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This Week – LD, Moot, Sourcebook SALE!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Second semester is well underway… looking for opportunities to grow this week?

LD CLUB – Starts TONIGHT! Lasting Impact! will be launching a 10-week, second-semester Lincoln Douglas debate club on Monday evenings (TONIGHT)! This online club, hosted by Noah McKay, will focus primarily on tournament preparation, case refinement, and competitive strategy. The format will be largely discussion-based, with short lectures planned for the beginning of each meeting and the remainder of the window reserved for students to discuss the content of the lecture, ask questions, practice their cross-examination and rebuttal technique, and – depending on the week – discuss trends in the tournament world and potential strategies for refuting common cases. Students will also help each other analyze both their winning and losing ballots in order to foster consistency in their competitive performance.

MOOT COURT WORKSHOP – BOGO! Register – and your partner is FREE! This workshop will be focused on three things: (1) diving into this year’s NCFCA packet to improve argumentation; (2) improving case structures so that they are easily intelligible to judges, yet nuanced and complex enough to win rounds; and (3) improving speaking and delivery. This two-hour workshop, led by former Moot Court competitor and current coach Ethan Tong, is aimed towards those who already have experience with this year’s packet, but those who are looking to start Moot Court would greatly benefit as well. The workshop will be RECORDED.

NCFCA TP Sourcebook – only $20! https://lastingimpact.info/product/book9535/
NCFCA LD Guide – only $20! https://lastingimpact.info/product/book9588/

Debate Opportunities Coming IN FEBRUARY!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

We have TWO awesome opportunities in February for you Debaters!

  1. Online Moot Workshop with Ethan Tong. This one evening event will focus on three things: (1) diving into this year’s NCFCA packet to improve argumentation; (2) improving case structures so that they are easily intelligible to judges, yet nuanced and complex enough to win rounds; and (3) improving speaking and delivery. This two-hour workshop, led by former Moot Court competitor and current coach Ethan Tong, is aimed towards those who already have experience with this year’s packet, but those who are looking to start Moot Court would greatly benefit as well. The workshop will be RECORDED. Online Moot Court Workshop – Lasting Impact!
  2. 2nd Semester LD- Lincoln Douglas Club with Noah McKay. This ten-week club will focus primarily on tournament preparation, case refinement, and competitive strategy. The format will be largely discussion-based, with short lectures planned for the beginning of each meeting and the remainder of the window reserved for students to discuss the content of the lecture, ask questions, practice their cross-examination and rebuttal technique, and – depending on the week – discuss trends in the tournament world and potential strategies for refuting common cases. Students will also help each other analyze both their winning and losing ballots in order to foster consistency in their competitive performance. 2022 2nd Semester Online LD Club – Lasting Impact!
  3. SALE! All TP and LD Sourcebooks will be on SALE! BOOKS – Lasting Impact!

Lasting Impact! hopes we can assist you in your Speech and Debate journey. Our hope is to encourage students, parents, coaches, and clubs! Please let us know, how we can help!

Moot Court – All About Questions – Sign Up for Online Moot Workshop by Ethan Tong

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Are you wanting to understand Moot Court better? Ethan Tong is the guy! In two weeks, Lasting Impact! will host an Online Workshop specifically for Mooters! Sign up NOW! Online Moot Court Workshop – Lasting Impact! This workshop will be recorded! And in the meantime, read Ethan’s tip about Moot…

Every Moot Court competitor knows the following scenario: you go up, prepared to answer the toughest questions and objections, only to hear crickets from the bench. Maybe a question or two––maybe none. We blame it on the bench—“Ugh, it was a cold bench this morning” or “the judges were not asking us anything”––when we should be blaming it on ourselves. Because it’s YOUR JOB to invite questions…

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Making the Most of Your Ballots by Noah McKay

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Mid-season tournament preparation can be perplexing business, Coach Noah McKay will be starting his 2nd Semester LD Club in just a couple weeks. He will help you break down your cases, help analyze the best values, and come up with a strategy! Did you know you could also learn a ton from your ballots?

You have probably experienced the sinking feeling of going 1-5 after months of pre-season research and writing, along with attendant confusion about what, exactly, you are supposed to do to bring those numbers up the next go-round. After all, if you couldn’t find a winning argument anywhere in the thousands of pages you read between July and December, where can you find one?

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Have You Taken The I-Test for Your Speech? by: Juliana Scheopner

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Last week, we posted and wrote about how nonverbal communication skills can help elevate you, as a speaker. But the content in a speech is also important. Heather Neumann likes to share the I-Test with her students and Ted Talk clients. The I-Test is a series of questions she came up with, you can ask yourself to determine if your topic, as well as the content is a good choice for your speech. She believes these four things can make a huge impact on your judges or audience, whether they realize it or not. If you have already selected your topic or written your speech, you can still use the I-Test to see if there is anything you should add to improve your speech. 

