Your speech and debate questions answered.
General ModernBrain FAQs.
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Our most popular programs vary by age and experience.
Elementary School: Speech & Debate Comprehensive, Littles Speech, Congress & Impromptu, Debate Comprehensive, and Elementary Nationals.
Middle School: Speech & Debate Comprehensive, Speech Nationals, Mock Trial, Public Forum Debate, and Model United Nations.
High School: Speech Nationals, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Congress Nationals.
Students who are new to competitive speaking usually begin with a comprehensive class. Experienced students can interview for one of our Nationals Teams.
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ModernBrain classes are intentionally small so students receive frequent individual feedback.
Most classes begin with at least four students. If a standard class grows beyond 10 students, we add a second instructor. Speech Nationals classes receive a second instructor once enrollment exceeds five students.
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For most students, the best starting point is a comprehensive course that develops speaking, argumentation, and competition fundamentals before specializing. Students with substantial prior experience may be ready for an event-specific class or a Nationals Team.
We recommend a free informational session before a studentâs first registration. We can learn about their age, experience, goals, and schedule and recommend the strongest fit.
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Most regular classes meet for two hours per week. Homework varies by program and is usually manageable within two additional hours, often much less.
Nationals Team students should expect a larger commitment. In addition to weekly class, students practice independently, attend occasional workshops or scrimmages, and compete regularly throughout the season. Students pursuing national-level results should expect consistent practice between classes.
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Yes. If a student has to miss class, contact [email protected]. When possible, we will place the student into another section of the same or a similar class.
The make-up may be online or at another ModernBrain location depending on availability.
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Yes, although some championships require high school students to represent their schools.
For school-only events such as NSDA, NCFL, and some state championships, ModernBrain can help students prepare, establish the necessary accounts, and communicate with school administrators or coaches when appropriate.
Students can compete under ModernBrain at many invitational tournaments and several major national competitions. ModernBrain students have earned individual championships and team sweepstakes awards across these circuits.
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Elementary competitions generally feature shorter events and fewer tournament opportunities. Many elementary speech events are approximately five minutes.
Middle school students have access to a wider competitive circuit, and many speech events expand to approximately 10 minutes. Advanced fifth graders may also compete successfully in middle school divisions, but they usually need to adapt their material to the longer format and stronger field.
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ModernBrain coaches are selected for substantial experience in education, coaching, or high-level competition. Many have won or coached major regional, state, or national championships.
Coaches also complete training related to student safety, mental health, abuse prevention, and parent communication. Background checks and a structured onboarding process are required before instructors lead ModernBrain classes.
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Students and families can volunteer in several ways, including judging younger competitors, serving as teaching assistants, and representing ModernBrain at community events.
Visit our Volunteer with ModernBrain page for current opportunities and eligibility requirements.
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Email [email protected] with the studentâs age, event, goals, and the areas where they want help. Include a performance video for a more thorough evaluation. We will identify an appropriate coach and check availability.
Once a coach is matched, we will send you instructions for purchasing and scheduling the lesson.
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Yes. We offer trials through a short private online session rather than placing prospective students into an established class.
This allows us to evaluate the student and answer questions without interrupting a class whose students are already progressing through a curriculum. After the trial, we can recommend an appropriate program and level.
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We primarily evaluate four areas: motivation, commitment, resilience, and readiness.
Students should genuinely want to compete, have enough availability to attend tournaments, respond constructively to losses and feedback, and possess the foundational skills required for the team they are applying to.
We do not expect students to be finished products. We do expect them to be ready to practice, compete, and improve throughout the season.
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All scheduled events are subject to change. No fees will be refunded or transferred unless a child is unable to participate due to an accident or illness per physician orders.
ModernBrain does not offer refunds after a class begins; funds may be reallocated toward class credit for a future term.
In unforeseen circumstances (e.g., coach's car breaking down, outbreak at an in-person site), ModernBrain reserves the right to move up to two classes per semester from in-person to online. Impacted families will be alerted ASAP.
Any refunds distributed will have third-party vendor service fees subtracted (e.g., Square takes a 3.5% service fee).
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Yes. ModernBrainâs co-founder is fluent in Mandarin, and several members of our team speak Mandarin as well.
If your family would prefer Mandarin support, let us know when contacting us and we will connect you with an appropriate team member when available.
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Yes. ModernBrain programs follow structured curricula with defined skills and learning goals, but coaches adapt pacing and exercises to the students in the room.
Foundational classes are more curriculum-driven. Competition teams become increasingly individualized because students may be preparing different events, cases, speeches, or upcoming tournaments.
College counseling FAQs.
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These activities can help students develop skills colleges value, including communication, research, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, and the ability to perform under pressure.
Competitive success can also provide meaningful external recognition, particularly when a student advances to state, national, or international levels.
The strongest applications connect those accomplishments to a broader story about what the student cares about and how they have grown. Read our How Does Public Speaking Help? page for a deeper explanation.
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C.R.A.S.H. is ModernBrainâs framework for helping students build a balanced extracurricular profile across five areas:
Competitions, Research, Academics, Service, and Hobbies.
