Public Speaking & Debating

If you’re afraid to speak in public, you’re not alone. A well-known study showed that more people put fear of public speaking at the top of the list of fears, even above the fear of death. At AHMP we believe that if you are armed with practical tools for creating a focused presentation, you would be able to conquer this fear and learn practical ways to hold the audience’s attention.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Van Huyssteens Oratorical Festival (Gauteng North)

The aim of the competition is to challenge learners’ ability to speak unprepared. Learners compete in two categories: English and bilingual. Teams with four participants each have 60 minutes to prepare, while individual speakers have 45 minutes to prepare.

In the English category, AHMP enters one English team and one individual speaker per grade, while in the bilingual category, we enter two teams and two individual speakers per grade.

Learners choose one topic from a variety of contemporary and philosophical/actuality subjects.

Topics are a combination contemporary and philosophical and actuality subjects.

AHMP were the overall winners in both 2022 and 2023.

Pretoria Public Speaking Festival

This competition is an annual highlight on the Public Speaking calendar. It is notable that AHMP is the only Afrikaans school that takes part in this English Home Language competition. Topics are often derived from quotes and learners are required to do research and to communicate their research in a logical, meaningful way. The speakers deliver prepared speeches.

Learners may compete in the Best Speakers’ and Teams’ Categories.

Two previoius AHMP public speakers, Nika Hood (2021) and Megan Kruger (2022) had been awarded the Best Speakers’ Award.

All Girls Festival

This is annual festival for girls’ schools only. One junior and one senior speaker enter and are required to speak prepared and unprepared. Very valuable speech work shops often form part of the festival’s activities.

Four Schools Public Speaking Festival

AHMP, AHS, Pretoria Boys High and Pretoria Girls High compete for the Junior and Senior Best Speakers Award in this festival. The schools take turns in hosting this valuable collaborative event.

On the tip of your Tongue (Oppe-tong-af) Public Speaking Competition

This national competition allows English and Afrikaans teams and individuals to compete in prepared and unprepared categories. We have had a number of National winners in recent years.

Contact person: Ms Theresa Pienaar theresa.pienaar@ahmp.co.za

DEBATING

Our learners participate in the SACEE Debating league where they learn the skills to tackle complicated issues and analyse topical subjects that affect our daily lives. Our top debaters also venture to the national All Girls Festival where they measure their mettle against other schools. In the pre-Covid period two of our teams followed through to provincial level.

Contact person: Mrs. M. Oertel michele.oertel@ahmp.co.za