Speech Contest Training

District 3 Toastmasters

Madalyn Lockhart

Lisa Corwin

Fall 2013

Agenda

Contest Chair TrainingContest Management TrainingChief Judge TrainingJudges Training

Types of Contests

Fall 2014 Humorous Table Topics

Contest Overview

Participants: Contest Chair Contest Manager Chief Judge Contestants Judges Tiebreaking Judge Timers Counters SAA

Purpose:

Speech contests are an important part of the Toastmasters educational program. They provide an opportunity for Toastmasters to gain speaking experience, as well as an opportunity for other Toastmasters to learn by observing proficient speakers.

Speech Contest: Contest Chair

District 3 Toastmasters

Madalyn Lockhart

Contest Chair by level

Build Your Team

Contest ChairContest ManagerChief Judge

Facilities Committee Hospitality Committee Advertising Committee

Role Fulfillment

Contest Manager Recruits Functionaries Provides equipment Organizes Sub

Committees Promotes contest Provides certificates

Chief Judge Recruits Judges &

Timers Briefs Judges Oversee ballot

counting Provide winner slate to

Contest Chair

Contest ChairBudgetLocation & LogisticsPromotionTimed AgendaContestant Eligibility

FacilitiesMultiple contests held at a single facility

over several hours on the same dayWhat can be shared Facility costs Refreshments Some functionaries◦ Hospitality◦ Sgt at Arms◦ Ballot Counters◦ Timers

What can NOT be shared Contest Chair Contest Manager Chief Judge It is recommended Judges

panel must be substantially different for each contest held

Before Contest: Facility Confirm date and location Special Considerations

Are there costs? Do you need access permissions? Are videos/photography allowed?

Agenda Set times for the contestant and judges briefings Recommendation: Briefing minimum 30 minutes

before contest start

Use of Video Equipment

Contestants that wish to be Video Taped All Contestants must give permissions (in

writing) Contest Chair must make an announcement

that a speech will be video taped. Ensure there is approval from the facility if

required.

Contestant EligibilityFor any contest:

Be a member in good standing of the club/area/division/district in which they are competing (this must be verified thru WHQ)

The club must be in good standing (minimum of 8 members must be paid and maintain that standing through the level of competition)

Timed Agenda

Setup Briefings Pledge & Invocation Introduction of

Dignitaries Audience Briefing /

Housekeeping

Running the Contest Contestant Interviews

& Participation Certificates

Presentation of Awards

Cleanup

Contestants Briefing Collect Forms From Contestants

Profile Eligibility

Draw for Speaking Order Determine any Special Requirements

Props for Speech must be setup by Contestant or someone Contestant enlists, not the responsibility of the Contest Chair or any other contest official

Define Speaking Area No contestant can be a Judge at any Area level or above

and still compete.

Contestants Briefing, Cont. “Substantially original” Rules Requirement Contestant Introduction Protocol Contest Timing Requirements

Timing of Green/Yellow/Red Lights When timing starts and stops Minimum and maximum time allowances

• Please emphasize they MUST make time without going over or they will be disqualified.

Review Protest Procedures

Audience Briefing

Contest Chair: “Chief Judge, are we ready for a contest?”

Chief Judge: “Contest Chair, we are ready.”

And the Winner Is…….

Area Contest Second Place First Place

If only two contestants in the contest, announce the first place winner first.

Division Contest Third Place Second Place First Place

Note: Do not use 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place certificates from contest kit

Speech Contest: Contest Management

District 3 Toastmasters

Madalyn Lockhart

Contest Manager (Toastmaster)

LogisticsFunctionariesRefreshmentsBudget ExpendituresContestant Eligibility

& Profile Sheets

Functionaries

Timers Ballot Counters Sgt. At Arms Pledge/Invocation Refreshments Committee Optional:

Registrar/Sign-In Person Photographer

Certificates & Awards Committee Participant certificates Appreciation certificates for

major roles

Facilities Committee Setup of room, tables, food Clean up, leave things better

than you started

Functionaries, (Cont.)