The framework helps students identify gaps, develop meaningful long-term projects, and avoid building an application around only grades and generic club participation.
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A passion project is a substantial student-led project built around a genuine interest. Examples might include original research, a publication, an educational program, a community initiative, software, an artistic project, or a small business.
Strong projects usually share three qualities: the student genuinely cares about the subject, they take meaningful ownership of the work, and the project develops over time.
A project should strengthen the story already present in a studentâs application rather than feel manufactured solely for admissions.
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An application persona is the clear picture of a student that emerges when an admissions officer reads the entire application.
Strong applications usually make it easy to understand what the student cares about, what they are unusually good at, and how they have spent their time pursuing those interests. Grades and test scores help demonstrate academic readiness, while activities, essays, recommendations, and accomplishments add personality and distinction.
A useful persona grows from authentic patterns in a studentâs life. It should clarify who the student already is rather than manufacture a character for admissions.
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CollegeVine popularized a four-tier framework for thinking about extracurricular distinction:
Tier 1: Rare national or international accomplishments.
Tier 2: Major state-level achievements or significant leadership.
Tier 3: Strong regional, school, or community involvement.
Tier 4: General participation.This is a useful planning framework, not an official admissions formula. Colleges evaluate activities in context, including the opportunities available to each student.
Speech, debate, mock trial, and Model UN can provide pathways from participation to increasingly significant competitive and leadership achievements.
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The Presidentâs Volunteer Service Award, or PVSA, recognizes sustained volunteer service completed during an eligible service period.
ModernBrain is a certifying organization. Eligible students may earn service hours through approved activities such as judging tournaments, coaching younger students, or serving as a ModernBrain teaching assistant.
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The National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, supports education-based athletics and activities across the United States.
ModernBrain uses NFHS training as part of our student-safety program. Coaches complete relevant safety and student-wellbeing courses, and teaching assistants complete required training before working with younger students.
Speech competition glossary.
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Winning speech requires both strong material and strong delivery. Judges generally reward speeches that are easy to follow, distinctive, well-supported, emotionally engaging, and confidently performed.
Students should understand the ballot for their event, develop a clear point of view, rehearse deliberately, and adapt based on feedback from different judges. At larger tournaments, competitors first advance through preliminary rounds before competing in elimination rounds.
Competitions are commonly hosted through ForensicsTournament.net, SpeechWire, and Tabroom. Many tournaments also require participating teams to provide judges.
ModernBrain students have earned more than 1,700 first-place finishes across speech and debate competitions.
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Assigned Platform, or AP, is a 3-minute memorized persuasive speech. Students receive a short list of possible topics and typically have about two weeks to prepare a speech on one of them.
Because three minutes passes quickly, successful speakers make one focused argument rather than trying to cover too much. Strong speeches usually combine a clear structure, specific evidence or examples, an attention-grabbing opening, and polished delivery.
The goal is to make a compelling argument quickly, clearly, and memorably.
Watch a ModernBrain middle school student win a high school championship in Assigned Platform: Assigned Platform Championship Performance
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Declamation is a performance event in which students deliver a published speech originally written or performed by someone else, such as a TED Talk, political speech, or victim-impact statement.
Middle and high school Declamation is typically 10 minutes, while elementary versions may have a 5-minute limit. In the National Catholic Forensic League, Declamation is offered specifically to students in 9th and 10th grade, although the event is also especially popular in middle school competition.
Strong competitors choose material with a clear message and emotional arc, then make it their own through vocal variety, pacing, facial expression, and interpretation. The introduction should also explain the context and significance of the selection.
At one Middle School Tournament of Champions final, four of the six finalists, including the champion, were ModernBrain students.
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Dramatic Interpretation, usually called DI, is a 10-minute individual performance event. Students perform a dramatic piece without traditional props, costumes, or additional performers.
Successful DI competitors create believable characters, make character transitions clear, and use voice, facial expression, movement, and pacing to communicate the emotional arc of the piece. DI frequently addresses serious subjects such as loss, identity, discrimination, or trauma, so authenticity matters more than simply appearing dramatic.
The best performances also have a clear central message. Judges should understand both what happens in the story and why it matters.
ModernBrain had two finalists, including the champion, in a Middle School Tournament of Champions DI final.
Watch these standout performances here: ModernBrain DI Final Round.
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Duo Interpretation, or Duo, is a 10-minute performance event for two speakers. Partners perform a published script without traditional props or costumes.
Successful Duo depends heavily on chemistry. Partners coordinate their movement, or âblocking,â while developing distinct characters and creating clear transitions between scenes. The cutting still needs a recognizable beginning, middle, and end within the 10-minute limit.
Duo can be humorous, dramatic, or both. Regardless of genre, judges reward performances in which both partners contribute meaningfully and the piece communicates a clear message.
Watch a national championship Duo performance from a ModernBrain coach: ModernBrain National Champion Duo.
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Expository Speaking, often called Expos, is typically a 5-minute informative speech. The goal is to teach the audience something interesting while keeping the presentation engaging and accessible.
Strong Expos speeches begin with an interesting topic or angle and go beyond information the audience could easily find on its own. Research, credible sources, storytelling, vocal variety, and polished body language all help turn information into an engaging presentation.
ModernBrain coaches have both won and coached national championships in Expository Speaking.
Watch a national champion performance coached by ModernBrain: Expository National Champion
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Extemporaneous Speaking, or Extemp, is a current-events event in which competitors receive a question, have 30 minutes to prepare, and then deliver a 7-minute speech.
A strong Extemp speech directly answers the question, usually through a clear introduction, several organized arguments, and a conclusion. Competitors are expected to incorporate credible sources while speaking without a prepared script.
Extemp questions generally fall into two categories: Domestic/National Extemp, covering issues within a competitor's country, and Foreign/International Extemp, covering global politics, conflicts, diplomacy, economics, and international affairs.
Judges reward strong analysis, clear signposting, credible evidence, confident delivery, and an answer that remains focused on the original question.
Watch a nationally ranked ModernBrain alum in Extemp: Nationally Ranked Extemp Speech.
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Humorous Interpretation, or HI, is a 10-minute individual performance event emphasizing comedy, character work, and storytelling. Performers do not use traditional costumes or props.
Many HI competitors portray several characters within one selection. Successful performers make those characters immediately distinguishable through changes in voice, posture, facial expression, and physicality. These rapid transitions are often called âpops.â
Great HI requires more than telling jokes. The performance should still have a coherent plot, well-developed characters, purposeful blocking, and enough emotional variation to sustain a full 10-minute piece.
Watch a ModernBrain Middle School Tournament of Champions finalist: ModernBrain HI Finalist.
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Impromptu Speaking gives students 2 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to speak on an unfamiliar prompt.
Prompts may include quotations, abstract concepts such as âcourage,â current events, people, or physical objects. Students must quickly develop a central idea, choose useful examples, organize the speech, and deliver it without a script.
Judges reward clear structure, relevant examples, confident delivery, eye contact, and the ability to respond genuinely to the specific prompt. Over-reliance on memorized anecdotes can make a speech feel canned, so flexibility is important.
Watch a former national champion coached by ModernBrain: ModernBrain NIETOC Champion.
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Informative Speaking is a 10-minute memorized speech designed to educate and engage an audience rather than persuade it toward a particular position.
Students often use visual aids to make complicated ideas easier to understand. Strong Informative speeches combine a distinctive topic, substantial research, clear organization, memorable explanation, and polished delivery.
Because the speech lasts 10 minutes and is memorized, pacing, vocal variety, body language, and visual design all matter. Visual aids should clarify the content rather than overwhelm it.
Watch an example: National-Level Informative Speech.
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Original Oratory, or OO, is a 10-minute memorized persuasive speech written and delivered by the competitor.
Most Oratories identify an important problem, explain its causes or consequences, and offer a meaningful response or solution. Strong speakers combine credible research with storytelling, humor, personal experience, and persuasive delivery.
The strongest topics usually give the speaker something distinctive to say. A broad issue can work, but the speaker needs a fresh perspective rather than simply repeating arguments judges have heard many times before.
ModernBrain had the champion and two finalists in one Middle School Tournament of Champions OO final.
Watch the performances: ModernBrain OO Final Round.
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Original Spoken Word Poetry is a 5-minute memorized event in which students perform poetry they have written themselves.
Strong pieces use vivid language, imagery, metaphor, rhythm, repetition, alliteration, and other poetic techniques to communicate a clear idea or emotional experience. Personal, cultural, and social subjects are common, but the writing should feel specific to the performer rather than generically inspirational.
Delivery is equally important. Vocal variety, pacing, physical expression, facial expression, and strategic pauses help bring the writing to life.
Watch a ModernBrain middle school student who became a national showcase finalist: ModernBrain Spoken Word Finalist.
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Poetry Interpretation is typically a 5-minute supplemental event in which competitors perform published poetry, usually while holding a black interpretation binder or âblack book.â
Students may combine multiple poems around one theme. The selections should work together rather than feel like unrelated pieces placed beside one another.
Competitors use voice, facial expression, movement, pacing, and the binder itself to interpret the literature. Page turns and changes in the binder's position can help mark transitions when used purposefully.
Strong Poetry performances combine literary understanding with emotional authenticity and a clear thematic throughline.
Watch a national finalist coached by ModernBrain: ModernBrain Poetry Finalist.
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Program Oral Interpretation, or POI, is a 10-minute performance event that combines multiple published sources and genres into one cohesive program.
Students may weave together poetry, prose, plays, articles, speeches, musical lyrics, or other eligible literature. Each source should contribute to one larger argument, narrative, or theme.
Successful POIs require thoughtful literature selection, clear organization, smooth transitions, distinct characterization, purposeful blocking, and a strong central message. Because several sources are being combined, the audience should always understand how each new selection connects to the larger program.
Watch a Middle School National Champion coached by ModernBrain: ModernBrain POI Champion.
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Prose Interpretation is typically a 5-minute supplemental event in which competitors perform published prose while using a black interpretation binder.
Selections may come from novels, short stories, literary nonfiction, or other eligible prose works. A strong cutting still needs a clear beginning, development, climax, and conclusion despite the short time limit.
Performers use character voices, facial expression, pacing, movement, and purposeful interaction with the binder to make the story feel immediate. The best performances also communicate why the story matters rather than simply recounting what happens.
Watch a nationally ranked Prose performance coached by ModernBrain: ModernBrain Prose Performance.
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SPAR stands for Spontaneous Argumentation. It is a short, fast-paced debate format especially common in elementary and middle school competition and as a training exercise for older students.
A common format is:
2 minutes of preparation
2 minutes for the Affirmative constructive
2 minutes for the Negative constructive
2 minutes of cross-examination
2 minutes for each side's closing statementCompetitors may receive one to three possible topics and choose one to debate. Judges typically evaluate logic, responsiveness, clarity, persuasiveness, spontaneity, and delivery.
SPAR develops quick thinking because students cannot rely on extensively researched cases or weeks of preparation.
Watch ModernBrain students compete in SPAR: ModernBrain SPAR Debate.
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Storytelling is typically a 5-minute supplemental speech event in which competitors perform a published story, often for an imagined children's audience.
Students use character voices, facial expression, physicality, pacing, and movement to make the story vivid and understandable. Some versions of the event allow a chair as the single prop.
Successful performances have a clear narrative arc and an accessible message. The vocabulary, character choices, and energy should fit the intended audience without becoming overly simplistic.
Watch a ModernBrain Middle School National Showcase Finalist: ModernBrain Storytelling Finalist.
Debate competition glossary.
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Winning debate requires giving the judge stronger reasons to vote for your side than for your opponent.
Strong debaters build clear arguments, support them with evidence or reasoning, answer opposing arguments directly, and explain why the issues they are winning matter most. The best competitors also adapt. A strategy that succeeds with an experienced technical judge may fail with a parent or community judge who values conversational persuasion.
Preparation matters, but so does decision-making during the round. In later speeches, competitors should narrow the debate to the arguments most likely to determine the ballot rather than trying to repeat everything that has already been said.
ModernBrain trains students in all major debate formats.
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International Public Debate Association, or IPDA, is a one-on-one extemporaneous debate format focused on clear communication, logical reasoning, and persuasive speaking.
Competitors typically receive 30 minutes of preparation before debating a newly assigned topic. Because students cannot rely on weeks of topic-specific preparation, IPDA rewards broad knowledge and the ability to build arguments quickly.
Strong IPDA cases usually contain two or three well-developed arguments rather than a large number of underdeveloped claims. Debaters also need direct refutation, strategic weighing, confident delivery, and the ability to adapt their position as the round develops.
IPDA generally prioritizes accessible real-world argumentation over specialized debate jargon, making it valuable both competitively and as communication training.
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Lincoln-Douglas Debate, or LD, is a one-on-one format traditionally focused on philosophical, ethical, or public-policy questions.
A typical LD round lasts about 45 minutes, and competitors usually debate the same resolution for roughly two months before the topic changes. That gives students time to research deeply, build cases for both sides, and prepare âblocks,â or prewritten responses, to common arguments.
Traditional LD often centers on a value and value criterion, which establish the principle the debater is defending and the standard used to evaluate it. Progressive LD may incorporate rapid speaking, policy-style arguments, debate theory, kritiks, and other technical strategies.
Successful LD competitors need strong research, philosophical reasoning, refutation, judge adaptation, and strategic case construction.
ModernBrain students have earned major national results in LD, including a 1stâ2nd place finish at the Middle School Tournament of Champions.
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Parliamentary Debate, or Parli, is usually a two-on-two extemporaneous debate format.
Competitors typically receive 20 minutes of preparation, and the round lasts approximately one hour. A common format contains six speeches: the first two establish each side's case, the next two develop refutation and clash, and the final two crystallize the major issues.
Topics may involve policy, where one side proposes a change; fact, where teams debate whether something is true; or value, where teams compare principles or priorities.
Parli generally relies less heavily on prewritten evidence than formats such as Policy Debate. It rewards quick reasoning, broad knowledge, teamwork, persuasive speaking, and the ability to adapt.
Watch students of former ModernBrain coaches in a national elimination round: ModernBrain Parli Debate.
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Policy Debate is a two-on-two debate format and one of the most research-intensive forms of competitive debate.
High school competitors generally debate the same national resolution for an entire season. Individual rounds commonly last more than 90 minutes.
Advanced Policy Debate can be highly technical. Competitors may speak rapidly, introduce large amounts of evidence, and debate strategies including disadvantages, counterplans, topicality, kritiks, and debate theory.
ModernBrain's Policy program has coached students to both an NSDA National Championship and a Middle School Tournament of Champions title.
Watch a championship-winning Policy Debate round: ModernBrain Policy Debate Champion.
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Public Forum Debate, or PF, is a two-on-two format centered on current public-policy questions.
The resolution typically changes every one to two months, requiring teams to repeatedly learn new subject areas and prepare both the affirmative and negative sides.
PF combines research, evidence, refutation, strategic comparison, and persuasive delivery. Because judges range from experienced debate coaches to parents and community volunteers, successful PF competitors must be able to explain sophisticated arguments in language a general audience can follow.
Watch students of ModernBrain coaches win a national semifinal round: ModernBrain PF Semifinals.
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The Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Debate Series is a one-on-one debate competition emphasizing clear, persuasive communication for a general audience.
The event uses fact-based resolutions and places greater emphasis on accessibility, organization, rhetoric, and delivery than many highly technical debate circuits. Competitors should be able to explain evidence and reasoning without relying on specialized jargon.
ModernBrain students have repeatedly reached the national elimination rounds.
Watch a ModernBrain 1stâ2nd place closeout at the Western Region Qualifier: RRGC Western Region Qualifier
Watch a ModernBrain coach compete in the national final: ModernBrain Coachâs National Final.
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Student Congress, also called Congressional Debate, simulates a legislative chamber in which students debate proposed bills and resolutions.
Students generally deliver 3-minute speeches, followed by questioning from other competitors. Legislation is typically released two to six weeks before the tournament, allowing students to research both sides in advance.
Simply reading a prepared speech is rarely enough at a high level. Successful competitors listen to the chamber, respond to previous speakers, introduce new evidence or analysis, ask strategic questions, and explain how their arguments should affect the chamber's vote.
ModernBrain has coached both middle school and high school state and national champions in Congressional Debate.
Watch a California State Championship speech: ModernBrain Student Congress Champion.
Watch a Middle School National Championship speech: ModernBrain Student Congress Champion (Middle School, 2022).
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Teams generally have three to five students, although only three speak in each round. Prepared topics are released before the competition, while impromptu motions are typically released one hour before the round.
World Schools does not use a traditional cross-examination period. Instead, opponents may offer short Points of Information, or POIs, during designated portions of a speaker's speech.
Judges evaluate Content, Style, and Strategy, making World Schools especially useful for students who want to combine rigorous argumentation with polished public speaking.
ModernBrain consulted with the West Los Angeles teams that won the NSDA World Schools National Championship in both 2022 and 2023.
Watch the 2022 final: 2022 Final Round
Watch the 2023 final: 2023 Final Round
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ompetitive debate generally ranges from lay/traditional to technical/progressive, although many rounds fall somewhere between the two.
Lay/Traditional debate emphasizes understandable speaking, direct engagement with the resolution, persuasive rhetoric, and arguments a general audience can evaluate.
Tech/Progressive debate may use much faster speaking, denser evidence, debate theory, policy strategies, and specialized arguments such as disadvantages, counterplans, topicality, and kritiks.
Neither approach works for every judge. Advanced competitors learn both styles and adapt their strategy, speed, terminology, and level of explanation to the person evaluating the round.
ModernBrain has created tutorials covering the major technical concepts:
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âSpreadingâ means speaking very rapidly in order to present more arguments and evidence within a fixed speech time.
It is most common in technical Policy Debate and some Lincoln-Douglas circuits. Because traditional or lay judges usually prioritize conversational clarity, spreading can be strategically inappropriate in front of audiences that are not accustomed to it.
Even in technical rounds, faster speaking still needs to be understandable. Organization, articulation, and clear signposting matter because speed has little value if the judge cannot follow the argument.
Watch WIRED's explanation of spreading: WIRED on Spreading.
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Flowing is the structured note-taking system debaters use to track arguments throughout a round.
Debaters usually organize the flow into columns corresponding to different speeches. They use shorthand to record arguments, evidence, responses, and concessions so they can quickly see how each issue has developed.
A strong flow helps competitors identify arguments that have not been answered, avoid âdroppingâ important opponent arguments, and make strategic decisions about what to prioritize in later speeches.
Watch ModernBrain's tutorial on effective flowing: Flowing in Debate
Mock trial glossary.
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Mock Trial asks students to prepare and perform a fictional legal case as attorneys and witnesses.
Teams typically include 4â12 students, and case packets may range from approximately 50 to 300 pages. Each team prepares both sides: prosecution or plaintiff and defense.
A round includes opening statements, direct examinations, cross-examinations, objections, and closing arguments. Attorneys are responsible for legal strategy and courtroom procedure, while witnesses must know their statements thoroughly and portray believable characters under both friendly and hostile questioning.
Individual performances are commonly scored on a 10-point scale, and the team with the stronger cumulative score wins the round.
Strong teams build a clear case theory, explaining what happened and why, along with a memorable theme that connects the individual performances.
Watch ModernBrain-coached students win a college-level national championship: ModernBrain Mock Trial Champions.
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A direct examination allows your own witness to tell the part of the story that helps your case.
Use short, mostly open-ended questions that allow the witness to explain important facts naturally. Organize the examination so the judge can easily understand what happened, why this witness knows it, and why the testimony matters.
The attorney and witness should prepare together. The witness needs to know the record thoroughly, while the attorney should anticipate likely objections and phrase questions to avoid them.
Great directs sound conversational even when they have been extensively rehearsed.
Watch a ModernBrain Mock Trial coach conduct a direct examination in a scuba-diving negligence case: ModernBrain Direct Examination Example.
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A strong cross-examination uses short, leading questions to establish facts that support your case theory or weaken the opposing witness.
