Speech Categories

13 official categories in Minnesota High School Speech Competitions.

Specific rules and descriptions online at

Public Address Events:

Discussion

Work through a task with a group and arrive at a consensus. (Think board meeting) 1 hour

Laptops and iPads may be used to gather information as long as internet is off.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Address a question about current events. Questions are drawn 30 minutes ahead of time. 7 Minutes

Great Speeches

Scripts are allowed.

Analyze the address of some famous person. Tell us why it is worth remembering. 8 Minutes

Informative

Scripts are allowed.

Inform us about something. Bird migration, magic tricks, the life of an egg, whatever floats your boat. 8 Minutes

Original Oratory

Scripts are allowed.

Persuade us to believe differently about something. 8 Minutes

Scoring

RANK: 1-4, 5, 5, 5 (1 is best)

PERCENT:

  • 100 Perfect!!
  • 99-98 WOW, a mistake or two but still knocked your sox off
  • 97-95 Very good, some mistakes but still performed well
  • 92-94 Fine, more mistakes did ok but room for improvement
  • 89-91 Poor, sounds more like reading than “interpreting” Definitely needs more work.

Interpretation Events:

Creative Expression

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret your own piece of writing.

Serious or funny. 8 Minutes

Dramatic Duo

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret a play cutting with a partner. No touching or direct eye contact except in intro.

Serious or funny. 8 Minutes

Dramatic Interpretation

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret a play cutting alone. Serious.

8 Minutes

Extemporaneous Reading

Interpret (by reading) prose or poetry.

Selections are drawn 30 minutes ahead of time.

6 Minutes

Humorous Interpretation

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret a play, prose, or poetry selection alone. Humorous in nature. 8 Minutes

Serious Poetry Interpretation

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret a single poem or a group of related poems. Serious in nature. 8 Minutes

Serious Prose Interpretation

Scripts are allowed.

Interpret a prose4 selection. (Cutting from a novel, short story, etc.)Serious in nature.

8 Minutes

Storytelling

Interpret a tall tale/folk tale from memory out of a selection of 15 stories. Selections are drawn 30 minutes ahead of time. 6 Minutes