AIDPSC Impromptu Speaking

 

Overview

Impromptu speaking requires you to speak in a fluent, intelligent and organised manner about a topic with minimal preparation.

The speaker will choose a piece of paper which will have a choice of three words, phrases, topics or superlatives. The speaker must choose one of the three and then has up to two minutes to prepare.These two minutes begin when the speaker reads their topics. Notes may be written during this time; however, these notes cannot be used during the speech.

The speaker will then need to speak for between three and five minutes on their chosen topic. The speaker may have the piece of paper with the topics in their hand, if he or she so chooses.  The topic will be announced at the end of the speech. The topic should also be clearly stated during the speech (usually near the beginning of the speech, although it is acceptable to leave the reveal until later, as long as there is a clear, relevant focus and the delayed reveal of the topic enhances the structure of the speech).

Speakers may speak in favour, against, in favour and against, or simply about the topic.  Speakers may take a humorous approach, a serious one, or some combination of the two.  Wit, humour, logic, philosophy and sentiment are all equally welcome.  Judges will be looking for agility of thought, for substance, for organizational ability, and, above all, for the ability of each speaker to communicate with style and originality.

 

 

Speaking Times

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

  • Preparation time begins as soon as the speaker looks at their prompts.
  • The speaker will be allowed a pen and paper to make notes during this time. However, no notes can be taken up with them when they speak.
  • A bell will sound at 2 minutes. Preparation must cease at this time and the speaker must begin their speech.

Speaking Time: 3 to 5 minutes

  • The speaker may take up the impromptu topic card up with them.
  • The speaker cannot take up any other notes or use any other props.
  • A single bell will sound at 3 minutes.
  • A double bell will sound at 5 minutes.
  • Any speech outside of a 15 seconds grace period (i.e. any speech that is 2 minutes 44 seconds or below, or 5 minutes 16 seconds or above) will incur score penalties.

 

 

Scoring

Judges are not looking for a word perfect speech. They are looking for a logical, engaging and well structured response that is delivered confidently and fluently. In the making of this decision, speakers are marked on the following criteria:

  • Adherence to Topic: What the topic clearly stated in the speech and was it followed throughout the speech?
  • Organisation: Was there an introduction, a clear sequence of ideas, effective signposting and a conclusion?
  • Appeal to Audience: Was the speech appropriately targeted at the audience and was it engaging?
  • Aptness of Supporting Material: Were examples, anecdotes and/or evidence used and were they appropriately linked to the topic?
  • Delivery: Was the speech delivered in a fluent and engaging manner?

You can find judging criteria in the following document: Impromptu Speaking Ballot

 

 

Examples of Impromptu Topics

In an impromptu speech, you will be given a choice between three or four prompts. These prompts can include:

  • A Quote (e.g. “Memory is the mother of all wisdom.” Aristotle.)
  • A Phrase (e.g. Waste not want not.)
  • A Word (e.g. Trivial.)
  • A Superlative (e.g. The worst job.)

You will need to pick ONE of these prompts as the focus of your speech. It is important that you choose both quickly and carefully, as you will need most of your two minutes to prepare your speech.

Be careful in your choice of either the quote, phrase, word or superlative, as each requires a slightly different approach:

  • Quote: Make sure that you address all aspects of the quote. If you only discuss the first or second half, you will not have adhered to the topic.
  • Phrase: Make sure that you understand what the phrase means. If you misinterpret the meaning of the phrase, you will not have adhered to the topic. However, it can be acceptable to offer a original or unique interpretation of what the words should mean.
  • Word: Make sure that you know what the word means, as a misinterpretation will severely hurt your mark. A word is often the broadest of the three topics, so you will need to pay close attention to your organisation and have a clear conclusion planned before you speak.
  • Superlative: These are only rarely used. Remember that you are going to be judged against the same criteria as any other choice of prompt, so avoid simplistic storytelling. Always have a clear structure and conclusion (usually a lesson or moral) that you can build to.

You can find examples of impromptu topics in the below documents. Only open them when you are ready to practice:

Sets of impromptu topics can be found in the documents below (each document has 10 sets of topics). Turn to a new page only when you are ready for a practice topic:

Copies of the topics from the 2014 AIDPSC Preliminary Rounds and Finals can be found in the following documents. Use them for practice. Each document has 10 sets of topics. Turn to a new page only when you are ready for a practice topic:

 

 

 

Examples of Approaches to Structure

Structure is one of the most important aspects of an impromptu speech. There is no one correct approach, but you may find some of the following structures to be a useful way of organising your ideas. Having an set of practiced structures that you are familiar with will allow you to use your preparation time much more effectively.

Often a three-step structure works best. Examples of potential structures include:

  • What, Why, How: Turn the prompt into 3 questions, which you then answer in turn; for example “What does … mean?”, “Why is … important?” and “How can we achieve … ?”
  • Individual, National, Global: Look at the prompt from three different levels in order to discuss its different effects; e.g. at an individual level, at a national level and at a global level.
  • Problem, Cause, Solution: If the prompt ties in with a problem of some sort, you can discuss it by using a 3 step structure: firstly, identify what the problem is; secondly, identify what is causing the problem; finally, discuss a possible solution that addresses this cause.
  • Past, Present, Future: Take the prompt and look at how it has been used in the past, the role it has in the present, and the effect it could have in the future.
  • Social, Economic, Environmental (or Cultural, etc.): Discuss the effect that the prompt has from three different perspectives, such as the social impact, the economic impact and the environmental impact.

Other popular structures include:

  • Point, Reason, Example, Summary
  • Yes, Argument, No, Argument

You may find the following brief chapter from the book Speaking and Debating with Style useful, as it outlines three of the above structures: Speaking and Debating with Style, Chapter 14: Impromptu Speaking

Some other useful advice includes:

  • Always include an example in your speech. It can be a good idea to include two: one personal example, and one with a broader implication (e.g. at a communal, national or international level).
  • Stories tend to work best in the introduction to an impromptu speech, as it helps to set the scene and build a connection with the audience. Just don’t tell too many stories, as this can prevent a clear structure or message from occurring.
  • Build your general knowledge about history, current affairs, other cultures and the world around you. This will give you a lot of examples and stories to draw from, and will allow you to speak intelligently about a wide variety of topics.
  • Use part of your planning time to settle upon a conclusion that you will build to. It is important that you have a clear purpose to your speech (a single message that you want people to take away from your talk), and having a solid conclusion that you can then work back from will help you to achieve this.
  • Get lots of practice at choosing topics – this is often the most difficult part!

 

 

Examples of Impromptu Speeches