Whenever possible, each question should make one point and invite a short answer. Cross-examiners should know exactly where important facts appear in the case packet so they can impeach a witness who contradicts their statement.
Good crosses are selective. Rather than attacking every detail, organize questions into clear sections that build toward a few conclusions the attorney can use later in closing argument.
Cross may expose bias, contradictions, weak assumptions, or facts that support your own version of events.
Watch a ModernBrain coach conduct a competition cross-examination: Mock Trial Cross-Examination Example.
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An opening statement introduces your side's story before the evidence is presented.
Begin with a memorable theme, explain your theory of what happened, identify the most important facts and witnesses, and accurately explain the relevant burden of proof. A criminal prosecution may need to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, while a civil plaintiff commonly uses the lower preponderance of the evidence standard.
The opening should be understandable even to someone who has never read the case packet. Strong openings sound confident and conversational rather than overly theatrical or memorized.
Watch two ModernBrain students deliver opening statements in an International Mock Trial League semifinal: Semifinal Round Opening Statements.
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A closing argument is usually approximately 6â9 minutes and explains why the evidence presented during the trial supports your side.
Return to your theme and case theory, apply the correct burden of proof, identify the strongest testimony and exhibits, and explain weaknesses in the opposing case.
Closing should also respond to what actually happened during the round. If an opponent made an unexpected argument or a witness gave an important answer on cross-examination, incorporate it. A closing that sounds exactly the same before and after trial is usually missing opportunities.
Watch ModernBrain students deliver closing arguments in an International Mock Trial League final: Mock Trial Final Round Closings.
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Mock Trial witnesses are commonly scored on both direct and cross-examination, often with 10 points available for each. Judges reward credibility, responsiveness, character consistency, and the ability to remain believable under pressure.
Four common witness types are experts, who explain specialized information; character witnesses, who often have especially distinctive personalities; party representatives, such as defendants or plaintiffs who are directly connected to the case; and sympathetic witnesses, whose experiences provide an important emotional perspective.
Regardless of category, the strongest witness performances feel natural. A distinctive character can help, but exaggerated acting that makes the witness less believable usually hurts more than it helps.
Watch examples from the Gauntlet College Witness Championship:
Final Round (Expert & Party Representatives): Gauntlet College Witness Championship (Final)
Semifinal Round (Sympathetic & Character Witnesses): Gauntlet College Witness Championship (Semifinal)
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The burden of proof is the legal standard the moving party must satisfy.
In a criminal case, the prosecution generally must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense does not have to prove innocence. Students should use the precise phrase rather than inaccurate substitutes such as âbeyond any doubtâ or âbeyond a shadow of a doubt.â
In a civil case, the plaintiff generally must prove the claim by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning that it is more likely than not to be true.
Some cases also permit affirmative defenses, such as comparative fault, that create additional elements for a party to establish. Always read the case-specific jury instructions and rules carefully.
Mock Trial tournaments are still decided by performance scores rather than an actual legal verdict, but accurately explaining the burden is essential to a credible opening and closing.
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Empire Mock Trial is an international high school competition founded in 2007.
Empire traditionally hosts in-person tournaments in September and November and has also offered online competitions in October and May/June.
Two features distinguish Empire from many other Mock Trial formats. First, its guest-witness system requires teams to work with a witness from another program, testing improvisation and collaboration. Second, teams may participate in Pretrial Oral Argument, or POA, addressing whether important evidence should be admitted before trial.
ModernBrain students have reached Empire finals and earned major attorney, witness, and team awards.
Watch ModernBrain win the Empire championship: ModernBrain at Empire Mock Trial.
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The International Mock Trial League, or IMT, is an online competition league founded in 2022 and open to students in grades 8â12.
IMT uses a streamlined format with two attorneys and two witnesses on each side. Unlike Empire, there is no guest-witness component or Pretrial Oral Argument.
Cases are student-written, and rounds are judged by attorneys, collegiate Mock Trial competitors, and other qualified judges. Teams from the United States and several other countries participate throughout the year.
ModernBrain students have earned extensive team and individual recognition in IMT since the league began.
Access free cases, rules, results, and elimination-round recordings: International Mock Trial League Resources.
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Teach Democracy, formerly known as the Constitutional Rights Foundation or CRF, operates California's major school-based Mock Trial program.
Teams compete through their schools, beginning with county competitions and potentially advancing to the California state championship. Both middle school and high school programs are available.
Compared with many invitational circuits, CRF uses shorter trial components and more restrictive rules governing demonstratives, costumes, accents, and other performance choices.
ModernBrain does not enter independent teams directly into CRF but coaches students who compete through their schools.
Official program information: Teach Democracy / CRF Mock Trial Program.
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Peer Potential operates a major English-language Mock Trial circuit in China, with competitors from cities including Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
The league has offered a winter virtual competition and summer in-person competition. Cases often draw from American high school or collegiate Mock Trial materials, creating a challenging environment for students learning American courtroom procedure in English.
ModernBrain coaches have worked with high-performing Peer Potential teams and served as judges.
Watch Peer Potential championship rounds below.
2023 Final Round: Peer Potential Mock Trial 2023
2024 Final Round, Part 1: Peer Potential Mock Trial 2024 (Part 1)
2024 Final Round, Part 2: Peer Potential Mock Trial 2024 (Part 2)
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The MockOn Tournament of Champions is a competitive online Mock Trial event founded in 2020 by experienced collegiate coaches and competitors.
Like IMT, MockOn uses a streamlined format with two attorneys and two witnesses on each side. It attracts experienced programs and is commonly judged by veteran Mock Trial competitors, coaches, and legal professionals.
ModernBrain has repeatedly earned high team and individual placements at MockOn.
Watch the 2025 final with ModernBrain MockOn Final Round.
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Gladiator is a selective individual competition for advanced high school Mock Trial competitors.
Instead of registering with a normal team, students apply individually and are paired with other competitors. Participants need to prepare attorney and witness roles on both sides of the case and then adapt when tournament-specific changes are introduced.
Applications typically open around February, and the competition takes place during the summer. Students have only a few weeks to prepare before competing with partners they may have just met.
Gladiator therefore tests case mastery, courtroom technique, teamwork, and improvisation at the same time.
ModernBrain is the only program in Gladiatorâs history to close out a final round, taking 1st and 2nd place.
Watch the final here: 2026 Final
Model United Nations (MUN) glossary.
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Model United Nations, or MUN, is a simulation in which students represent countries and work together to address international issues.
Before a conference, students receive a country and committee assignment. Preparation commonly includes researching the country's policies, writing a Position Paper, preparing an opening speech, and building a research binder.
During committee, delegates give speeches, participate in moderated and unmoderated caucuses, negotiate with other countries, form coalitions, and help write working papers and resolutions.
Strong delegates demonstrate accurate country knowledge, strong research, persuasive speaking, diplomacy, collaboration, and the ability to develop realistic solutions.
ModernBrain offers introductory MUN programs for younger students, a foundational program for older students, and an advanced Nationals Team.
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Strong MUN delegates combine excellent preparation with constructive leadership during committee.
Start with deep knowledge of your assigned country's interests, previous actions, and likely policy positions. Arrive with specific evidence and realistic solutions rather than generic talking points.
During moderated caucuses, give concise speeches that add something new to the conversation. During unmoderated caucuses, build relationships, help form a productive bloc, contribute meaningfully to writing, and gather support for workable resolutions.
The best delegates are influential without making collaboration difficult. They know when to lead, when to compromise, and how to remain useful throughout a long conference.
ModernBrain has coached students to dozens of top MUN awards.
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A moderated caucus, often called a mod, is a timed period of formal debate focused on one specific part of the committee's larger topic.
To propose one, a delegate generally specifies three things: the total duration, the individual speaking time, and the topic. For example, a student might motion for a 10-minute moderated caucus with 45-second speaking times on funding a proposed program.
Once the motion passes, delegates raise their placards and the Chair recognizes speakers one at a time.
Strong delegates treat a moderated caucus as a conversation rather than a series of unrelated speeches. Reference what other countries have said, introduce relevant research, and adapt your contribution as committee develops.
Early mods often identify problems or propose ideas. Later mods are more likely to compare solutions, discuss feasibility, or advocate for specific resolution language.
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An unmoderated caucus, or unmod, is a timed period in which delegates can leave formal speaking order and communicate directly with one another.
A delegate might motion for a 10-minute unmoderated caucus. If the motion passes, students move around the room, compare ideas, form blocs, negotiate, and begin writing working papers or draft resolutions.
Most productive unmods involve three activities: meeting potential allies, developing a working coalition, and building support for a resolution.
Strong delegates do more than dominate the group. Some lead discussion, others organize the writing, manage negotiations, develop technical solutions, or ensure quieter delegates remain involved. Chairs often notice students who make the entire bloc more effective.
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A Position Paper, sometimes called a Policy Paper, is typically a one-page document explaining the assigned country's position on the committee topic.
A strong paper usually accomplishes three things. First, establish the country's perspective and relevant history. Second, explain its specific relationship to the problem, including previous policies, successes, failures, treaties, or actions. Third, propose realistic solutions the country could actually support.
Solutions should be specific and workable within the committee's authority. Names, dates, statistics, existing programs, treaties, and other concrete evidence make the paper more credible.
Avoid filling space with generic background information. Every paragraph should either teach the Chair something meaningful about your country's position or advance a useful solution.
Speech and debate award glossary.
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A bid is a qualifying result used by certain Tournament of Champions-style competitions to determine eligibility.
The exact system depends on the championship. At NIETOC, for example, students can qualify through designated bid tournaments or other approved qualification routes. The University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions and Northwestern Extemp TOC use their own qualification systems.
Because the requirements differ by event and year, students should check the current qualification rules rather than assuming that every strong tournament finish earns the same type of bid.
NIETOC qualification information: NIETOC Bid and Qualification Details
UK Tournament of Champions information: UKTOC Bid Tournament Guidelines
ModernBrain students have earned hundreds of bids.
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A rank is the placement a judge gives a competitor within a speech round.
