For Parents
Advocacy
You may be asking yourself, “Why Speech and Debate?” or “What benefits will my student receive from participation in this activity?” These are valid questions. Below you will find a brief listing of articles that outline the benefits of participation in competitive forensics. As you can see, the benefits are broad, ranging from educational to emotional. A large body of research exists supporting these claims.
Through participation in Speech & Debate, your student will learn critical thinking, communication skills, advanced research methods, problem solving techniques,and time management, all while exploring a vast array topics from government to philosophy. Don’t take our word on it, though – listen to the experts! If you need more support, feel free to visit the advocacy page of the National Speech & Debate Association, where the below articles, and many more, can be found.
Competitive Forensics and Standardized Test Scores — This research documents the connection between forensics participation and quantifiable gains in writing and literacy.
Forensics and College Admissions — Yale University professor Minh A. Luong presents data which support the importance of forensics in the college admission and scholarship awarding processes.
The Benefits of Forensics to Community, Parents and Society — This piece discusses the importance of forensics on a broad level, covering such topics as emotional maturity, community engagement, political participation, productivity, and quality of life.
If those aren’t enough, you can read many more articles about the value of debate HERE.
Judging Speech
judging speech interpretation or presentational events requires a specific approach. In these events, speakers typically craft and deliver original pieces on topics of their choice. There are several aspects to look out for, like the speaker’s delivery, body language, and eye contact, as these elements contribute to effective communication. Then, evaluate their interpretation of the material, and the organization of their speech, noting if it follows a logical flow. Finally, provide constructive feedback and assign scores that reflect the speaker’s overall performance. In these events, it’s important to appreciate the speaker’s ability to engage the audience and convey their message persuasively or creatively.
Judging debate
Students in Public Forum debate in teams of two about a topic that changes every month. They are assigned sides randomly by a coin toss or by the Tabroom. They typically structure their arguments in contentions supported with properly cited evidence. They engage in a “crossfire” period of questioning to further develop their argumentation. As a judge, you will listen and take notes and vote for the team who does the best job debating. Public Forum is a debate event specifically developed to promote communication with an engaged member of the community on a current topic affecting society. As a judge, you will choose a winner and assign speaker points.
Several things to keep in mind
There are several things to keep in mind when you judge a public forum debate round.
First and foremost
The team that wins should be the team that persuaded you more that their side of the resolution is correct. This can happen in many ways -- you might like their case better, you might think they gave an excellent final focus, or you might be overall more persuaded by their speaking style.
Secondly
A judge should do their best to keep an accurate “flow” of the round. Debaters and judges have a particular way of flowing, so if you’re new to the practice, the best option is to take notes on each speech in different columns on your flow. Ideally, the column of a speech will be adjacent to the column for the following speech so that you can directly compare what was said and unsaid from speech to speech.
Thirdly
Judges must limit their intervention in the round. One should make the decision based on who brought up the best material in the context of the round. Any and all biases you have towards the resolution should be left at the door when judging a PF round.
Fourth and finally
The judge should write their reason for the decision on the ballot. Ideally, the judge will also give a verbal explanation of their decision as well as areas of improvement to the students in the debate round.
Practice makes perfect
Overall, judging is difficult! You may be unsure which side won the round. The old saying applies: “Practice makes perfect.” The more rounds you judge, the more you will understand the ins and outs of this activity. Pay attention and do your best — the rest will sort itself out.
Sample Ballot: https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Sample-Public-Forum-Debate-Ballot-Comments.pdf
Speaker Points Reference: http://www.jimmenick.com/bump/speaks.pdf
General Training website: https://sites.google.com/view/judge-training/how-to-judge-debate/pf-debate
