speech

WHY DEBATE?

Participation in debate is a huge commitment, but benefits abound! Christy Shipe writes, “…Whatever the resolution, a student will almost certainly cover government, economics, political science, composition, research, public speaking, logic, rhetoric, current events, typing/word processing, computer skills, editing, and argumentation and debate theory…”

WHO MAY PARTICIPATE?

Check individual class and club listings at www.mache.org/mnhs&d for age/grade recommendations.  For debate competition, home educated students age 12-18 by January 1st of the current school year may participate.

HOW DOES A STUDENT BECOME INVOLVED? (7th- 9th)

Younger students (7th - 9th) who are not yet ready for debate can improve their speaking and reasoning skills in the following speech events:

Impromptu Speaking:

In a class, club, or competition students pick a topic and are given two minutes to...

“I’m wondering at what age I should begin teaching speech skills to my children. I have an 10-year old who loves to give presentations to anyone who will listen. Please let me know what you think I should do to help her grow in this area.”

“…I’m a homeschool mom not quite ready to teach speech to my nine-year old. When should I begin?“

The two comments above raise a frequently asked question in regard to teaching speech skills to children. These parents have different ideas of when that should take place…and that’s okay, but…

My reply to those posing this query typically is, “You already are teaching your child speech skills whether you realize it or not.” Let me explain.

The moment your child is born, they begin learning by watching your eyes and expression, and hearing the sounds and inflections made with your voice. You are doing them a favor by speaking clearly and slowly so that they mimic you correctly.

As the cooing and babbling change to real words, you can continue to help your child become a better speaker (formally or informally) in...

Most parents would love for their children to become effective speakers! This would be an important goal when we consider how Scripture calls us to speak out for the cause of Christ. Minnesota Homeschool Speech and Debate (MNHS&D) believes in that goal and desires to be supportive to parents and students alike. Because of the times in which we live, we particularly need to raise up the next generation of young people to stand firmly for the freedoms and issues that we face now and in the years to come! One area of opportunity to hone those skills is in the competitive realm. A specific question we hear frequently is, “How do I prepare my children for competitive speech and debate?” Good question! I’d like to address this issue based on my experience and study.

Who may participate in Competitive Speech?

Home educated students age 12 and up by January 1 of the current school year may participate in qualifying speech competitions.

Where does a family begin?

One of the first areas to consider is the type of speech a child is interested in presenting...

In Minnesota, competitive speech and debate at the local and state levels is made possible by parents from all over the state who volunteer their time during the season serving as teachers, coaches, judges, and tournament coordinators.  These individuals are motivated by the desire to see students grow to be effective communicators in all areas of life, but the ultimate desire is that students grow to be effective communicators for Christ.

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought answer every man.” Colossians 4:6

What do parents, coaches, and speakers say about competitive speech and debate?

“My friends and I laughed when I began competitive speech; I was the one who mumbled, panicked, and lost track during oral reports. God (in His) sovereignty led my mom to sign me up for a Speech Interpretation class.  I would never have believed that I would love it so much! Speech has been invaluable to me, I see how God has used it in my life.  I have...

Dear Friends,

August finds some families vacationing and others finishing up those last projects before beginning a new school  year. To help you look forward with enthusiasm to September, we encourage you to take some time now to put those final touches on planning, ordering curriculum, and mapping out your school year. As you go over your plans, let's zero in on English and talk about what constitutes a solid high school English course of study. We offer the following suggestions that can easily be tailored to your individual child and circumstance.

LITERATURE

The first component that comes to mind when thinking of English is literature. Before being able to fully enjoy good books, it's important to teach your child how to analyze them by introducing and discussing the literary devices the author uses such as setting, plot, theme, etc. Providing opportunities to practice picking out these devices through a variety of genres (drama, prose, poetry) will encourage your child to better...