Debate is a process that involves formal discussion on a particular topic.

In a debate,
opposing arguments are put forward to argue for opposing viewpoints. Debate occurs in public
meetings, academic institutions, and legislative assemblies.[1] It is a formal type of discussion,
often with a moderator and an audience, in addition to the debate participants.

HOW TO DEBATE
 

What is Debating?

A debate is a structured argument.  Two sides speak alternately for and against a
particular contention usually based on a topical issue.  Unlike the arguments you
might have with your family or friends however, each person is allocated a time
they are allowed to speak for and any interjections are carefully controlled.  The
subject of the dispute is often prearranged so you may find yourself having to
support opinions with which you do not normally agree.  You also have to argue as
part of a team, being careful not to contradict what others on your side have said.

Why debate?

It is an excellent way of improving speaking skills and is particularly helpful in

providing experience in developing a convincing argument. Those of you who are
forced to argue against your natural point of view realize that arguments, like coins,
always have at least two sides.

The Basic Debating Skills

Style

Style is the manner in which you communicate your arguments.  This is the most
basic part of debating to master.  Content and strategy are worth little unless you
deliver your material in a confident and persuasive way.

Speed

It is vital to talk at a pace which is fast enough to sound intelligent and allow you
time to say what you want, but slow enough to be easily understood. 

Tone

Varying tone is what makes you sound interesting.  Listening to one tone for an
entire presentation is boring.

Volume
Speaking quite loudly is sometimes a necessity, but it is by no means necessary to
shout through every debate regardless of context.  There is absolutely no need
speak any more loudly than the volume at which everyone in the room can
comfortably hear you.  Shouting does not win debates.  Speaking too quietly is
clearly disastrous since no one will be able to hear you.

Clarity

The ability to concisely and clearly express complex issues is what debating is all
about.  The main reason people begin to sound unclear is usually because they lose
the “stream of thought” which is keeping them going. It is also important to keep it
simple. While long words may make you sound clever, they may also make you
incomprehensible. 

Use of notes and eye contact

Notes are essential, but they must be brief and well organized to be effective. 
There is absolutely no point in trying to speak without notes. Of course, notes
should never become obtrusive and damage your contact with the audience, nor
should they ever be read from verbatim.  Most people sketch out the main headings
of their speech, with brief notes under each. 

When writing notes for rebuttal during the debate, it is usually better to use a
separate sheet of paper so you can take down the details of what the other
speakers have said and then transfer a rough outline onto the notes you will
actually be using. 

Eye contact with the audience is very important, but keep shifting your gaze. No
one likes to be stared at. 

Content

Content is what you actually say in the debate. The arguments used to develop
your own side’s case and rebut the opposite side’s. The information on content
provided below is a general overview of what will be expected when you
debate. The final logistics of how long you will be debating, how many
people will be in your group, and how the debate will unfold (ie: which
team speaks first etc.), will all be decided by your tutorial leader.

Case (argument)- the whole

Introduction - The case your group is making must be outlined in the introduction. 
This involves stating your main arguments and explaining the general thrust of your
case.  This must be done briefly since the most important thing is to get on and
actually argue it. It is also a good idea to indicate the aspects of the subject to be
discussed by each of the team members.

Conclusion - At the end, once everyone has spoken, it is useful to briefly summarize
what your group has said and why.

Case (argument)- the parts

Having outlined the whole of your argument, you must then begin to build a case
(the parts).  The best way to do this is to divide your case into between two and
four arguments (or divide your case based on the number of people in your group). 
You must justify your arguments with basic logic, worked examples, statistics, and
quotes.  Debating is all about the strategy of “proof”. Proof, or evidence, supporting
your assertion is what makes it an argument. There are a number of ways of
dividing up cases according to groups of arguments (eg political/economic/social or
moral/practical or international/regional etc.) or just according to individual
arguments if you can’t group any together.  Under each of these basic headings you
should then explain the reasoning behind the argument and justify it using the
methods outlined above.  It is usually best to put the most important arguments
first.  Here is an example of a case outline:

   “The media exert more influence over what people think than the government
does.  This is true for three reasons.  Firstly, most people base their votes on
what they see and hear in the media. Secondly, the media can set the political
agenda between elections by deciding what issues to report and in how much
detail.  Thirdly, the media have successfully demonized politicians over the last ten
years so that now people are more likely to believe journalists than politicians.”  

All of the arguments in this case outline are debatable (almost immediately you can
see the counter-arguments), but they give the case a wide range which cover all
kinds of issues.  The trick is not to come up with a watertight case, but a well
argued one.  Think: “Can I argue that?”

Rebuttal – the parts

Arguments can be factually, morally or logically flawed. They may be

misinterpretations or they may also be unimportant or irrelevant.  A team may also
contradict one another or fail to complete the tasks they set themselves.  These are
the basics of rebuttal and almost every argument can be found wanting in at least
one of these respects.  Here are a few examples:

1.   “Compulsory euthanasia at age 70 would save the country money in pensions
and healthcare.”  This is true, but is morally flawed.

2.  “Banning cigarette product placement in films will cause more young people to
smoke because it will make smoking more mysterious and taboo.”  This is logically
flawed, the ban would be more likely to stop the steady stream of images which
make smoking seem attractive and glamorous and actually reduce the number of
young people smoking.

3.   “My partner will then look at the economic issues...”  “Blah..blah..blah...(5
minutes later and still no mention of the economic issues)”  This is a clear failure to
explain a major part of the case and attention should be drawn to it.  Even better is
when a speaker starts with, “to win this debate there are three things I must do…”. 
If the speaker fails to do any of those things you can then hang her or him by the
noose by repeating their exact words – by his or her own admission he or she
cannot have won the debate.

Rebuttal – the whole:

It is very important to have a good perspective of the debate and to identify what
the key arguments are.  It isn’t enough to rebut a few random arguments here and
there.  Of course the techniques used above are invaluable but they must be used
appropriately.  There are a number of things you should do to systematically break
down a team’s case: 

1.  Ask yourself how the other side have approached the case. Is their methodology
flawed?

2.  Consider what tasks the other side set themselves (if any) and whether they
have in fact addressed these. 

3.  Consider what the general emphasis of the case is and what assumptions it
makes. Try to refute these. 

4.  Take the main arguments and do the same thing.  It is not worth repeating a
point of rebuttal that has been used by someone else already, but you can refer to
it to show that the argument has not stood up.  It is not necessary to correct every
example used.  You won’t have time and your aim is to show the other side’s case
to be flawed in the key areas.
 

 
 
Five steps for preparing a debate with a class
Divide the class into four groups

Give each of the four groups one side of one of the topics to prepare 

Give each member of the class some sticky notes to write on

Follow the five steps

Step 1: Brainstorm ideas 

 Individual brainstorm – allow five minutes silent time for individual brainstorming – the
pupils should write one point on each of the sticky notes. Tell them to use key words
rather than full sentences.
 Group brainstorm – each group needs a sheet of paper and a “chair”. The chair should
go around the group hearing all the ideas and sticking them on the paper. Duplicated
ideas get stuck on together.

Step 2: Organise ideas

 The group then need another sheet of paper on which they write 1-9 down the side.
From the brainstorm they need to identify between 7 and 9 arguments. They may have
more than these so to get them down they can:
 Scrap small or insignificant arguments
 Join together similar arguments to make larger ones
 On their sheet they need to write the names of the arguments. EACH NAME SHOULD
BE NO LONGER THAN THREE WORDS.
 They then need to divide the arguments between the first three speakers. The first
speaker should have three arguments. The second and third speaker should have two or
three arguments.  The fourth speaker does not have any new arguments.

Step Three: Structure the speeches

Introduce the idea of the speech structure on the board:

 Introduction – who are you and what do you stand for?

 Preview – What are the names of the points you are going to cover?
 Rebuttal – unless you are the first speaker, you’d say “first lets take a look at what we
heard from the previous speaker” and disagree with their points.
 Point One – “Now onto my points”
Name
Explanation (the reasoning – why is your point true and why does it mean your overall
position is right?
Evidence (facts, analogies, examples, imagery or authority to support your reasoning)
 Point Two – Name, Explanation, Evidence
 Point Three – Name, Explanation, Evidence
 Reminder – remind the audience of the three points you have covered
 Vote for Us

Step 4: Prepare your speeches

Introduce the Idea of developing your arguments by “Making Them REAL”

 Reason
 Evidence
 Analysis
 Link

Choose the first speakers in each group and allow them some time to think about how to make
each of their points REAL. Only allow them to write down six words for each point (in addition to
the name)– it’s speaking and listening not reading out!

