, but also in your daily life! Once you learn and practice these techniques to develop this skill, you can impact the world for Christ in a whole new way!

This online workshop will be covering the following topics:
– The purpose for the persuasive speaking event
– How to develop a persuasive argument by finding the “crux”
– How to look at a topic from both sides
– How to develop and strong and strategic thesis statement
– How to format your points in your speech
– How to use personal stories to create a connection with the judge
– How to add lasting impact to your speech (see what I did there ?)
– How to apply these skills to your daily life

Sign up HERE.

Fri. Oct. 19, 6:00pm CT – Exploring Biblical Thematic with Heather Neumann and Kristi Eskelund
$5 members/$20 non members

Join Heather and Kristi as they explore the new NCFCA Interpretive Speech Category- Biblical Thematic. We will break down all the possibilities!!
– Encouragement and excitement for Biblical Thematic.
– How to incorporate Platform and Interpretive speech types well.
– Learn ideas of how to use your binder as a prop.
– Help with how to choose a theme.
– Tips on how to embrace BT.

Sign up HERE.

Fri. Oct. 19, 7:30pm CT – All About Illustrated Oratory/Expository with Heather, Kristi, and Guests
$5 members/$20 non members

Come learn all about one of our favorite speech categories! Almost every platform speech can be enhanced by visual aides! So why not turn your platform speech into something so much more!? Join us, and an amazing panel of IO/Expo experts! We will dispel the myths that only rich (the boards and supplies are too expensive), artistic (I’m not creative enough) type people can do this event.

Sign up HERE.

Sun. Oct. 21, 6:00pm CT – Extemp Basics with Catherine Alles
$5 members/$20 non members

After having competed in Extemporaneous for three years, Catherine Alles has gone through stages of failure and success- including winning tournaments and making it to Nationals. In this workshop, she will be going over some basic tips on organization, how to spend your prep time, how to incorporate humor, how to prepare for tournaments, and how to make your speech stand out. If you are thinking about competing in Extemp or looking for ways to improve, this is a workshop you won’t want to miss!

Sign up HERE.

Wed. Oct. 23, 8:00pm CT – Finishing Strong in Debate with Eric Meinerding
$5 members/$20 non members

Finishing Strong: How to Give Winning Rebuttals (LD and TP). This will be another strategy/theory workshop. Eric will be going over time efficiency, reading the room, identifying strong/weak arguments, and some rhetorical tips as well.

Sign up HERE.

November

Nov. 3, 10:00am CT- How to Judge LD Debate with Joel Erickson
$5 members/$20 non members

Back by popular demand… Have you ever stared blankly at your LD ballot in judge hospitality, stymied by the complete incoherence of the debaters? In this workshop, veteran LD coach Joel Erickson shares some practical pointers for judging LD. You’ll learn an intuitive way for evaluating LD rounds, what to do when debaters don’t refute each other, what to say (and not to say) in your judging philosophy to prompt the debaters to debate well, and how to write a ballot that debaters will want to read. Joel will talk for about 25 minutes, then devote the rest of the time to answering your questions. Hope to see you there!

Sign up HERE.

Nov. 5, 7:00-8:30pm CT – Writing Winning Speeches with Rebecca Frazer
$10 members/$25 non members

Join Rebecca Frazer for a dynamic speechwriting workshop aimed to help you take your platform speeches to the next level. From thesis formation, to writing hacks, to persuasion techniques grounded in social science, Rebecca’s workshop is sure to bring new insight to speakers of all levels.

Rebecca is the 2012 NCFCA National TP and Persuasive Champion. She has a B.A. in communication and is currently earning a PhD in Communications.

Sign up HERE.

Nov. 12- Dec. 17, 8:00pm CT – Extemp Excel Class (6 weeks)
$40 members/$60 non members

Extemporaneous is often considered a nuanced and nebulus event in competitive forensics. This idea stops here. During Extemp Bootcamp, you will learn the ins-and-outs of extemporaneous speaking — speech writing, research methods, and tips/tricks developed from years of experience. My goal for each student is simple: to be able to approach each extemp speech with confidence and courage. Extemp is not the scary monster overconfident competitors like to make it out to be. It is a fun and rewarding experience once you learn the ropes.

Join this Extemp Class to jump start your season! Whether or not you are new to Extemp, this class will cover everything you need to push you to be a better Extemporaneous Speaker!
– Card Writing
– Research
– Sources
– Resources
– Building Credibility
– Practice
– And More!

Sign up HERE.

We hope to see you soon! Thanks for making Lasting Impact! part of your Speech and Debate journey!