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Attributes of a Good Communicator by: Juliana Scheopner

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Have you ever wondered what makes someone a good communicator? “She’s a natural! He is so talented!” We hear phrases like this all the time in competitive Speech and Debate. However, is it the words and the content of the speech OR the person who is doing the effective communicating? Is it the way the communicator is presenting OR the speech, itself? Could someone else give the speech just as well? Think about it. Heather Neumann breaks down the attributes that should be noticed (if you are looking) during one of her weekly classes...

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Observe, Think, Practice by: Juliana Scheopner

Posted on by Heather Neumann

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Chinese Proverb

Heather Neumann has been teaching a Public Speaking Class or Club for over a decade. Each year she prays about the lesson plan- the journey she is about to embark on with her students. At this point she has literally coached thousands of students, both nationally and internationally. I have been one of her students, I have sat in her Zoom Room watching apprehensive beginner students turn into writers, speakers, and more importantly confident human beings. Mrs. Neumann has given me permission to share her ideas with you this year. A first hand glance at what she is teaching. This year’s mantra for her classes and clubs - Observe, Think, Practice! Sounds easy. These three little words can really pack a punch if we put them to work and are being purposeful. Every year she has a new perspective or way to wrap our brains around God given gift and privilege we call the art of communication. Each week she offers us students a challenge on how we can implement her lessons, and how they can make an big IMPACT, not only in Public Speaking, but for life... Are you ready to observe, think, and practice? If so- be ready to GROW...

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NCFCA LD Resolution – Defending Transhumanism? By: Noah McKay

Posted on by Heather Neumann

The Problem – You Don’t Have to Defend Transhumanism This Year
It has come to my attention that this year’s Lincoln Douglas resolution is breeding uneasiness among rank-and-file debaters and parents in the NCFCA. Of course, almost everyone is uneasy about new resolutions, because, well, they’re new. But the present distress goes beyond standard concerns about definitional vagueness or bias: some have questioned whether it is even morally permissible to defend the Affirmative position…

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Don’t Be Afraid To Think Outside of the Box by Emalyn Sharp

Posted on by Heather Neumann

The season for contemplating speech topics is upon us, and as camps, clubs, and the start of a new year of Speech and Debate competition approaches, one dreaded question will swirl amongst them all. 

What are you giving a speech on?

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Strategies for a More Effective Cross-Examination by Peter Montgomery

Posted on by Heather Neumann

“…It is for all these reasons I strongly but respectfully urge an affirmative ballot. Thank you, and I now stand open for cross-examination.”

In the silence that follows your opponent’s final words, you finish shuffling your papers around on your canary yellow legal pad, take one final swig from your trusty water bottle, and then with a deep breath, stand up and approach your adversary at the podium, being careful to avoid making eye contact.

You set your timepiece for three minutes, take one final glance around to check if your opponent and judges are ready, then with an earsplitting beep, you activate your timepiece and start the countdown, a wide smile appearing on your face.

“Hi, that was a great speech, but of course as always I’ve got a couple questions for you today, starting with…”

If you’ve ever participated in any form of debate that has cross-examination, this situation, or one very similar to it, should be familiar to you. Starting off cross-examination this way seems natural. After all, you want to appear friendly to the judge, and you’ve seen other experienced debaters follow this same pattern. What could possibly be wrong with this approach? Quite a bit, it turns out.

In this article, we will be examining some common cross-ex tactics and pressure-testing them with alternative options to see if they really deserve the spot they have secured in the hearts and minds of debaters.

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Topicality in the 2022 NCFCA Resolution by Logan Hickman

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Love it or hate it, this year’s resolution is one of the narrowest resolutions we’ve seen in a long time. Narrow resolutions make way to more topicality issues and more topicality arguments. Regardless of your position on when it is or isn’t appropriate to run topicality, it’ll likely happen a lot throughout the year, so let’s examine the topicality scene as it regards cases…

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Why Should Debate Be Part of Your Homeschool Curriculum by: Amy Eichholz

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Amy Eichholz is part of the Lasting Impact! Teaching Team. She has graduated two sons and is teaching two daughters, still at home. Her journey in Speech and Debate started over a decade ago. She began as a novice parent, and is now preparing for her sixth year teaching Novice/Beginning Debate for the largest Homeschool Speech and Debate Club in Wisconsin. She is eager to see the transformation of another group of young students, both in person and online! Prior to homeschooling Amy taught fifth through twelfth grade. She will be teaching Debate Readiness for Lasting Impact! in the fall for ages 10-14. Sign up NOW or read her thoughts on why debate should be a part of your curriculum…

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