The National Forensic League, through a grant from the Bradley Foundation, undertook a project to develop instructional video tapes for coaches and students. (It should be noted that Donovan Cummings and Natalie Weber of California coordinated the effort.) Through the tapes the NFL hopes to provide inexperienced and experienced coaches nationwide with valuable instructional suggestions for the five NFL national final main events and both types of debate.

Coaches will not find a better bargain. The tapes may be borrowed and copied without penalty or threat of law suit: or they may be purchased. I recommend purchase. Individual tapes are less that $15.00 each, and a school or district can buy the whole package of 21 tapes for just under $250.00! Where else can you find a bargain like that? The hassle of sending for tapes, viewing them or copying them, and then trudging to the post office to mail them back just seems to me a be a waste of time when the price is so low.

The address to order tapes is: Tape Distribution Center, P.O. Box 151, Grandview, MO 64030. Coaches may also find order blanks in the Rostrum. Fresno's summer afternoon temperatures are generally inthe 100+ degree range, so sanepeople generally seek the air conditioned indoors and a tall cool something or another to drink. You can only read so many books in a row before you begin to get brain fade, so I took it upon myself to review all 21 of tapes as a diversion. (I still got brain fade.)

Some caveats first: 1. These tapes are definitely not baby-sitting tapes you might use while you work at some other task or with some other group of students. All of the tapes are "talking heads" either as a lecture or a panel discussion. A handful, as noted, have actual student performances included. Regardless, they will not have the same appeal as MTV or a soap opera for 15-year-old kids. Kid attention spans are short, in case you hadn't noticed.

2. Preview the tape before you show it. It would be wise to provide your students with a basic outline and require them to "fill in the blank spots" as they watch. Or you can just ask them to take notes for a follow up discussion and quiz. Some of you may want to stop the tape and interject your own comments or clarifications. Watch them watch it, in other words. Be ready to drag them back from their daydreams.

3. All of the tapes will fill and maybe run past a normal high school class period time frame. You will find Dr. James Unger introducing most of the tapes. What James has to say is worth hearing, and the intros are worth watching just to see what GQ sartorial splendor Jim will be wearing in each. Excellent taste in both clothes and comments, Jim, but in the interests of squeezing a tape viewing into a class period, it is best to fast forward. (Maybe a few coaches might "borrow" some of Jim's stuff. I dunno how coaches handle that sort of thing. I am thinking about taping all the intros for what would be an excellent "Unger" instructional tape.)

4. I have tried to provide an indication of who might best profit from the tape by using a * system. Keep in mind that these tapes are as much for coaches to learn as they are for students.

• Means the tape is only of interest to coaches and some very advanced and dedicated students.
  • Means the tape is good instruction for coaches, both experienced and inexperienced, and for advanced students.
    • Means the tape is good instruction for coaches, both experienced and inexperienced, and for all students who are beyond the very green novice, first few weeks level.

5. I have made a strong effort to not critique the formats or performances of those on the tapes. I'll let you decide for yourself on those issues.

CX 101 53 minutes (**) Developing the Negative Position in Policy Debate Diana Prentice-Carlin, University of Kansas Coach Commentary: Requires students to have fairly advanced knowledge of debate terminology and "normal" speaker duties. An interesting and innovative approach, and one that serious debate coaches will want to consider. Content: Diana advocates negatives taking a philosophical position rather than the traditional split burden of First Negative-Case attacks and Second Negative Plan attacks. 1. Traditional roles of negative speakers 2. What a "Negative Position" is and why it is strategically sound 3. What negative is not

CX 102 48 minutes (**) Constructing Affirmative Positions Greg Varley, Lakeland HS, New York Commentary: The tape works best for teachers just getting into teaching debate. There is a lot of basic-to-debate information which needs to be assimilated and taught in a more piecemeal fashion. Beginning debate teachers should learn from it (and maybe get some clarifications from experienced coaches) and then teach beginning debaters. After beginning debaters have been exposed to this basic information, then the tape will make a good reinforcement to their learning. Forty-eight minutes is just too little time for so much.

