Many families new to competitive speech have asked, "What is Original Oratory?" Multiple leagues have OO as a category, and it is a popular choice! Many families seasoned in competitive speech have wondered what on earth to do with/in/for that speech category since it isn't persuasive, biographical, or illustrated. Everyone is trying to figure out the formula as we approach those first tournaments...
Last time we discussed Interpretive Speech, as well as WHY it's important. Today we will discuss HOW to bring interpretive speeches to life!
So HOW do you get there?
The art of interpretation doesn't just magically happen. There are a few key things you must have to be able to put your piece together.
How would you define ‘interpretation?’ Would you say, “Putting your own spin on something” or maybe “Giving your own perspective?” That would be correct. Perhaps you would go further and suggest that an ‘interpretation’ seeks to explain the meaning of something, and that would also be correct. Google Dictionary gives synonyms like: elucidation, exposition, and clarification. Our competitive speech leagues usually define ‘interpretation’ along the lines of “bringing literature to life” for the purposes of their event structure, and that encompasses all of those approaches above!
Advanced interpretation is not equal to advanced interpers delivering their material in a speech and/or forensics competition. Advanced interpretation is instead marked by subtlety and skill more than by experience. Admittedly, experienced speakers tend to have more skill, but very often they apply that skill in such a way as to emphasize their own largess rather than to expose believable and relatable characters in believable and relatable conflicts. One hallmark of those doing truly advanced work is their ability to differentiate between stereotypes and stock characters.
There is now a whole market of short scripts, written for competitive speech and available easily online. Lots of kids are going that route to find their competitive interp pieces. Seasoned coaches, Kristi Eskelund and Heather Neumann give their thoughts and opinions on the script debate…
Continue reading “Opinion- Short Scripts – Yes or No? (Plus Vlog)”
Every year or two, speech leagues tend to roll out something new to keep things interesting for both students and parent judges. This year is no exception. Today we are going to look at the two largest homeschool speech and debate leagues- Stoa and NCFCA. Heather and Kristi will take a look at these new speech events...
One of the great challenges in Speech and Debate clubs - especially well-established and growing clubs - is how to make the club time valuable for both ends of the experience spectrum- advanced and beginner students. A new family in the club knows nothing and is feeling overwhelmed and uniformed. They need to know what the events are. They need practice and instruction in basic skills. They need to know what they are aiming for. They want to grow so they can do this speech thing. And let's face it, those kids who have competed a couple of seasons don't want to learn basic skills again. They don't want to have the events explained to them. They don't even want to demonstrate last year's speeches! They want to grow themselves. How do we find the balance here?
For all of the benefits of working with a partner, there are some circumstances when partnering is really not the best option. Consider our experience with the following situations:
Let's face it, partnership poses a whole new element when it comes to competitive speech and debate! Some events simply require a partnership as part of the challenge of taking on those events, and my family has been blessed to have been involved in truly amazing partnerships! Our team policy partnership forged a deep and abiding friendship that helped my daughter learn that life is really more about working with others well than anything else. But partnerships are not to be entered into lightly, so there are several things to consider when contemplating a debate partnership:
I’ve said things I didn’t mean before. I’ve spoken carelessly, or hastily, or hurtfully. I’ve let exhaustion numb my mind before my mouth. I’ve used my words to be witty, or funny, or appealing, or in some way to what I perceived was ‘my’ crowd. And…part of the embarrassment and blessing of that is that I’ve also always had people on hand to call me out and redirect that - or people who accepted my apologies - or people who taught me to do more thinking before I spoke.
Lots of people have asked me about the new events for NCFCA and what I think. I think I’m game for almost anything, but here are some of my new reflections after the announcements at Nationals: