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Last year, we had an event in our minor subject, Functional English, called the English Festival. We performed different types of speech deliveries, including Extemporaneous Speech, Impromptu Speech, Manuscript Speech, Speech writing, and Memorized Speech.
Before the contest among various courses, we formed three groups, each with five members. We then divided the topics among us, which were extemporaneous, impromptu, manuscript, and memorized speech. The three groups competed against each other to determine who was the best in all topics because the winner would represent our course, College of Technology, in the contest against the College of Arts and Sciences and Food Preparation Technology.
When the day of our English Festival arrived, we were all very excited. All the representatives from each department had prepared for the contest. Of course, we couldn't miss taking a group picture.
At 1 PM, the event started, and each department was ready. We also didn't forget to cheer for the representatives from each department. Groups were formed for each topic, including extemporaneous, impromptu, manuscript memorized speech, and speech writing. Each group had a different topic according to their assigned task, which was speech delivery.
Extemporaneous Speech
The first contest was an extemporaneous speech. Representatives were provided with various questions written on small pieces of paper and were given only 5 minutes to prepare. They then took turns going to the front and answering the question given to them. They were only given 3 minutes to answer the questions in front. Extemporaneous speech was given spontaneously before the contest starts. They delivered their speech, where they expressed their words in front of the audience and the judges. They engaged with the audience, especially the judges, but they didn't stray from the topic or miss the plan because they had a guide with them.
When it comes to extemporaneous speech, confidence is key. The reason for this is that you need to have a thorough and deep understanding of the subject matter you're speaking about. If you know the topic by heart, your comments are much more likely to come across as natural and authentic, as opposed to scripted or rehearsed. However, it's important to note that preparation is still crucial. Even if you know your topic well, you may still be caught off guard by unexpected questions or challenges. This is why it's essential to spend time studying and researching your topic, and organizing your information in a clear and concise way. Creating notes or an outline can be helpful in this regard. Additionally, practice and rehearsal are also essential components of delivering a successful extemporaneous speech. By taking the time to prepare and practice, you can feel more confident and comfortable in your delivery, and ensure that your message comes across clearly and effectively.
Impromptu Speech
The Impromptu Speech followed after the Extemporaneous Speech, where each department had one participant. They were called one by one, and each department's participant was asked the same question. Since it was impromptu, they had to answer the question directly, and they only had 3 minutes to do so. They needed to deliver their answers thoroughly because impromptu speeches required them to answer on the spot without any preparation. They had no idea about the question they would be asked in front of the audience and the judges.
Memorized Speech
After all the questions were asked, everyone immediately followed with the memorized speech. This part was the declamation, and I was really excited because I knew our representative could handle the challenge exceptionally well. From her facial expressions to the delivery of her lines, everything was perfect, absolutely perfect! I was also amazed watching the representatives from other departments, even though their topic was more suited for girls to act, they still did their best to represent their department. They all had the same topic, the same script memorized, yet they all gave their best performance.
A memorized speech is a speech with prior preparation where you compose your speech from memory. Many people don't like this because they say it's difficult. You might see a memorized speech on a stage where two people are declaiming.
Speech Writing
While waiting for the declamation to finish, they also started speech writing, but they were only given 1 hour to answer the question. And the most exciting part is that the question given to them was situational. They weren't allowed to search or get ideas from classmates; the representative alone should answer the situational questions.
Manuscript Speech
After the declamation, we proceeded to reading a manuscript. For me, this was the easiest contest; all you had to do was read the script given in front of the judges and the audience. But if you weren't good at pronouncing words correctly, you'd struggle even if you were good at reading the script. You needed good pronunciation, understanding of punctuation, and knowing where to pause while reading. Reading a manuscript allowed representatives to prepare because they were given their script beforehand, unlike extemporaneous and impromptu contests where the topic is given on the spot.
Intermission Number
There was an intermission number. Each department needed to have an intermission number after each representative presented their speech while waiting for the judges to tally the scores, and of course, our department wouldn't be left behind in showcasing our talent. We practiced for a week just to perfect our performance. Some sang while others danced.
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After all the intermission numbers, our instructor announced the winners. We got third place in the extemporaneous speech, second place in the impromptu, and first place in the memorized speech. We were so happy because we got first place. However, we only got fourth place in reading a manuscript and writing a speech. We were so happy with our achievements; we could truly say WE MADE IT!
I've experienced it before engaging in functional English activities.
It sounds like you've had prior experience with participating in functional English activities. That's great to hear!
That is a great activity to enhance the skill of the student.congratulation to all of you
Functional English activities are indeed valuable for students' skill development.
Upon reading this, I remember my junior high school years, I've experienced all of those activities during our performance tasks, from the declamation, impromptu speech, extemporaneous speech, speech writing to memorize speech. My memories with those performance tasks were not all good since in all of those tasks I was nervous and afraid, but looking back at those experiences now, I'm grateful for those. Those experiences hone not only my skills in English, but as well it improved my confidence in myself.
It sounds like those performance tasks were quite the journey for you! It's understandable to feel nervous and afraid during such challenges, but it's great to hear that you now see the value in those experiences. They've undoubtedly helped shape your skills in English and boosted your self-confidence along the way.