Choose the summary speaker and either a chair or timekeeper from each group

Step 5: Prepare the rest of the class

Whilst the first three speakers are preparing their speeches:

 The summary speakers need to think what they think the biggest issues in the debate
will be. Their speech will focus on three big issues and show why their side has won
those issues.
 The chairs, timekeepers and any other pupils should try to think what the other side
might say and come up with rebuttal.

What is a panel discussion?

A panel discussion is a specific format used in a meeting, conference or convention.  It is a live
or virtual discussion about a specific topic amongst a selected group of panelists who share
differing perspectives in front of a large audience.
 The panel is typically facilitated by a “moderator” who guides the panel and the audience
through the event.
 The panel, typically 3-4 experts or practitioners in the field, shares facts, offers opinions
and responds to audience questions either through questions curated by the moderator or
taken from the audience directly.
 The panel session typically lasts for 60-90 minutes.
A panel discussion is a way to engage industry thought leaders in dialogue regarding relevant

topics in their industry while an audience listens. Each panelist will typically have their own

differing opinions from the others on the subject matter presented, which makes for a thought-

provoking and well-rounded discussion for the audience to learn from and be entertained by.

Panel discussion definition:

A panel discussion is a format used at conventions, conferences, and meetings where a group
of people who are skilled in a specific topic engage in conversation together in front of an
audience.

A moderator leads the discussion by presenting questions to the panelists, ensuring the

discussion stays on track, and oftentimes, will pull audience questions for the panelists to

answer. Since panels are supposed to be a natural discussion, it's important that the moderator

guides the panelists in the right direction to ensure the audience receives the most value.

Panels can take place in a variety of settings that range from casual to formal. Examples of this

can be a long rectangular table with each panelist sitting shoulder to shoulder, or the panelist

could sit in seats that are angled towards each other on stage, which exudes a much more

casual tone and is typically the more favorable option due to the comfort that it provides to not

only the panelists but the audience as well. The moderator will usually be facing the panelists

near the audience side on a podium.

How to conduct a successful panel discussion

Now that it’s understood what a panel discussion is and the value they can bring to your

conference or convention, let’s discuss the elements you’ll need to ensure it’s successful.

1. Select a thought-provoking topic

The most important piece to remember when choosing your panel topic is that it should have

some buzz in the industry, meaning it’s important enough that your panelists will care and have

an opinion on it. Make sure that the topic isn’t too general or you will quickly find your discussion

veering off course and becoming unfocused.

2. Choose your skillful moderator

Keeping your newly selected topic in mind, it’s time to choose a moderator. Moderators

don’t have to be an expert on your chosen topic, but it will definitely help keep your discussion

seamless and moving on track. The most important quality you must look for when selecting

your moderator is the ability to lead a large group of people. They should be assertive and

confident, yet kind and likable.

3. Pick out your panelists

Now it’s time for the fun part! Choose anywhere from three to five people to sit on your panel.

Any more than five will create an overpowering dynamic. Have you ever heard the phrase: “too

many cooks in the kitchen”? Well, that phrase applies in this case.

You should also conduct thorough research on the people you’re choosing. You’ll want to make

sure they are qualified on the topic and have done speaking engagements in the past to ensure

they are great presenters. Last but certainly not least, make sure that the people you choose

are diverse! This cannot be stressed enough. Make sure your panelists have diverse

backgrounds, educations, experiences, and so on. It will make for a much better panel, trust me.

4. Introduce the moderator to the panelists

It’s a good idea to introduce all of your panel participants before the day of the event. This can

be over a meal, a networking event, or even just a casual introduction and mingling. This not
only creates a less awkward environment, but it allows everyone to get to know each others’

personalities before they engage with them in front of an audience. This preface will help the

conversation flow naturally on stage. For reference, just think about your conversation dynamic

with a stranger versus someone you have been getting to know for a little while. This

introduction is specifically important for your moderator as well. Your moderator will be able to

pick up on traits and tendencies that the panelists have and thus be able to better lead the

discussion since he or she knows what to expect.

