“What does competing in Speech teach us?”

Whether you’ve been asked this on the first day of class, or it's a relative who wants to know what you've been doing, we also know the classic response to this question:

“Competing in Speech matters because it stops us from just accepting things at face value, forcing us to look at every side of an issue, think fast on our feet, and stay calm when someone is actively calling out our logic.”

And then, once satisfying our teacher or relative, we go on with our day.

But does this ideological definition still hold though in the Speech community? Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than just a simple yes or no.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this rather unconventional answer to the otherwise-overlooked question “What does competitive Speech ACTUALLY teach us?”

Events such as Extemporaneous Speaking are praised for teaching us research skills and challenging us to explain complex concepts to an audience in an engaging format.

These days, however, extemp can sometimes shift toward applying a formula focused on “source dumping.” Rather than prioritizing the explanation of evidence, we extempers often feel pressured to pack their speeches with as many impressive citations and statistics as possible.

Research is essential to a strong speech. But the quantity of sources doesn’t necessarily reflect how well we understand an issue! I’ve even cited dozens of experts and still failed to explain why their evidence matters.

A Stanford University study by psychologist Elizabeth Newton, discussed here, illustrates the “curse of knowledge.” People who understand a topic well often overestimate how easily others can follow their explanations. The more familiar we become with an issue, the easier it is to forget that our audience may not understand the terminology or background we take for granted.

But, there’s a far greater issue that competitive speech presents, which is the relationship between advocacy and action. Extemp analyzes international events and national issues, while competitors in OO and Informative Speaking spend months crafting speeches about problems they really care about. But when the round ends and the ballot is submitted, we move on to the next topic.

Of course, competition isn’t an activist organization, and enacting actual change takes time, resources, and opportunities that we students may not have. But there’s still a difference between learning to advocate for an issue and considering what can be done about it!

We can give an impassioned speech about food insecurity, climate change, or inequality, receive a ballot praising our advocacy, and move on to the next tournament. The speech might educate an audience and deepen our own understanding, but shouldn’t issues interest us enough to deserve more than a few minutes onstage?

Instead, Speech and Debate can become a rigid, formulaic activity. We learn to simulate mechanical vocal tones to signal emotion and structure arguments within strict boundaries. In Info, for example, including a solutions section is penalized under NSDA rules and judging expectations.

So, What Can We Do About It?

1. Prioritize understanding 

Whether we’re passionately debating, citing sources in Extemp, or delivering an emotional Original Oratory, we should focus on why our arguments matter rather than simply how impressive they sound. I've seen this firsthand! At the UC Berkeley finals in Extemp Speaking, a competitor placed remarkably well by avoiding simply stating statistics and sources and instead focusing on a rock-solid argument and delivering it with clarity.

2. Choose topics that actually interest you

Instead of choosing a topic just because it already won NSDA, take the time to explore issues that interest you! Often, when choosing a topic that doesn't truly interest us, this can show through our performance. A 2019 study published in Public Relations Review found that excessive emotional displays could undermine a speaker's credibility, with particularly strong displays of sadness sometimes weakening perceptions of sincerity.  But there's a difference between understanding why an issue matters and knowing how to make an audience feel that it matters. The more we pursue our own curiosity, the more likely we’re able to display that authentic emotion on a stage, which judges can understand.

So, what does competitive Speech ACTUALLY teach us? It may seem like the program teaches us to lean towards prioritizing winning over building our confidence, critical thinking, and research skills, but with the right mindset, we can use this activity to create skills that can last us a lifetime.