Extemporaneous Speaking

Learn to Win Extemporaneous Speaking and Debate Tournaments

Whether it's Table Topics at Toastmasters, or the state finals for your high school speech team, for serious speech and debate competititors, little rivals the challenge of the so-called "limited preparation" events.

Although over the years, additional forms of competition, such as commentary, evaluation, and impromptu speaking have joined Extemporaneous Speaking or "Extemp" in this category, the Extemp tournament is likely to include the top speakers at speech tournaments.

Unlike the dark ages when I competed in "Girls'" Extemp in Iowa, today's students compete against speakers of both genders in most tournaments.

Despite the categorization as "limited preparation" there are definitely ways to prepare for success in Extemp competition. This lens will point you in the right direction.

See an Extemp Example on YouTube

Note how the second speaker used the Titanic analogy as a theme to make his point. There are a number of "inside jokes" in this speech, such as the logic (or lack of) in the linkage and the references linking nuclear war to virtually every problem ever debated.

The Titanic analogy in this example could be considered "canned." The speaker relies more on engaging personality and funny turns of phrase than on actual facts in making his case.

Debate Showcase

An extemporaneous speech answering the question "What should be done about the United States' massive debt?"

3.2666667

Runtime: 547
3382 views
13 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Speech and Debate Learning Materials

The research and critical thinking skills developed by competing in speech and debate will serve students throughout life. Here are some ways to expand the practice of these skills after the tournament is over.

NewsHour Extra: The Presidential Debates -- Lesson Activity: THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES - LESSON ACTIVITY
By
Leah Clapman, NewsHour ExtraSubjects:Law, Government, CivicsTime:
This activity uses the National Forensics League (NFL) official debate ballot to score public debates. Great examples of what judges look for in awarding the win in a debate round.
CDEDebate.com - How Debate Got Them Where They Are: Examples of leaders who got their start in debate. CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
How to Write a Killer Extemp Introduction from forensicsonline.net: How to Write a Killer Extemp Introduction gives you the info you need to stop that "canned intro" temptation.
Extemp Tutorial from forensicsonline.net: This step by step approach to the extemp competition round is explained in detail. Remember, no wi-fi in the prep room, although qualifying printouts of articles retrieved Online can be included in your Extemp file.
IDEA: International Debate Education Association - Debate Resources & Debate Tools: The International Debate Education Association (IDEA) develops, organizes and promotes debate and debate-related activities in communities throughout the world. Established in 1999, IDEA acts as an independent membership organization of national debate clubs, debate associations, debate programs, and...
2006 Extemp Topics from Nationals: Wonder what the top extempers drew last year? Here are the topics. (By the way, the topics from the previous year's national tournament often reappear in rounds the next season...)
Extemporaneous Speaking - ForensicsWiki: Extemporaneous Speaking From ForensicsWiki
Extemporaneous speaking is perhaps the most challenging forensics event, and at its best it is informative, absorbing, and entertaining. Participants bring the school ?extemp boxes? to tournaments and update them in between competitions. These box
How to Debate a Point: How to Debate a Point

Extemp and Impromptu Speaking on Amazon

Championship Extemping

by: Mark Royce

Amazon Price: (as of 12/27/2009)

Think on Your Feet: The Art of Thinking and Speaking Under Pressure (Spectrum Book)

by: Kenneth Wydro

Amazon Price: $12.78 (as of 12/27/2009)

Your Public Speaking Workout

by: Dorothy Lynn, Jessica Selasky

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 12/27/2009)

Off the Cuff

by: Anne Cooper Ready

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 12/27/2009)

The Deliberative Democracy Handbook: Strategies for Effective Civic Engagement in the Twenty-First Century

Amazon Price: $30.25 (as of 12/27/2009)

Extemp Basics

CDEDebate.com - CDE Debate and Extemp: Q and A from the Extemp Forums on the CDE Debate and Extemp Site - CDE supplies Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
CDEDebate.com - CDE Debate and Extemp - Extemp Topic Downloads: Free Extemp Topics List from CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
CDEDebate.com - CDE Debate and Extemp -National Schedule Downloads: Comprehensive PDF format schedule for Extemp, Debate and other speech tournaments and events. CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
CDEDebate.com - Summer Extemp Camp: CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
CDEDebate.com - Why Judges Dislike Canned Intros in Extemp: CDEDebate.com - Why Judges Dislike Canned Intros in Extemp

CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.
CDEDebate.com - CDE Debate and Extemp: The importance and use of sources in creating winning extemp speeches from CDE Debate and Extemp - Books, Information, Articles, and more! Everything your debate team needs for success.

Extemp Gear on CafePress

Debate Links

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Timers and StopWatches

For practice or competition

Timing is everything. These tools will help whether you're in front of the mirror practicing, or in front of the judge at the big moment.

Taylor 818 Weekend Warrior Dual Event Timer and Clock

National Forensics League

National Forensics League Home: The National Forensic League, NFL, is the leading honor society and educational resource for teachers, students, administrators, and parents in the exciting field of speech and debate education. With over 2,700 member schools and 90,000 active student members...
National Forensic League: 2006-2007 District Chair Contacts
Tournament Dates
District Tournament Forms AND Manuals
District Chair Forms 2006
National Forensic League - Alumni page: Get a copy of your points report and stay in touch using this site if you are among the many NFL alumni.
National Forensic League Educational Handouts Extemporaneous: This section is a file share of resources for coaches nationwide

The NFL asks that all teachers consider contributing resource materials for this section. Click on an item below to utlize the resource.

The NFL is proud to host a pool of free educational resources from top speech and debate teachers, coaches, and administrators nationwide.

Handouts include: Rules, Information, Topics, Articles, and Worksheets.

Rankings, Results and Communities

forensicsonline.net: Coverage of Extemp in the Individual Events section of this Forensics competition portal.
forensicsonline.net: Top Ten Tournaments - Of course, NFL Nationals is #1.
BigSkyDebate,com Extemp Resource Page: Extemp Resources
Welcome to Big Sky Debate&'s collection of the best extemp resources available on the web. In the coming days and weeks, we will be adding site reviews, links, and more information.
At the moment, you can find extemp resources by selecting the geographic areas on the...
NAUDL | Home Page: Impact of Debate News 12/17/2006 UDL Debaters Make Impact with Influential African American Figures at Summit Book Review: Teaching Argumentation and Debate: An Educator's Activities Manual Urban Debate Educator Win

Other Speech and Debate Events

Lincoln-Douglas and Public Policy Debates

Typically, when a Debate Tournament includes Individual Events competion, some or all of these events will be part of the action.

A Look at Policy Debate - Associated Content: Associated Content
The National Forensics League has been around for nearly one-hundred years and has tens of thousands of competitors participating in debate events each weekend, many who are not "in the know" believe that debate is very little more than...
National Forensic League: Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas Debate Resolution Current Topics
2007 January/February Lincoln Financial Group/NFL L/D Debate Topic
Resolved: The actions of corporate..

Debate Gear on CafePress

More on Winning Tournaments from Amazom

The Onion, Daily

A potential source for un-canned intro material...

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Second Deadly Monster Truck Accident

Out of School? Check Out Toastmasters International

Welcome to Toastmasters International where we are"Making Effective Communication a Worldwide Reality": Toastmasters helps people of all ages become more comfortable speaking in public. Many workplaces actually have their own Toastmasters Clubs.

To become certified as a Competent ToastMaster (CTM) members complete ten speeches of different types. Extemporaneous competition is held every other year in the Toastmasters Organization.