Effective Communication While Debating by: Catherine Alles

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Debate is really just a formal structure that helps us have a conversation about whether or not we should choose to make a change. At it’s core, it’s just a conversation, but there are ways we can improve our communication skills which will help us elevate our debating skills above just arguing with your siblings, friends, or parents. When we show up to a formal debate, we don’t just want to impress our judge with our arguments, but also our speaking ability and persuasiveness.

In this video, “Elements of Effective Communication”, I’ll be going over some basic communication tips, like eye contact and body control, but also going deeper into what it means to be a well rounded speaker, using ethos, pathos, and logos, and some do’s and don’ts to improve your skills.

 

Catherine graduated high school this past year and is taking a gap year to do a business internship through the program “Praxis.” After that, she is not sure if she will go to college or pursue other career paths, but she is interested in business, politics, and loves cooking, biking, and traveling. As a coach, she is passionate about helping debaters actually understand the arguments they are running, and focusing on quality over quantity of arguments. Catherine competed in TP with NCFCA for 5 years, and qualified to Nationals all 4 years of high school, finishing first in at-large her junior and senior years. She enjoyed partnering with both her older sister and younger brother, both of whom taught her very different skills. She won four debate tournaments over the years and was honored to get a 4th place speaker award at Nationals in 2015.

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Remember THIS Saturday Oct. 6, we have Luke McConnell presenting his workshop on Big Picture Argumentation. For more information or to sign up CLICK HERE.

Why Oratorical Might Be a Great Place to Start (Workshop TONIGHT)

Posted on by Heather Neumann

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to think about Oratorical when NCFCA announced this new speech categories. But I did what I usually do, and waited to pass too much judgement until I could fully explore the event. Now, after months of coaching it at camps and workshops, Kristi and I think it might be the perfect place to start! If you aren’t sure, read on, or attend our Online Workshop tonight… CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP 

Or read on…

Continue reading “Why Oratorical Might Be a Great Place to Start (Workshop TONIGHT)” →

Developing an Idea for a (Platform) Speech – The “So What?” Factor

Posted on by Heather Neumann

If you have been to one of my camps or workshops, I sometimes have my own little ways of saying things- "a Heather Neumann-ism." ;) Needless to say, I have coined the phrase, "The So What? Factor." Students have ideas all the time for their speeches, but does their idea have the "so what?"  factor? What is the "so what? factor"? Can your idea go the distance? Here are some questions you can ask yourself when you are flushing out an idea for a speech to make sure it has "The So What Factor". Today, we will specifically be going through the so what factor with Platform Speeches and while there is overlap, in the next couple of weeks we will tackle the so what factor with Interps...

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A Guide for Speech Preparation by: Chiara Baldacci

A Guide for Speech Preparation by: Chiara Baldacci

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Every tournament at script submission, if you listen, you’ll hear numbers of people complaining (but really bragging) about how little time they put into their speeches. You can almost hear the debate about who has stayed up the latest memorizing and writing. People take pride in their procrastination—especially when they go and win a tournament. But health, sanity, and excellence are all far more important than your pride—and your cramming skills. Pace yourself. You will achieve a higher level of excellence and a lower level of stress…

Continue reading “A Guide for Speech Preparation by: Chiara Baldacci” →

2 Approaches to Platform Speeches (Workshop Tonight!)

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Which do you pick first? A platform speech category or a specific platform speech topic? Do you decide to write a persuasive and then look for the perfect persuasive topic or become passionate about a speech on baking long before you decide it’d make the perfect after dinner on household mishaps and management? Maybe you haven’t ever thought about this question, but it is an important step in the process of crafting an excellent platform speech. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, so how you choose to answer the question will shape the rhetoric of your speech, its momentum, and your own growth as a speaker. If you’ve decided that you want to invest in a platform speech this year, whether you have brainstormed ideas or not, this is the workshop that will help you take the next steps. We’ll review the basic categories of platform speeches and look at their goals. We’ll examine the reasoning behind choosing topics and choosing platform categories, giving special attention to the relationship between these two approaches. We’ll also spend time working through potential topics ideas you may have. Our goal is to make this workshop an energizing and interactive experience that deepens your understanding of how to craft excellent platform speeches. We hope to see you there!

For more info read on or CLICK HERE to sign up…

Continue reading “2 Approaches to Platform Speeches (Workshop Tonight!)” →

Mars Hill Impromptu by: Isabelle Clausen

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Some of you may or may not have ever heard of the Speech Event called Mars Hill Impromptu. What is it? Mars Hill Impromptu is offered in Stoa. The competitor uses books, movies, and other genre to discuss the appeal and impact of the theme(s) within the topic, holding them up in light of Christian truth found in the Bible. In other words- applying a Biblical Worldview to life around us. Join me on Friday evening for Mars Hill 101, an Online Workshop, as we explore this amazing speech category…

To sign up CLICK HERE or read the article below

Continue reading “Mars Hill Impromptu by: Isabelle Clausen” →

TP Debate Prep Online Workshop TONIGHT – 8pm CT

Posted on by Heather Neumann

We still have room available… whether you are a coach, parent, or student – these workshops are for YOU! Workshops will be added… our October schedule will be coming out soon.