5. Prep the questions and prompts

If the moderator you've selected is a topic expert, you will want to collaborate with him or her on

the questions. Make sure they are open-ended and have specific elements of each panelist's

background so they are able to excitedly answer. Make sure you don’t favor one panelist over

the others. Make sure the questions are a level playing field where everyone feels that they can

provide value to the discussion.

6. Set up the room properly

Remember what we discussed previously regarding the formality of the room set up? Make sure

the room arranged in a way that encourages every member to participate, even the audience.

This could mean making the seats in the audience close to the panelists and encouraging

people to sit there, or you could ask the panelists what would make them most comfortable.

Angle their seats according to this and accommodate to them.

Start discussing!

Panel discussions are a great addition to any conference, convention, or meeting. Fostering

dialogue that provokes new ideas, different perspectives, and great insight is the reason why

panel discussions are so successful in the event industry. Keep in mind that all panel
discussions are different and there’s no one right answer. As long as your audience, moderator,

and panelists are engaged yet comfortable, you’re on the right track. Just remember to take a

look at our 6 best practices we just went over to ensure you have all your main elements

accounted for.

Before the event

1. Synchronize before the event

As a host, it is absolutely crucial that you synchronize with your panelists before the event.
Organise a conference call, during which you brief your guests about the topics ensuring that
you are all on the same page. Present them the points that you plan to touch on so they can
prepare their input. Ask them what they would like to bring to the debate and from which angle
they will approach the topic.

2. Spread the word

To fill up the room, you should let people know that you’re hosing a panel discussion in the first
place. A great thing about panels is that they’re ALWAYS composed of several panelists. The
more people onboard, the wider the social media reach when they share the news. As a host,
start tweeting well before the event to get the word out there. Make sure you tag panelists to
encourage them to retweet your update or start tweeting on their own.

During the event

3. Introduce the panelists and break the ice

Make the introduction snappy and to-the point so the audience knows who will be talking with
them. To make tweeting easier for your audience, you can display the panelists’ names with
their Twitter handles during the intro time. The audience will appreciate it immensely.

Also try to break the ice at the start in order to create a bonding with your audience. Live polling
is a great way how to do it. Live polls don’t only allow you to entertain people but also help you
to understand who sits in the audience so you can adjust your lingo accordingly.

4. Set the ideal length

According to panel discussion pioneer, Scott Kirsner, the ideal length of the panel discussion is
between 45-60 minutes. It’s important to have a certain structure of the discussion so you cover
what you intend to within the dedicated time allotment. Check regularly how much time you
have left to adjust the pace of the conversation.

5. Incorporate audience’s questions

Don’t wait until the end of the session to start addressing the questions from the audience. Once
the discussion starts rolling, bring your audience into the discussion. Scott Kirsner advises to
involve the participants within first 5 minutes! However with 74% of the audience fearing public
speaking, it’s not the easiest task to accomplish. Use the audience engagement tool that allows
everyone in the room to ask questions and upvote the ones that they find the most interesting.

6. Encourage tweeting

Live-tweeting is a super efficient way to get your message across to wide audiences. To boost
tweeting during the panel, you can set up tweet walls to let your audience share the “stage
glory”. Make no assumption that your audience knows the right hasthtag. Feel free to display it
at the start along with the Twitter handles of your speakers.

After the event

7. Respond to the social media buzz

Tweets, reshares and mentions are all a form of gratitude after a well executed panel
discussion. Don’t hesitate to response to the social buzz to reconnect with your audience after
the panel discussion. Send thank you notes to the tweets with feedback, retweet the quotes and
follow the most active members of your audience.

8. Keep the conversation going

In addition to responding to social media reactions, keep the conversation going

by summarising the main points in the blog post. Share the snapshots, the videos or the
infographic with live polls results to relive the panel discussion.

FORUM LECTURE

A lecture forum is a type of online community set up for

students to discuss class material. In these educational forums,
students can discuss class material with each other.

A lecture forum could be referring to an online forum where students can

communicate with other students from their own lecture groups or classes.
Perhaps the forum is for each individual class, where the lecturer can pass
on extra work and allow students to compare notes on each lecture.

A lecture forum is a type of online community set up for

students to discuss class material. In these educational forums,
students can discuss class material with each other.

So What is the Definition of Interview?

An interview definition can be crafted as a gentle conversation between two people or more

where questions are asked to a person to get the required responses or answers.