Content: 1. Evaluating the resolution 2. Building an affirmative ... key debate terminology ... inherency, significance, etc. 3. Types of affirmative debate cases ... Needs- Plan, Comparative Advantage, Goals- Criteria. 4. Required elements of a plan ... agent of action, mandate, funding, enforcement.

CX 103 61 minutes (***) Speaker Duties in Cross Exam Debate

Bill Davis, Blue Valley North HS, Kansas

Commentary: Anyone who has ever read a Bill Davis article in the Rostrum knows Bill has a sense of humor. He employs that well in trying to clarify what each speaker in the debate is expected to do. Bill makes an interesting distinction between the rules of debate and the conventions of debate. This is a good tape for beginning debaters (or beginning coaches) but, again, should be used as a follow up to instruction on the basics of debate. Content: 1. Rules and conventions of debate 2. First affirmative speaker duties 3. Second affirmative speaker duties 4. First negative speaker duties 5. Second negative speaker duties (See CX 101- commentary to get another viewpoint on negative.)

CX 104 48 minutes (***) Cross Exam Theory and Technique Dr. George Ziegelmueller, Wayne State University Commentary: This tape is excellent because Dr. Ziegelmueller uses some of his own students to demonstrate a cross examination. Beginning and advanced coaches and students can profit from viewing the tape.

Content: 1. Difference between direct examination questioning and cross examination 2. Purposes of cross examination 3. The process of cross examination ... psychology and technique 4. Demonstration CX 5. Critique of CX

CX 105 56 minutes (***) Advocacy: How to Improve Communication in the Context of Debate Dr. George Ziegelmueller, Wayne State University Commentary: The use of a student to demonstrate both unacceptable and acceptable delivery makes the tape useful. (To those who abhor "motor mouth" debate, even the acceptable pace may seem a bit rapid, however.) Experienced debaters who admire the incoherent, garbled, 800 words per minute speech ought to be strapped to chairs and made to listen to the unacceptable example for hours on end. A must-see tape if any of these are:

Content: 1. Communication constraints in debate 2. Demonstration of how constraints dam- age communication effectiveness 3. Suggestions for better communication in speeches in debate 4. Demonstration of communicative presen- tation 5. Focusing on critical ideas ... ordering argu- ments, time allocation, vocal emphasis, grouping arguments 6. "Storytime" in debate

CX 106 60 minutes (*) Unger and Company James Unger, American University; Joel Rollins, University of Texas; Jeff Parcher, Georgetown University; William Southworth, Redlands University; and Dallas Perkins, Harvard University

Commentary: For devoted debate-junky advanced debaters and coaches this is a McLaughlin Panel type of presentation by some of the most high powered collegiate debate coaches in America. You can glean some very useful tidbits of instructional value from the discussion, and it is well worth watching the ego-driven one- upmanship. It is entertaining in a rather obscure fashion. I doubt it will sell on PBS, however.

Content: 1. Nature of debate "theory experts" and use of theory quotes in rounds 2. Topicality ... how broad or how narrow a focus on the topic is allowable 3. Qualifications desired in judges of debate rounds 4. Argument impact evaluation

OO 101 49 minutes (**) Coaching Oratory, A Panel Discussion Donovan Cummings, California; Debbie Middleton, Illinois; Tony Figliola, Pennsylvania; Debbie Simon, Massachusetts; and Larry Smith, California

Commentary: Panel discussion viewing should always be accompanied by note taking by both coaches and students. The discussion has suggestions of things that work in oratory that will be useful to all coaches and students. (Don't you hate to watch yourself on a tape, especially when you make a boo-boo? Honest, I meant to say Grapes of Wrath. Both films came out in the same year, you know. That's my excuse.)