TP Debate Prep with Eric Meinerding – TONIGHT 8pm CT

As the tournament season approaches you may be starting to panic at the thought of all the research you’re going to have to do between now and your first tournament. How, you may ask, will I prepare to debate cases I don’t even know of yet? The strategies taught, can be cross applied to different leagues!

Eric Meinerding will be going over a different argument and research method that will not only help you make the most of your preparation time before the tournaments start, but also give you a strategic edge against your opponents in round. While debating for Liberty University’s varsity debate team, their seasoned professional coaches taught Eric this approach to debate that has literally decades of proven success. Whether you’ve been debating for four years or this is you first season, Eric will be able to teach you how to research arguments that can apply well to every case and interact with one another to secure rounds against squirrel cases where you may not have the first idea what they are talking about.

Sign Up HERE.

On Friday evening, there will be two more online workshops…

Platform Development with Heather Neumann – 7pm CT

Which do you pick first? A platform speech category or a platform speech topic? Do you decide to write a persuasive and then look for the perfect persuasive topic or become passionate about a speech on baking long before you decide it’d make the perfect after dinner on household mishaps and learning to laugh at yourself?

Maybe you haven’t ever thought about this question, but it is an important step in the process of crafting an excellent platform speech. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, so how you choose to answer the question will shape the rhetoric of your speech, its momentum, and your own growth as a speaker. If you’ve decided that you want to invest in a platform speech this year, whether you have brainstormed ideas or not, this is the workshop that will help you take the next steps. We’ll review the basic categories of platform speeches and look at their goals. We’ll examine the motivations and reasoning behind choosing topics and choosing platform categories, giving special attention to the relationship between these two approaches. We’ll also spend time working through potential topics ideas you may have. This workshop will be an energizing and interactive experience that deepens your understanding of how to craft excellent platform speeches.

Sign Up HERE.

Mars Hill with Isabelle Clausen – 8:15pm CT

Mars Hill Impromptu is an event that can be applied to any aspect of life, regardless of where you are or who you hang out with. I think that MHI is one of the most beneficial events for competitors because it helps train them in how to connect culture and Christianity outside the speech and debate world. Throughout my time at college, I have been able to share the Gospel with numerous people by just talking about a popular song or movie. It truly is such an amazing event, and I think that every competitor should take part in it!

The following topics will be covered in my MHI workshop:

– How to write an effect synopsis
– How to develop a theme for each topic
– How to systematically build the bridge between culture and Christianity
– How to be conversational with rhetoric and body language
– How to share the Gospel in a conversational manner
– How to maximize the efficiency of your prep time

Sign Up HERE.

We look forward to seeing you! If you can not attend, we hope to have the videos (in the SHOP) available for purchase by the end of the weekend.

Workshop Wednesday – Making the Most of TP Debate Prep by: Eric Meinerding

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Eric Meinerding saw much success in High School Speech and Debate, and now he has been a college debater for the last two tears. He has gleaned many pivotal lessons from his professional collegiate coaches. He can’t wait to share what he has learned this Wednesday night! Join us  in his live online workshop (only $5 for members) titled, “Making the Most Out of TP Prep”, for more info click HERE.

Continue reading “Workshop Wednesday – Making the Most of TP Debate Prep by: Eric Meinerding” →

Research Tips For the Novice Debater by: Catherine Alles

Posted on by Heather Neumann

As a novice, you probably have a lot of questions about speech and debate. I know it can be like drinking out of a fire hydrant when all this new information is thrown at you. Researching for Debate is something that a lot of novices are intimidated by. After all, the world wide web is a BIG place, with LOTs of information… where do you even start?

Continue reading “Research Tips For the Novice Debater by: Catherine Alles” →

Lasting Impact! Syllabus 2.0 (Extended Version)

Posted on by Heather Neumann

It’s the beginning of a new speech and debate year! Why not have a new syllabus, right? Each year club leaders go above and beyond creating their syllabus for their club. This is our second year creating one. Lasting Impact Syllabus 1.0 using Vol. 1 is still available. In fact, we had a lot of clubs that chose to use it! So why did we create another one? And what makes this one better?

Continue reading “Lasting Impact! Syllabus 2.0 (Extended Version)” →