18 Essential Digital Resources for Speech Coaches That Will Level Up Your Interp Performances
Our list of Video Playlists, Competition Guides, Judging Manuals, and Digital Publishers for coaches and competitors in Humorous Interp, Dramatic Interp, and Duo Interp.
Excelling in high school interp competition is hard enough when you have all the resources you need--great pieces, prepared performers, and confident coaching. But how do you get to that point? I scoured the internet looking for the most useful sites for students and teachers in speech and debate. Leave a comment or e-mail me at joe@mushroomcloudpress.com if have another link for us to add!
Speech & Debate Script Publishers
Mushroom Cloud Press (That's us!) - For over 20 years we've exclusively published scripts for interpretation and drama events.
SpeechGeekMarket - Hundreds of interp scripts from several publishers (like us!), as well as briefs and resources for LD, Policy, and Extemp events.
Tibetan Treefrog Publishing - Created specifically to produce selections for forensic competition, including original Prose, Poetry, Humorous/Dramatic pieces, and Duets written by coaches and competitors.
JD Drama Publishing - Duets, Humorous and Dramatic Monologues, and Short Plays
Performance Tutorials and Tips for Students & Coaches
NSDA Competition Events Guide - This essential roadmap has detailed looks at how to select material, build characters, and craft a performance for DI, HI, Duo, and Oral Interp. An interactive version includes videos from performers.
Excelling in Dramatic Interpretation - A great introduction to what makes a great serious or comedic performance.
What to Wear and Not Wear at a Speech & Debate Tournament - an brief, fun guide to hand out to students and parents from Oxford High School.
YouTube
YouTube is a great place to watch examples of winning performances and instructional videos.
Start with the NSDA's channel, where you can see videos of National Winners as well as judging and performing tips.
3PSpeech's channel has a great array of performance, judging, and coaching tips, all from former coaches and competitors.
Coach Steve Barth teaches you the basics of Dramatic, Humorous, and Duo Interp in 16 minutes of candor and humor.
Or, simply search for the title of any event (example: Duet Interpretation) and you will find dozens of performances to watch, as well as ideas for pieces for you or your students.
First Time Coaching Resources
NSDA New Coach Quick Start Guide - If you are a new speech coach, you must start here. Everything you need to hit the ground running.
Building a Successful Speech & Debate Team - A classic intro for new coaches. Written in 2003, but the guides to various interp events are uniquely accessible and absolutely useful today.
UIL New Coach FAQ - Written for Texas educators starting a speech team, but I had to include it because so many of our followers live there.
Tournament administration tools & tournament results: Run your tournament and see how students and teams performed with Tabroom, SpeechWire and Joy of Tournaments - two sites new coaches will need to be intimately familar with.
I hope putting all of these resources in one place is useful to you as you grow as a coach or competitors. Bookmark this page - we will be updating it!
And if you need a place to start, take a look at the Mushroom Cloud Press Complete Collection: over a hundred drama, humor, duo, and prose pieces ready for competition. Use code BLOG for 10% off your first order!