Sometimes, competitors are disappointed when they learn that the After Dinner category isn’t exactly the same thing as a stand up comedy routine. ADS is more than just a string of jokes, not in the least because most speech and debate leagues have a section on their ADS ballots for something like “merit,” “message,” or “impact.” Competitors often chafe at the fact that they’re being restricted in this way. After all, the only reason anyone wants to compete in ADS is because they want to be FUNNY! Leave the serious stuff for the persuasives! Right? These aren’t just empty complaints either – I’ve talked to many competitors who feel strongly that shoehorning a message into a speech where it doesn’t belong is little more than judge pandering.
Lasting Impact! has a great new resource for speech coaches and parents looking to simplify their lesson planning process. The Grab-and-Go Speech Guide has articles, lesson plans, and handouts designed to simplify the preparation process for new coaches and parents who might be intimidated by the idea of teaching public speaking for the first time or even more experienced teachers who just don’t have the time to spend hours preparing a lesson plan each week.
In this guide, Heather Neumann has compiled a collection of her own lessons that she uses when she teaches clubs and camps, and she loves that she can share the insights that the Lord has given her over many years of working with students with the coaches and parents who make everything happen.
As a sneak preview, we thought we’d share some of the team’s favorite lessons from the Grab-and-Go Guide!
Heather loves the lesson on the I-test. The I-test helps students create connection with their audience. This is one of Heather’s favorite lessons because it speaks directly to the vision of Lasting Impact! which is to equip students to be lifelong communicators whose impact goes beyond the competition room. Giving students the tools to evaluate their speech in terms of the connection that it will create is the goal of this lesson. Students learn how to Inform, Interest, Impact, and Inspire with the I-test lesson. Incorporating these elements into a speech is a huge part of becoming a successful communicator!
Katie loves the lesson on cutting interps. This lesson tackles a topic that many students struggle with, especially because it can be extremely intimidating to pick up a full length novel for the first time and realize that you have to condense it down to a nine and a half minute speech! Ah! This lesson is Katie’s favorite because it gives students practical tips and guidelines that simplify the cutting process into something that students feel equipped to accomplish.
Another feature in this guide that our whole team loves are the parent and coach resources in the back of the book. Our Writing a Ballot handout is an amazing resource for new parents who want to give helpful, constructive feedback to their kids but don’t feel like they have anything useful to contribute. Every parent is a potential judge, and students need feedback from many different perspectives in order to succeed. This handout is perfect for giving parents the confidence to give feedback that students can use to become better communicators.
Whether you are a speech and debate club leader, or a parent, this is a resource you must have for your toolbox! We know you don’t have time to create plans or figure out what assignments will make the most out of your limited time. Why not go straight to the ultimate source and use her ideas? Heather Neumann teaches Public Speaking, Speech Clubs and Camps, and Coaches students all year round in the art of communication. This is what she does! Do you want to know how she does it? Heather is sharing the tips and tricks she has learned in this very simple guide to help provide you with the direction you need. The Lasting Impact! Team has created this simple Grab and Go Guide to help you and your students feel equipped for competition, and most importantly the art of communication.
Packet includes over 25 worksheets/handouts…
Making a Plan
Choosing a Platform
Picking an Interp
Citations
Introductions
Hooking Your Audience
Making Public Speaking EC (Easy)
Memorization
Character Analysis
And more!
Great for club leaders, parents, co-ops, and more!
Please note, this product allows you to print one copy of the Lesson booklet and one copy of the Handouts and Worksheets booklet. Check out the Speech Grab and Go… HERE
Whether you are a speech and debate club leader, or a parent, this is a resource you must have for your toolbox! We know you don’t have time to create plans or figure out what assignments will make the most out of your limited time. Why not go straight to the ultimate source and use her ideas? Heather Neumann teaches Public Speaking, Speech Clubs and Camps, and Coaches students all year round in the art of communication. This is what she does! Do you want to know how she does it? Heather is sharing the tips and tricks she has learned in this very simple guide to help provide you with the direction you need. The Lasting Impact! Team has created this simple Grab and Go Guide to help you and your students feel equipped for competition, and most importantly the art of communication.