Content: 1. Appropriate topics for oratory 2. Using humor in oratory 3. How much should a coach do ... critiquing, editing, suggesting .. 4. Should oratory topics be based on or use personal experiences

OO 102 50 minutes (**) Coaching Oratory, A Panel Discussion Donovan Cummings, California; Lanny Naegelin, Texas; Debbie Simon, Massachusetts; Tony Figliola, Pennsylvania; Pam Cady, Minnesota

Commentary: Again, note taking is essential for follow up discussion in class. Although the discussion focuses on coaching, students will learn about presentation expectations in oratory.

Content: 1. Importance of delivery in oratory 2. Coaching delivery ... techniques 3. Coaching gestures and stage presence 4. Coaching to improve diction 5. Using videotapes to improve delivery 6. Using judge critiques to improve delivery

OO 103 41 minutes (***) Oratory Overview Lanny Naegelin, N.E. Ind. School District, San Antonio,Texas

Commentary: Lanny utilized actual student speeches from final rounds to illustrate the concepts he teaches. This is definitely a tape where note taking or an advance outline provided from a coach's preview is essential. The breakdown of listening types is excellent.

Content: 1. What is oratory? 2. How to reach an audience ... types of

	 listeners

OO 104 47 minutes (***) Oratory: Introductions and Conclusions Lanny Naegelin, N.E. Ind. School District, San Antonio, Texas

Commentary: The use of actual students in performance in final rounds makes this tape very viewable for students and coaches. (It has been used in English composition classes at my school.)

Content: 1. Purposes of introductory sections 2. Examples of various successful devices 3. Purposes of conclusionary portion of speech 4. Examples of effective conclusions OO 105 48 minutes (***) Oratory Content Lanny Naegelin, N.E. Ind. School District, San Antonio, Texas

Commentary: finalist performance examples clarify the various writing devices good orators utilized to make championship speeches. This could also be used in English classes.

Content: 1. Importance of using examples, illustra- tions, quotations, statistics and stories 2. Expanding meaning through ten different devices

LD 101 56 minutes (**) Debating Affirmative in Lincoln Douglas Patricia Bailey, Homewood HS, Alabama; Marilee Dukes, Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Commentary: The presenters presume some level of Lincoln Douglas knowledge from coaches and students watching the tape. Students need to know the basics of LD including the time limits of speeches, have some notion of what "value" debate is, and have some introduction into analysis of debate topics. A coach provided pre-outline would be most helpful for student use because Patricia and Marilee have a very formidable task of presenting a considerable amount of information in a very abbreviated time frame. This presentation could have been made into two tapes to better handle the subject matter.

Content: 1. Types of Lincoln Douglas resolutions 2. Identifying values inherent in the resolu- tions 3. Structure of an affirmative case 4. Analysis in building and affirmative 5. Affirmative rebuttals

LD 102 58 minutes (**) Debating the Negative in Lincoln Douglas Patricia Bailey, Homewood HS, Alabama; Marilee Dukes, Vestavia Hills HS, Alabama

Commentary: See above LD 101. There is considerable duplication because both the affirmative and negative in LD must approach the topic the same way ... to build a case.

Of interest to me was the concept of having negatives generally accept the affirmative value position in the debate. Content: 1. Types of Lincoln Douglas resolutions 2. Negative options in refutation 3. Negative constructive case structure ... with/without negative value premise 4. Use of time in negative constructive 5. Use of time in negative rebuttal 6. "Weighing" the round in negative rebuttal ... pre-empting affirmative rebuttal

LD 103 48 minutes (***) Cross Examination in Lincoln Douglas Aaron Timmons, Greenhill School, Texas

Commentary: Students need some experience with LD to follow, but this is a very useful presentation for both students and coaches. The use of a sample cross exam by two high school students provides an excellent insight into the do's and don't of cross exam in LD.