People involved in an interview: Usually two groups or two individuals sit facing each other

in an interview. The person asking questions is the interviewer and the person answering the

questions is the interviewee.

1. One-to-one interview (Personal interview):

It is the most common among the interview types, it involves the interviewer asking questions

maybe both technical and general to the interviewee to investigate how fit the candidate is for

the job.

Example: Posts in small organizations and mid-level and high-level jobs in big organizations.

2. Group interview:
This involves multiple candidates and they are given a topic for discussion. They are assessed on

their conversational ability and how satisfactorily they are able to have their own views and

make others believe in them. Here, the best among the lot gets selected.

Example: Fresher posts and mid-level sales posts.

3. Panel interview (Committee Interview):

The interviewers here are a group from among the company people who are in a senior position

and usually, the panel interview is when the candidate is supposed to make a presentation. But

many-a-times it could be for the job interview as well.

Example: Mid-level and high-level jobs.

Based on the Planning Involved:

1. Structured interview (Formal interview or guided interview):

Here in the traditional form of an interview, the questions asked are all in a standard format and

the same is used for all the candidates. This is to assess the ability of all the candidates

impartially.

Example: Entry-level jobs for fresher.

2. Unstructured interview (Informal interview or conversational interview):

This is the opposite of a structured interview. Here the interviewer has a definite idea in mind

about the questions to be asked, but it doesn’t follow a certain format. The interviewer may

deviate and a conversation type interview follows.

Example: Mid-level job interview for managerial position

Based on Judging the Abilities:

1. Behavioral-based interview:

The interviewee is asked questions about past work experiences and how it was dealt with in a

particular situation. This helps the interviewer understand the candidate’s future performance

based on his past experiences.

Here the candidates need to provide examples when they have handled situations. The probing

maybe in detail to assess the candidate’s behaviour and responses and this determines the

candidate’s future job prospects.

Example: Interview for managerial positions, executive posts.

2. Problem-solving interview (Task-Oriented interview):

Here the interviewer is more concerned about problem-solving abilities be it technical,

managerial, creative or analytical skills. This is the most common among the interview patterns

and it may involve either writing and answering a questionnaire set or answering the technical

questions orally.
Example: Interviews for Software recruitments, technical industries, and managerial positions.

3. Depth interview (In-depth interview):

When you need to ascertain everything about the interviewee right from life history, academic

qualifications, work experiences, hobbies, and interests; you conduct the depth interview.

Here the interviewer has a clear idea about the questions he will be asking but once the question

is asked, he allows the conversation to flow and is more of a listener. This interview takes time

and more of a friendly approach of the interviewer towards the interviewee.

Example: For executive posts.

4. Stress interview:

Very rare, but such interviews are conducted to see how the candidate will be able to react in

stressful situations and to assess if he will be able to handle the crisis at his job.

Tactics involved include:

 Completely ignore the candidate by maybe, making a phone call in the middle of the

interview.

 Or some other tactic like continuously interrupting the candidate when he answers

the questions.

 Trying to enforce your point of view forcefully even if he disagrees.

 Asking a whole lot of questions all at once.

 Interrupting him by asking another question not related to his answer.

Example: For banker jobs.

Based on the Facilities or Settings:

1. Telephonic interview:

This interview is conducted over the phone and its main objective is to narrow down the

probable list of candidates so that only the most eligible ones finally get shortlisted. This is done

in the initial stages and before the personal interview.

Also when the candidate is far-off, the company first conducts a telephonic interview and if

satisfied then arranges the travel expenses for a one-to-one interview.

Example: Interview for entry-level jobs.

2. Online interview (Video interview or Skype interview):

This interview may be was done by instant messaging, online chats, email or through videos.

This involves the interviewer asking questions just like in a personal interview.

This is done based on situations like if the interviewee resides far-off or if the interview at the

appointed time gets cancelled due to valid reasons. Also, it is more convenient for the

interviewer that he can fix the interview at his spare time and convey the message to the

candidate a few hours before or so.

This helps as the interviewer doesn’t need to inform the candidate many days in advance.

Example: Interview for mid-level posts.

3. Job Fair Interview (Career Fair interview):

Here the interviewer does a mini-interview to know the qualifications and the technical

knowledge. Then basic technical questions are asked to know if the candidate can proceed

further for the main interview. This is a very short interview to net only the potential candidates.

