Ruperts Land 2013

Balmoral Hall School would like to invite you to the annual Rupert's Land Debate and Public Speaking Tournament for Grade 10 to Grade 12 students, to be held Sunday, November 17th, 2013.

Each competitor must enter either the Persuasive Speaking or the Impromptu Speaking sections in the morning and the Parliamentary Debating section in the afternoon. The Debating will be coordinate impromptu style. This means that the competitors will have a different partner each round and they will not be from the same school. There will be awards for the top 3 individuals in each category, the top 3 individuals overall and the top 3 schools (combined scores of top 3 competitors from each school). The top 4 speakers will represent Manitoba at the National Public Speaking Tournament at SJR, and one alternate will be named as well. Overall individual scores will be the total of the 4 round scores completed by the individual.

We are also asking each school to bring one judge for every two competitors. Anyone who has graduated from high school is eligible to judge (no previous debate judging experience is necessary).

Registration for competitors and judges runs from 8:45 – 9:15. The schedule is attached below.

Please also note that we have asked for $8.50 per student to help cover the costs of snacks, juice, coffee and lunch. There is no cost to the judges and coaches, who help with the judging. Please indicate the number of judges and coaches that will be staying for the entire day. That would help me in determining numbers and costs for lunch. If you are writing a cheque, please make payable to: Balmoral Hall School. We will collect the money at the competitors’ desk.

Please find enclosed:

a) Registration Sheet

b) Guidelines for:

- Persuasive Speaking

- Impromptu Speaking

c) Agenda

Parliamentary Debating Rules: (please refer to MSDA website for parliamentary rules, speaking time is

6 minutes and 3 minutes)

In order to ensure your spot at this tournament, please register your students before Wednesday, November 6th. Please send: coach’s name, name of school, names of competitors with their categories of participation, # of judges staying for lunch.

There will be a maximum of 6 students per school. Please indicate if you would like to enter more students and I will do my best to accommodate you after November 6th.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Smith,

Coordinator, Speech & Debate

rsmith@balmoralhall.net

RULES OF PERSUASIVE SPEAKING

1. This speech is designed to persuade and must be on a serious topic, although this does not mean that humour and wit might not be useful at points in the speech.

2. A problem/solution approach must be taken, i.e. speakers must identify a problem (it need not be an earth-shattering one) and propose, or at least examine, one or more solutions to it.

3. Speeches should be prepared beforehand and should be from 7 to 13 minutes in length.

4. Notes are not recommended, but may be used if they do not interfere with delivery or the effectiveness of the speech. If notes are used, only both sides of a single 3 x 5 inch index card of notes are allowed.

5. There must be a persuasive element to the speech, although this may take a number of forms. For example, the persuasive aspect might be in convincing the audience that a problem does in fact exist, or in convincing them of the causes of the problem, or that the speaker's proposed solution will solve the problem.

6. There will be time penalty of 10 points for speeches under 7 minutes or over 13 minutes.

7. Salutation is optional.

RULES OF IMPROMPTU SPEAKING

1. Each speaker will draw three topics, which may be words, quotations, phrases, statements or some combination of the four. He/She then has two minutes to prepare, during which time he/she must decided which of the three he/she will speak on and to prepare his/her comments.

2. Competitors may sit or stand while preparing, but must remain in the room. Competitors may make notes, although these may not be used when speaking.

3. Competitors may speak in favour of the topic, against it or about it. They may interpret it, within reason. They must, however, deal with the topic that they have been given and not use a previously prepared speech on a barely related theme. Wit, humour, philosophy, sentiment or absurdity is equally welcome. Judges will be looking for agility of thought, for “meat on the bones”, for organizational ability and, above all, for the ability of each speaker to communicate with style and originality.

4. At the end of the speech, competitors must hand the topics back to the chairman.

5. Each competitor must speak for 3 to 5 minutes. There will be time penalty of 10 points for speeches under 2 minutes and 45 seconds or over 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

6. Salutation is optional.