PUBLIC SPEAKING

Purpose

• This competition is intended as an introduction to public speaking for members.
• It will help them acquire both the confidence and skills to speak in public.
• It also encourages research on topics of general interest and public concern.

Team Size

Teams must consist of three members, i.e. a Chairperson and two speakers.

Entries

Counties and regions can enter one team to the national rounds of the competition.

Eligibility

Team members must be 17 years of age or over and under 35 years on September 1st, 2020.

All members of a county’s winning/representative team can enter the following year's national competition

National winners of Impromptu Public Speaking, Public Speaking, Debating and Impromptu Debating are ineligible to compete.

Format

The chairperson will open and close the presentation during which each speaker will deliver a speech. When all speeches are completed, an independent questioner will ask them questions through the team chairperson. The judges may indicate who is to answer the question. The judges themselves are allowed to ask one question. The time taken to ask questions is not included in the time allocated for answering the questions. Props being used by teams during their presentation can only be operated by a member of the team.

Subjects

Each team may select their own subject up to and including the county final. From inter-county rounds to national final, teams will have a choice of two topics emailed to them 10 working days in advance of the competition. Teams must indicate their choice of topic by a given date prior to the competition. This is to facilitate judges’ preparation for the competition.

Time

Time allowed for each team to make their presentation is 15 minutes. A bell will ring at 13 minutes to indicate two minutes left. Should it be necessary to ring the bell at 15 minutes, teams will automatically lose marks at the rate of five marks per minute or part thereof. Teams will be allowed eight minutes for answering questions and summing up. A bell will ring at five minutes to indicate three minutes remaining for answering and summing up. Should it be necessary to ring the bell at the end of this time, teams will lose marks at the rate of five marks per minute or part thereof.

Presentation

The purpose of this competition is to promote public speaking, not public reading. While notes and charts are not forbidden, they are not encouraged.

Judges

There will be three judges who will sit out of communication with each other during the competition.

Marking System

Chairperson:

Effectiveness in communication……….50

Knowledge of subject.................. …....25

Method of chairperson………………….25

Total............................................ …..100

Each Speaker:

Effectiveness in communication……....25

Ability to form and support opinions…..25

Knowledge of subject.................. …...25

Answers to questions.................. .......25

Total............................................ ….100

 Results

The aggregate placing system will determine the winner. If there is a tie, the team with the most ‘firsts’ will be the winner. If there is still a tie, the total marks will determine the winner. A Best Speaker prize is awarded at each national round. The host county is responsible for the individual prizes for this competition.

Closing Date

The closing date for entries to National Office is Wednesday, October 21^st, 2020.