Packet includes over 25 worksheets/handouts…
Making a Plan
Choosing a Platform
Picking an Interp
Citations
Introductions
Hooking Your Audience
Making Public Speaking EC (Easy)
Memorization
Character Analysis
And more!
Great for club leaders, parents, co-ops, and more! Purchase the set and then a license for how many students you have in club (families can make personal copies). Go to purchase this amazing product or check out the other awesome resources in the SHOP – https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/books/
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…
This summer I was invited to be a part of something epic! I love collaborating with like-minded organizations. If you have never heard of DFW Speech and Debate, let me introduce you to James Russell, the director, and the vision for this new, awesome speech and debate curriculum…
Why participate in speech & debate? The thought of those two little words or actually participating in the activity can send chills up your bones, resulting in cold feet!
When I was in high school, there was one activity I craved to do more than any other. Compete in speech and debate. It gave me an indescribable feeling that burst inside of me when 300 speech competitors clapped when my name was called. The feeling was a combination of humility, pride, and relief. The clap of 300 competitors was a signal that meant the gutwrenching, nerve-racking speeches I gave five times a day paid off and would walk across the stage to receive a reward or better, advance my speech to the national championship.
They say a huge fear in the human population is not dying, it’s public speaking. Yet it is one of the most necessary and valuable skills in life today. Public communication is used in practically every facet of life in almost every profession. Whether you need to communicate with customers, bosses, or employees, the skills of public speaking are used. The desire to speak competitively in front of judges is not a normal feeling to crave, but I and hundreds… thousands of other competitors did because we knew it would benefit us long after the feeling of winning a competition fleeted away.
I wanted the Lasting Impact! Community to know that my very dear friend, Karen Gill has created a fantastic resource for helping your elementary students learn communication skills. Like I said last week in my post about creating a Junior Program at Club, starting early will help give your kids priceless tools for their future….
Humor happens in that luminous moment when two things don’t seem to be related at all, but then they come together in a way so unexpected that we laugh…or at least feel the delight of it. It’s an insight that bubbles out: we feel joy when we see the connection or “get it.” That joy often comes out as laughter – delight escaping after the mental activity of making the connection.
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We are thrilled to be adding MORE opportunities for students to engage in Speech and Debate! Classes/Clubs are posted in the link below. Space will be limited – so be sure to sign up early!
Are you located where there is no local Speech Club? Join Online Speech. Do you want to get started for the first time in Lincoln Douglas Debate? We have Online LD. Are you short of time and looking for support in Team Policy? Our TP group will be for you!
And this is just the start- we will have Online Apologetics and Extemporaneous again this year (links up soon)!
Lasting Impact! strives to give you the most opportunities in your journey with Speech and Debate. You want to take advantage of our Online Classes/Clubs! Our coaches are amazing! They have proven track records, making delving into Speech and Debate fun and engaging. Our Online Community allows students to get to know other kids from around the country. These classes/clubs are not a lecture type class, all students learn, grow, and participate… making connections for a lifetime!
Our classes are run on an online meeting forum called Zoom. It’s a quick download on to your computer. Classes are recorded, therefore, even if you can’t be there- you won’t miss a thing.
Want to be sure you are up to date on everything Lasting Impact! has to offer?! Make sure you are “subscribed” to our articles- so they go directly into your email in box. The subscribe box is on the right hand side of the home page.
This year, the ballot (at least in the NCFCA) has a specific category designated for the “impact” of the speech. I’ve actually had several parents ask about that section, and many students are also scrambling to figure out the magic formula that makes an impact. So, here are my thoughts on how you can do that in your speech as well as what you can watch for as a judge.
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ALL Speech events, even Debate need facial expressions!! I will repeat- facial expressions are important! Whether it's a platform, interpretive, or limited prep speech event OR debate your facial expression will set the mood. Are you happy, concerned, urgent, angry, sad, etc.? Your facial expression is pivotal!
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