Timers Two required for each contest

Ballot counters Three required for each contest

Registration Table Minimum one person

Sergeants at Arms Number will depend on facility and type of contest

Checklist Tracker

Promotion of Contests

Be CreativeStart EarlyDistribute fliers to neighboring clubs and

community centersPost online in local event calendars

Things to Prepare Certificates Contest Program

Do not put club name with contestant names or education level

Do not include the judges in the program

Dignitaries List Sign-In Sheets – optional Forms

Blank Forms, Index Cards, Envelopes

Things to Pack

Stopwatches (2)Timing Lights Backup Timing CardsGavelBackup FormsExtension Cord

The Day of…

Check in with all sub-committee leadersConfirm all major functionariesArrive earlyTrust your team (the art of delegation)Keep smiling

Contest Manager’s Toolkit

Contest Checklist Contest Planner Timed Agenda Donation Letter 2014 Speech Contest Rulebook Sample Flyers & Programs Participation & Award Certificate Templates -

(only at club level)

Contest Resources D3 Website Dignitary Sign-in List Timed Agenda Sign-In Sheet for contests Contest Kits Certificate of Appreciation District 3 Chief Judge Report Sample of Area and Division Programs Contest Checklist (Contest Chair & Chief Judge)

Speech Contest: Chief Judge

District 3 Toastmasters

Lisa Corwin

Chief Judge Duties Confirm contestants eligibility [ask contest chair

if all contestants are eligible to compete] Recruit Voting Judges and a Tiebreaker Judge

Contest Chair may assist in recruiting Minimum 5 at Club and Area Minimum 7 at Division and District

****Never turn down a judge****

Brief contest functionaries

Judges Eligibility No Area or Division chief judge, voting

judges, or tiebreaking judge shall be a member of any club in which a contestant is a member

If a member is still competing or intends to compete at the club level, they are ineligible to be a chief judge, voting judges, or tiebreaking judge in the same contest type

Recruiting Voting/Tiebreaking Judges

At Area/Div./District contests, voting judges and the tiebreaking judge must be Toastmasters: Good standing for a minimum of six months Completed at least six Competent

Communicator projects. Only the chief judge knows the name of the

tiebreaking judge (tiebreaking judge does not attend the judges’ briefing)

Recruitment of Contest Functionaries Timers

Two required for each contest

Ballot counters Three required for each contest

Sergeants at Arms Number will depend on facility and type of contest

Recruiting functionaries is a shared responsibility. The Contest Chair, Contest Manager and Chief Judge are a

team who work to ensure they have all functionaries needed.

Contest Forms Speaker’s Certification of Eligibility and Originality

1 per contestant - retained by Chief Judge Speech Contestant Profile

1 per contestant - retained by Contest Chair Counter’s Tally Sheet (x2) Speech Contest Time Record Sheet (x2) Voting Judge’s guide and ballot (1 per judge) Judge’s Certification of Eligibility & Code of Ethics Tiebreaking judge’s guide and ballot Notification of Contest Winner District 3 Chief Judge’s Report

Judges’ Briefing

Call voting judges and contest functionaries {ballot counters, SAAs, and timers} into the briefing room

District 3 Chief Judge’s Report – everyone signs Issue forms to contest functionaries Distribute voting judges packets

Tip: Include programs along with envelopes, pensa and judge ballots, and eligibility and code of ethics form in judges packets

Review [and collect] the signed Judge’s Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics form

Judges Briefing, cont. Ask voting judges to print and sign name on

ballot (If it is not legible it will be tossed out and not counted)

Verify the eligibility of each voting Judge [division and above]

“Are you in a club with any of the

speech contestants?” At Area level, this is a District 3 Rule. Get speaking order from Contest Chair

Read aloud the contestants names and verify spelling of names

Judges’ Briefing, cont.

Brief voting judges on the speaking area Judging guidelines

Judging is not evaluating Goal is to pick a winner Advise voting judges – “Judge all contestants” Do not consider timing lights

Confidentiality of Judging

Las Vegas Rule – Never discuss the results with anyone, this is includes fellow judges, contest functionaries, fellow toastmaster members, and/or contestants!

Don’t provide feedback to contestants Dispose of the top portion of the ballot away

from the contest venue

Protest Procedure Voting judges {and contestants} may protest on the basis

of originality Speakers can only quote, paraphrase, or reference

25% of their material All protests must be lodged with the chief judge or

contest chair before announcement of results Write “PROTEST” on the ballot If a protest is called, the chief judge will bring all voting

judges to the briefing area to discuss the protest and the contestant will be called to respond to the protest

A majority vote will decide the outcome of the protest

Timer’s Briefing Review the timing sequence for the contests When does timing begin?

First definite verbal or non-verbal communication (i.e. sound effects or physical actions)

If the device fails, speaker gets additional 30 seconds (notify Chief Judge)

If a contestants is disqualified for time – Note the disqualification on the timing sheet.

Counter’s Briefing

Explain/Review counting ballots procedure Ballots discarded if Incomplete, illegible, or unsigned 1st, 2nd and 3rd place contestants are not listed

Transparency – everyone checks the process Las Vegas Rule – What happens in the counting

room stay in the room. Never {under any circumstances} discuss anything that is said, or written (i.e. results) in the room with anyone!

