Informative Speaking is a 10-minute presentation written and performed by the student. Informative requires students to balance that content with delivery and style. Students in Informative must be articulate, engaging, and smooth with their delivery at both a vocal and physical level. The purpose of the event is to inform and educate the audience on a topic of significance. Students may or may not employ the use of visual aids in the performance.
Extemporaneous Speaking includes International, United States, and Mixed Extemp, with prompts differing from one type to another. A student’s understanding of important political, economic, and cultural issues is assessed along with critical thinking and analytical skills. Students report to a draw room where they set out their files and await their turn to draw current event based topics. Students may access research brought with them during the 30-minute preparation period. Some tournaments, including the NSDA Nationals, permit the use of the internet to research. When time is up, the student reports to the competition room to deliver a 7 minute speech
Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven minutes (with a 30 second grace period) to select a topic, brainstorm their ideas, outline and deliver a speech. The speech is given without notes and uses an introduction, body, and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or serious. It can be based upon prompts that range from nursery rhymes, current events, celebrities, organizations, and more.
Original Oratory is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform or persuade the audience. Oratory gives students an opportunity to showcase their voice and passion for their topic. An Oratory is a well researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, emotional appeals, and sometimes humor to convey a message. Topics may be of a value orientation and affect people at a personal level or they can be more of a policy orientation and ask an audience to enact particular policies or solve societal problems.
See this link for more information.
Interpretation events include Poetry/Prose, Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Duo Interp, and Program Oral Interp. These speeches are adapted from literature and then delivered/acted out by the speaker. They are up to 10 minutes in length. Each interpretation event is different with its own unique characteristics, so see this link for additional information. The example on the left is a dramatic interpretation, but remember that there are multiple catagories.
Declamation is a public speaking event where students deliver a portion of a speech previously delivered in public. Speeches are up to 10 minutes in length. As a result, students typically shorten the text of the speech to meet time requirements. The goal of a declamation is to convey a message with clarity, emotion, and persuasiveness. Speakers are to develop an oration that delivers the message of the author in an original and engaging manner. This event is only open to 9th and 10th grade students.
Click Here for the NSDA Declamation Starter Kit!
This event is only offered at NJSDL festivals and national competitions as a supplemental event. It is also offered at the NSDA Springboard Scrimmages!
Click Here for the NSDA Original Spoken Word Starter Kit!