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How to Train Your Dragon…er…Judges

Jennifer Baese

Natalie Sintek

Max Wojtanowicz

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jennbaese@gmail.com

Judge Training Materials

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Step 1: Separate Speech 101 Knowledge from Judging Knowledge

  • Importance of speech & public speaking
  • How tournaments work
    • Ranks
    • Critiques
    • Ballots
    • Breaks
    • Finals
  • Etiquette for students & spectators

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  • Categories and Genres
  • Time limits, double entry protocol, and how to give time signals
  • Useful versus non-useful comments
  • Where to go to receive or turn in a ballot

Speech 101

Judge Knowledge

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Step 2: Establish Judge Criteria

  • Knowledge of genres
  • Ability to assess content and delivery
  • Desire to communicate feedback effectively
  • Understanding of tournament and in-round protocol

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Knowledge of Genres

  • Creative Expression
  • Discussion
  • Dramatic Interp
  • Dramatic Duo
  • Extemp Reading
  • Extemp Speaking
  • Great Speeches
  • Humorous Interp
  • Informative Speaking
  • Impromptu
  • Original Oratory
  • Programmed Oral Interp
  • Poetry
  • Prose
  • Storytelling
  • Public Address

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  • Interpretation
  • Discussion

Categories

Genres

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Basics of Each Genres

Interpretation

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Public Address

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Discussion

Students will anecdotally explore a theme, moral, scenario, or idea

Students will research write and deliver a speech

Students will have a “meeting” to debate and/or solve a task

Skills Emphasized

Storytelling

Emotional and Thematic Literacy

Movement and Vocal Control

Skills Emphasized

Research

Evidence and Data Literacy

Argumentation

Writing

Presentation and Poise

Skills Emphasized

Research

Argumentation

Interpersonal Communication

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Criteria

Does the story make sense?

Are the characters easy to follow and discern?

Is there a point to the story?

Criteria

Does the student deliver the speech confidently and fluently?

Does the speech make sense and have research to support the main ideas?

Criteria

Did the group accomplish the task?

Were group members inclusive and productive, or competitive and dismissive?

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Ability to Assess Content & Delivery

  • Empower each judge to have an opinion

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    • Our activity should be accessible and inclusive to non-professional speechies. A judge should not have to be an expert to have a valid opinion.

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    • If a judge lacks experience in a category, but they understand the genre, then ask them to provide feedback on the content and the delivery of that content.

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Ability to Assess Content & Delivery

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  • Invite them to have conversations with coaches about rounds they have watched. The more they train or try to be analytical about what they liked or disliked, the stronger their feedback vocabulary will be.

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Desire to Communicate Feedback Effectively

  • Communicate the GOAL of a critique sheet: It’s not about filling the page, it’s about contributing to a student’s understanding of their performance and helping them understand WHY they got the rank they got.

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Desire to Communicate Feedback Effectively

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  • Teach judges how to fill out a critique
    • Take notes on separate paper if needed
    • Ask them to think about what is helpful for a student, versus what is just fluff or harsh
    • Always, always, always provide a reason for decision to contextualize the rank they give

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Tournament & In-Round Protocol

  • Develop a Judge’s Checklist for protocol and expectations:
    • What to Bring
    • What to Do
      • Before Tournament
      • During A Round
      • Between Rounds
      • After Prelims
      • After Finals
    • Who to Contact with Issues

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Step 3: Provide Practice & Feedback

  • Practice Opportunities
    • Students perform at Judge Training
    • YouTube speeches for students to learn and judges to practice critiquing
    • Practice or mock tournament judges - consider making part of judge certification

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Step 3: Provide practice & feedback

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  • Tournament attendees/shadows
    • shadow coaches
    • shadow experienced judges
    • attend with other parents

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Step 3: Provide practice & feedback

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  • Invite feedback
    • Invite other coaches to reach out with feedback about critiques they receive from your school and provide feedback (good or bad) to your judges
    • Ask your judges what additional materials they need to be successful

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Step 4: Give them a cheat sheet!

At the start of a tournament or season, provide a cheat sheet:

  • Basic rules or objective
    • Time limit
    • What genre each category is
    • Common things to look out for

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Example Cheat Sheet

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DESCRIPTION

GENRE

OBJECTIVE

ADDITIONAL JUDGING CRITERIA

EXTEMP READING

  • Draw event – 30 minutes prep.
  • Students can choose to read prose or poetry
  • They should give you the slip with the title on it
  • Time limit: 7 minutes

Limited Prep but it may be judges along similar paradigm as interpretation

To read selections with effective vocal and physical expression

  • Smooth delivery of language
  • Strong storytelling and audience engagement
  • Authenticity of emotion and character

DUO INTERPRETATION

  • Two students work together to tell a story or a scene
  • May be humorous or serious
  • Students may play single or multiple characters
  • Students may move around the performance space freely, but may not make direct body or eye contact
  • Time limit: 10 minutes

Interpretation

To convey emotion and environment through a variety of performance techniques focusing on the relationships and interactions between the characters

  • Teamwork and balanced performance between the partners (one doesn’t speak 2x as much as the other, etc.)
  • Strong interactions between characters

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Questions?

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