Content: 1. What is cross examination 2. Purpose of cross examination in Lincoln Douglas 3. Preparation for cross examination 4. Don'ts in cross examination 5. Demonstration CX and follow up critique

LD 104 52 minutes (**) What Are Values/Applying Values in Lincoln Douglas Dale McCall, Wellington HS, Florida Commentary: Prepare to take copious notes and to watch the tape more than once, either as a student debater or as a coach. Dale has done a considerable amount of research into values and there is a real "load" of information in this presentation. She also provides some excellent suggestions for books for further reading ... a veritable bibliography of writings on values. This is another example of too much of a good thing in too little time.

Content: 1. What are values ... characteristics 2. Value standards ... criteria for evaluating values ... eight different standards the debater can utilize and explains how various philosophies/theories apply to each standard

EXT 101 43 minutes (**) Issues in Extemp: A Roundtable Discussion #1 Randy McCutcheon, New Mexico; Lanny Naegelin, Texas; Eric DeMichele, New York; Robert Kelly, Indiana; Sally McAffee, New Mexico

Commentary: this is an excellent panel discussion, primarily of interest to coaches. That does not preclude students from watching, since they too can learn to "coach" themselves to become effective extempers.

Content: 1. How to get students involved in extemp 2. Organizing an extemp file 3. Should students use note cards at the be- ginning 4. Teaching students how to select topics at contests 5. Useful practice techniques for extempers

EXT 102 48 minutes (***) Issues in Extemp: Roundtable Discussion #2 (Same panel)

Commentary: This tape is probably more pertinent to student viewers because it gives the viewpoints of nationally known extemp coaches on what should be in an extemp speech. Students should be prepared to take notes.

Content: 1. What goes into the body of an extemp speech 2. How important is background information on a topic 3. How many points of analysis should be developed 4. Where should the answer to the topic be placed in the speech 5. How many sources and what type of sources should be utilized and quoted 6. Introductions to extemp speeches 7. Use of humor in extemp

EXT 103 41 minutes (***) Championship Extemp: U.S. Extemp (Same panel)

Commentary: Two speeches from final rounds are analyzed and critiqued by the panel. I particularly liked the fact they chose the girl who won the national championship in 1992, because it will show girls there is nothing to fear in doing what appears to be a male dominated event.

EXT 104 41 minutes (***) Championship Extemp: Foreign Extemp (Smith to page 29)

(Smith from page 12) (Same panel)

Commentary: Two very divergent speaking styles are demonstrated and critiqued. The thing I like about these two tapes on extemp is the fact that students can see just how an audience (the panelists) reacts in different ways to each speech. They can learn about extemp and about audience-judge analysis by viewing the tapes.

INT 101 49 minutes (***) An Overview of Interpretation/The Qualities of an Effective Selection Ron Krikac, Bradley University

Commentary: A forensic team usually has a high percentage of students who want to compete in interpretation. Unfortunately, the bulk of them will be "wanna be's" and only a few will actually have the talent and determination to take the time to do interpretation correctly. The two tapes in interpretation are very well done. Both experienced and inexperienced coaches can learn from Ron. Serious students will see just how much work is involved in interp and profit by following the suggestions. The wanna be's will probably turn their efforts elsewhere. There is more to interp than getting a selection and memorizing it on Friday night before the tournament!

Content: 1. Definition of interpretation 2. What makes good material for interp 3. Difference between interpretation and acting 4. Characteristics of a good selection 5. What is the best script for "you"

INT 102 35 minutes (***) Script Analysis Ron Krikac, Bradley University

Commentary: This is the tape that will separate the interpers from the wanna be's. Content: 1. Importance of studying the script 2. Seven methods of exploring and under standing a script

I've been coaching for 24 years, and each of the tapes taught me some new things about coaching the events. To borrow from Orwell's Animal Farm, all the tapes are equally useful; and some are more equally useful that others, depending on how you want to utilize them. The NFL must be commended for this effort to reach out to coaches and students with an outstanding educational effort. And the price is right. Choose one, some or all; you can't go wrong.