Example: Interviews for fresher jobs held at the college campus.

4. Lunch interview:

This interview is more of a conversational interview mainly designed so that the interviewer gets

to know more about the candidate. This also helps the interviewer to assess how the candidate

conducts himself in a less-formal environment and how he presents himself.

Example: Interview for managerial and sales posts.

5. Tea interview:

This is the same as a lunch interview but only that it differs in the time limit. Here the

interviewee gets less time to prove himself. The interviewer here has a structured format for

questioning since there is a time limit.

Example: Interview for positions in the fashion and glamour industry and sales posts.

Based on the Task:

1. Apprenticeship interview:
Here the candidate is a novice and the interview is a very formal one with general questions and

some skill related questions being asked.

Example: Interview for training programs in organizations.

2. Evaluation interview:

In this interview, a fixed set of questions are asked and a scoring system evaluates the points

scored. This type of interview negates the scope of the personal bias of the interviewer.

Example: Interview in corporate organizations

3. Promotion interview:

This is for an employee of the company seeking a higher position for career enhancement

purposes.

Example: Interviews in mid-level posts.

4. Counselling interview:

When employees are called and their problems and solutions are discussed within the

organization, such meeting type interviews are called counselling interviews.

Example: Interviews in big organizations

5. Disciplinary interview:
Here an individual or number of employees or sometimes the employee union is interviewed for

their misconduct or non-performance. This is more sort of a meeting between the manager and

the employees to get the problem resolved.

Example: Interviews in big companies.

6. Persuasive interview:

The interviewee here has to persuade the interviewer to accept his point of view as in case of an

employee persuading his manager to implement some changes in the policy or a sales manager

persisting on selling a product.

Example: Interviews in mid-level managerial posts

Guidelines for Effective Interviewing:

The job of an interviewer spans from preparing the right set of questions to assessing the

answers of the candidates and then finally selecting the best candidate for the job. So then what

are the guidelines for effective interviewing for interviewers or employers?

1. Know the candidate beforehand:

Review the bio-data clearly before the interview process. Know the candidate, his qualifications,

his experiences, and his skill sets. This will give you an idea of the line of questions to be asked

to the candidate.

2. Jot down questions both the technical and non-technical ones:

Note down all the questions you need to ask so that they help you in getting an assessment of the

candidate. Ask questions related to the role and responsibilities the post needs and see if the

candidate is ready to assume the roles responsibly.

3. Prepare an outline of the interview:

Know how you will go about the process of interviewing the candidates. Make a structured plan

so that you are able to review the candidate properly.

4. Be a responsible interviewer:

See to it that you ask appropriate questions. How you behave and conduct yourself while asking

questions is as important as the interviewee answering his questions.

5. Assess the candidate thoroughly:

Whether it is the technical skills or creative skills, assess the candidate and seek all relevant

information. Look at their conversational skills and how convincing they are.

6. Allow the candidate to speak:

Your job of talking is limited to asking questions. So listen and don’t talk or interrupt in

between. Thus you will be able to gather all the relevant and required information from the

candidate.

7. Be professional and ask job-related questions:

You don’t want to miss on a potential candidate by being too professional or being too personal.

Be polite and draw a line between being professional and personal. Let all your questions be

related to the job so that the candidate will feel at ease to answer the questions.

8. Do a follow up:

After the interview, do let the candidates know of their job status. That way you extend your

professional courtesy and help in building the credentials of your company.

Choral verse speaking is group performance of poetry where the group reciting in
unison interprets the fullest meaning and conveys the fullest measure of the poet's
thoughts and feelings embodied in his poems. As Archibald MacLeish says, "A poem
should not mean, but be!" - And a poem is brought to life by a verse speaking choir.
Choral speaking is nothing new or merely a passing fad. Down through the ages,
people have read in unison. The antiphonal chorus was common among the
Hebrews; the speaking chorus was an essential element in the plays of the Greeks,
and later, we have the ballads, the communal property of early England, composed
by the peasant folk and were sung or recited together.

