Impromptu Children's Literature
This fun and fast fling event requires no prep and challenges the speaker to bring a short, Children's Literature story to life. Each story is estimated to be between 3-4 minutes long and students are encouraged to be creative and use their interpretation skills after only a brief practice period.
Impromptu Children's Literature is a "fling" category that is not offered in every tournament. If a tournament will be offering Impromptu Children's Literature, it will be announced in the invitation.
Impromptu Children's Literature: In this solo event a student will pull 3 short stories (between 350 and 500 words long) and quickly decide which they would like to perform. The timer begins when they make their selection. They then prepare and practice aloud to a wall while making decisions on voices, pops, gestures and tone while a judge provides audible, verbal time signals. Note: Students are not judged during practice. Once the performer is ready, they will present the piece utilizing appropriate skills to bring the story to life, using no props or costumes. Students should strive to bring the material to life in a natural, realistic and believable way. Students are required to read the title and author of the work when they begin. Judges should switch to visual time signals once the student has begun to perform.
Time limit: 7 minutes with a 30-second grace period, including prep time, divided at the student's discretion.
Judges must provide verbal and visual time signals.
Students who speak beyond the time limit plus the grace period may not be ranked 1st.
Here are the five core skills that a judge would consider when evaluating this event at a tournament.
ENGAGING NARRATION: creates interest and holds your attention. Invites you with their eyes to listen to their performance.
VOCAL VARIATION: effectively varies volume, pitch, speaking rate, tone, pauses, emphasis and mood.
PHYSICAL VARIETY: uses and varies facial expressions, gestures, and body language to enhance their performance.
FOCAL POINTS (if applicable): creates consistent and clear focal points that successfully create the illusion of the characters talking to each other (not to the audience).
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS (if applicable): uses body, voices and gestures to create different, believable characters.
This fun and fast fling event requires no prep and challenges the speaker to bring a short, Children's Literature story to life. Each story is estimated to be between 3-4 minutes long and students are encouraged to be creative and use their interpretation skills after only a brief practice period.
Impromptu Children's Literature is a "fling" category that is not offered in every tournament. If a tournament will be offering Impromptu Children's Literature, it will be announced in the invitation.
Impromptu Children's Literature: In this solo event a student will pull 3 short stories (between 350 and 500 words long) and quickly decide which they would like to perform. The timer begins when they make their selection. They then prepare and practice aloud to a wall while making decisions on voices, pops, gestures and tone while a judge provides audible, verbal time signals. Note: Students are not judged during practice. Once the performer is ready, they will present the piece utilizing appropriate skills to bring the story to life, using no props or costumes. Students should strive to bring the material to life in a natural, realistic and believable way. Students are required to read the title and author of the work when they begin. Judges should switch to visual time signals once the student has begun to perform.
Time limit: 7 minutes with a 30-second grace period, including prep time, divided at the student's discretion.
Judges must provide verbal and visual time signals.
Students who speak beyond the time limit plus the grace period may not be ranked 1st.
Here are the five core skills that a judge would consider when evaluating this event at a tournament.
ENGAGING NARRATION: creates interest and holds your attention. Invites you with their eyes to listen to their performance.
VOCAL VARIATION: effectively varies volume, pitch, speaking rate, tone, pauses, emphasis and mood.
PHYSICAL VARIETY: uses and varies facial expressions, gestures, and body language to enhance their performance.
FOCAL POINTS (if applicable): creates consistent and clear focal points that successfully create the illusion of the characters talking to each other (not to the audience).
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS (if applicable): uses body, voices and gestures to create different, believable characters.