Incorrect announcement

Chief Judge, ballot counters, or timers may “immediately interrupt [the winner’s announcement] to correct the error”

“Point of order – please stop the announcement of winners until the results are reviewed”

During Contest Respond to Contest Chair when asked if ready

for a contest: “Contest Chair, We are Ready.” Spot check timers – time one or two contestants

to ensure proper timing Assist timers with equipment malfunctions Personally collect tiebreaker judge’s ballot (Do

not collect the top portion of the ballot) Monitor ballot collection process Signal Contest Chair when all ballots have been

collected (it’s okay to ask IF all the ballots have been collect)

Determining Results Guide the counters through the process of

reading, recording, and verifying ballots results Use the Counter’s Tally Sheet Resolve any protests Tiebreaking Judge’s ballot is ONLY used to

break ties. List all speakers’ names on the Notification of

Winners form

Recording Results Award Winner, and 2nd Place at Area level Award Winner, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place at

Division level Record voting results

Quality Check – Double check math, names, and order of placement

Clearly marked Winner/2nd Place (Area) or Winner/2nd Place/3rd Place (Division)on index card and place in envelope – Give to Contest chair

Disqualifications Notify the contest chair of the disqualification

Basis on Originality / Timing

Announcement: “There has been a disqualification”

Instruct all contest functionaries to never discuss disqualification or contest results with anyone

Do not release the name of the disqualified contestant

Required Paperwork Deliver forms to the next contest level

Certificate of Eligibility & Originality Contestant Profile for each winner and

alternate Notification of Contest Winner (for each

contest) All contestants must be listed in rank order

Timer and counter tally sheets Judges eligibility and ethics forms

District 3 Chief Judge’s Report

Speech Contest: Judges Training

District 3 Toastmasters

Lisa Corwin

Eligibility to Judge Club level:

A member in good standing – paid dues Area & above:

A member in good standing for a minimum of six months Completed at least six Competent Communication

manual projects Judges Certification of Eligibility & Code of Ethics

Contestants may not act as voting judge, tiebreaking, or chief judge at any level of contest!

Judging vs. Evaluating

Evaluating = appraisal and advice

Judging = selecting a winner

Judges’ decisions are

confidential!

Good Judges Are…

Accurate

Fair

Trustworthy

Knowledgeable

Good listeners

JUDGES’ OBLIGATIONS Contestants are entitled to a truly professional

performance by each judge Biased or unfair judging creates animosity and

demeans the contest, the officials, and our leaders

The audience deserves a good speech contest As a Toastmaster, judges have made a personal

commitment to self-improvement that includes being dedicated to making the correct decision when judging a contest

Barriers to Objectivity

Speaker position – First or Last Speaker is Best

Champion the underdog

Halo effect

Reverse halo

Barriers to Objectivity (2)

Second time around & give someone else a chance

Club Norms

Personal prejudice & preference

Unfamiliar Judging forms

Judges Guide & Ballot Receive ballot and envelope at the briefing

Sign & print your name on the ballot Use suggested points as baseline

Weighted pluses and minuses All contestants judged with same scoring system

Identify 1st, 2nd and 3rd place contestants Tie Breaker Judge lists all contestants in placement order

After scoring, place ballot in envelope and give to ballot counter Tie Breaker Judge gives ballot envelope to Chief Judge

Judges Criteria On the judges form you will note there are maximum scores for

each category. It is recommended that you start with a mid-way amount, and then add weighted point pluses and minuses as each competitor presents. Here is an example”

(Show / Explain with example)

Judges Criteria InstructionsOn the judges form you will note there are maximum scores for each category. It is recommended that you start with a mid-way amount, and then add weighted point pluses and minuses as each competitor presents. Here is an example”“Contents” has three point categories”

Protests Originality

Substantially original Identify quoted material

• Max 25% quoted, paraphrased or referenced

Protest Write PROTEST on your ballot form

Judge’s Code of Ethics

Avoid bias in selecting winners

Do not time speeches or consider time when ranking contestants (1st, 2nd, & 3rd)

KNOW the contest rules

Never reveal judge scores or ranking

Additional Resources Lisa Corwin, DTM

judges@aztoastmasters.org

Madalyn Lockhart, CC, ALB contests@aztoastmasters.org

Jeff Morud, DTM lget@aztoastmasters.org

Contest Resources: http://aztoastmasters.org/district_leader/contests.html

Contestant Eligibility Verification speechcontests@toastmasters.org