Choral speaking is not merely a concert recitation of poetic works. Rather, it is a

form of art which consists of oral reading and reciting of beautiful verses and brings
poetry to life, through the use of many voices, bodies, and minds working together.
Choral verse speaking is like choir singing of beautiful melodies and songs in an "a
cappella" manner (singing without the use of any musical instrument) and simply
relying on the beautiful but precise and perfect blending of voices to convey the
fullest meaning and beauty of the song or melody performed.

Since choral verse speaking involves interpretation of a group of the works of

poetry, it is also governed by rules and methods of interpretation. Since it makes
use of many voices, bodies, and minds working together, there is the need to learn
the proper techniques of choric interpretation. Remember that good choral verse
speaking or choric interpretation is more than just a group of people saying the
same words at the same time and standing and stopping altogether. In choral verse
speaking, precision is important because without it, the audience cannot
understand what is being said.

Choral verse speaking or choric interpretation, as a form of literary interpretation of

poetry involves a director and a group. The members of the group are chosen on
the basis of the quality and tone of their voices, for, as in choir singing, there is the
choice of a tenor, a contralto, a basso, an alto and the common tone, the same
thing is true in choral verse speaking where the director selects the voice group on
the basis of the quality and tonal pattern of the voices that will bring out the beauty
and desired emotional effect of the poetry being recited aloud.

SYLLABUS 2017-20
Choral Verse Speaking provides the opportunity for a group of speakers to perform a selected
piece co-operatively.

The purpose of Choral Verse Speaking is the effective communication of the selection using
appropriate technical and interpretive skills. Choral Verse Speaking offers great scope for young
people to learn and perform together, with a unity of purpose, and is ideal for class groups.

Choral Verse Speaking encourages the development of confidence in:

 speaking clearly and fluently

 interpreting a text
 working with others
 following directions

Some Tips for Speech Choir

ON DECEMBER 28, 2009  BY FRITZIE SORONIO IN ENGLISH

To be able to present a good speech choir, keep in mind the following:

1. Teach the students pronunciation. Simply use a dictionary that has a pronunciation
guide to it. Refer to its pronunciation key which you can find on its introductory pages to
determine how a word is pronounced. If you are still unsure of its pronounciation, you can listen
to it at http://www.howjsay.com.
2. Teach them stress and intonation. You can refer to your English Expressways II book
pages 64-65. Things such as rising intonation and falling intonation are crucial in speech choir.
Which word to be stressed depends also on your intended meaning. Furthermore you can listen
to a lecture by Peter Roach on this topic:
3. A good number for speech choir is 40 members. But you can have 20-25 participants if
so desired.
4. The contest piece is often a poem.

5. Divide your participants into three voices: light, medium and dark. Light voices are
often chosen from the first year females. Medium are also females with deep voices (preferably
from the fourth year). Dark are of course only males with very deep voices. There should also
be a solo for each voice: solo light, solo medium and solo dark.
6. Arrange the contest piece before giving it to your participants. This means that you
have already assigned parts for each voice, for the solo and for the unison (meaning all three
voices). Keep in mind though that even if all three voices speak together but their voices should
be clearly distinct from each other.  This is called blending.
7. Memorize the piece. If you are the conductor, the more you should memorize it. Before
giving the contest piece to your participants, see to it that you have double-checked its
pronunciation in the dictionary or the web.
8. Drill into your participants to feel the piece. Their facial expression should reflect what
they are speaking. Facial expressions can’t be taught. It should come from within. It should not
look artificial but should come from their hearts.
9. Deliver with the intent to be understood; hence, for conventional speech choir, actions
and props are unnecessary. Simply standing with hands on their sides is enough. What counts
are the voice and the facial expression.  Remember the audience should understand what you
are talking about.
10. The conductor may stand at the back of the judges. He may conduct in any manner he
wants as long as he is able to guide his participants for an effective speech choir presentation.
11. Speech choir participants should only look at the conductor the whole time of their
presentation. They should not fidget or make unnecessary moves throughout their delivery.
Nevertheless they should not be standing tensed in front of the crowd but relaxed. Below is a
picture of Consolacion National High School – Day Class participants. They were the champion
in the Northeast Area Level Speech Choir Competition this year. Look how they stand:

Desiderata
GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace
there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good
terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull
and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you
compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always
there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your
own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing
fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But
let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high
ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about

love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as
the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of
youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not

distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and
loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of

the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be
here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as

it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to
be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it
is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.