A rank of 1 means the judge considered that student the strongest speaker in the room. Depending on the tournament, judges may rank every competitor individually or use slightly different ranking procedures.
Tournament administrators combine ranks from several preliminary rounds to determine advancement and awards.
Because speech judging is partly subjective, successful students learn to communicate in a way that appeals to different judges while still maintaining their own style.
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To picket fence a speech tournament means earning first-place ranks throughout the competition, creating a sequence such as 1-1-1-1-1 that resembles the posts of a fence.
It is an unusually dominant result because different judges often have different preferences. Picket fencing therefore usually requires a speech with broad judge appeal, excellent content, strong organization, technical polish, and exceptional delivery.
ModernBrain's national-level speech coaches work with students on the content and performance skills necessary to earn consistently strong rankings.
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To break means to advance beyond preliminary rounds into the elimination portion of a tournament.
Depending on the size and format of the competition, students may break to octofinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, or another elimination stage.
Not every tournament has elimination rounds. At some smaller events, final awards are calculated directly from preliminary-round results.
ModernBrain students have advanced to elimination rounds thousands of times.
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Speaker points are numerical scores judges give individual competitors in many debate tournaments and some speech competitions.
The scoring scale varies. Some tournaments use numbers around the 20s or 30s, while others use much larger scales. These points may serve as tiebreakers and are frequently used to determine Top Speaker awards.
In debate, strong speaker points generally reflect clear communication, effective argumentation, strategic decision-making, organization, and responsiveness.
The tournament's win-loss record still determines the central competitive outcome, but speaker points recognize the quality of an individual's performance within those rounds.
ModernBrain students have earned hundreds of Top Speaker awards.
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The National Speech & Debate Association awards merit points for eligible competition, service, and leadership activities.
Students accumulate points throughout their participation and earn increasingly advanced Honor Society degrees. Coaches or school advisors record eligible points through the student's NSDA account.
Point accumulation can also contribute to recognition and national rankings. These records can help document sustained involvement in speech and debate, although colleges evaluate them as part of the student's broader academic and extracurricular record rather than through a universal admissions formula.
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Sweepstakes are team awards recognizing the combined performance of many competitors from the same school or program.
Instead of rewarding one exceptional student, sweepstakes measure depth. Teams typically earn points when students advance or place highly across multiple events.
Winning sweepstakes therefore demonstrates that a program can develop successful students across a broader roster rather than depending on one or two top competitors.
ModernBrain has earned more than 100 sweepstakes and top-team awards, including at national-level tournaments.
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These are team awards presented at the NSDA National Tournament for strong cumulative school performance.
Schools of Outstanding Distinction recognize schools with exceptional combined success across speech and debate. Speech Schools of Excellence and Debate Schools of Excellence recognize high-performing programs within those divisions, followed by additional Schools of Honor recognition.
The awards reflect the results of an entire school program rather than one individual competitor.
Because the high school NSDA National Tournament is school-based, students must compete through their schools rather than through an independent after-school academy. ModernBrain coaches can still help students prepare and coordinate with school programs.
Speech and debate league glossary.
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The National Speech & Debate Association, or NSDA, is the largest school-based speech and debate organization in the United States. It was founded in 1925 as the National Forensic League.
The NSDA holds national championships each June for middle and high school competitors.
At the middle school level, students can participate through the NSDA's middle school system without the same district-qualification structure used in high school.
At the high school level, students generally qualify through their local NSDA district tournament and compete through their school.
ModernBrain helps students prepare for NSDA competition and regularly coaches students who reach national elimination rounds and championships.
For more information or to register with the NSDA, visit the NSDA Signup Page.
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The University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions, commonly called the UKTOC or simply the TOC, is one of the country's major national speech and debate championships.
High school competitors in many events must qualify through designated bid tournaments. The TOC is particularly well known for advanced circuit debate, including technical and progressive styles.
Middle school participation follows different qualification rules and does not generally require the same bid process.
ModernBrain students have reached high school elimination rounds and won middle school championships at the Tournament of Champions.
Visit the UKTOC Official Website.
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National Online Forensics, or NOF, operates online speech and debate competitions for students from elementary school through college.
Competitions occur throughout the season and include both live synchronous and pre-recorded asynchronous formats, allowing students to compete regardless of location.
The circuit is open-access rather than requiring prior qualification for regular-season participation. It is particularly popular among elementary and middle school competitors, although high school and college divisions are also offered.
ModernBrain students regularly compete in NOF events and have earned individual championships and team sweepstakes awards.
Visit the NOFL Official Website.
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The California High School Speech Association, or CHSSA, oversees major school-based speech and debate competition in California.
At the high school level, students qualify through their regional leagues and represent their schools at the state championship. Middle school competition uses a different structure and may permit independent academies or programs to participate.
CHSSA offers a wide range of speech and debate categories and maintains its own California-specific rules and championship procedures.
Many ModernBrain coaches are former CHSSA champions or have coached state champions, and ModernBrain students have earned extensive success in California middle school competition.
Visit the CHSSA Official Website.
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The Texas Forensic Association, or TFA, is a major organization overseeing high school speech and debate competition in Texas.
Students compete at qualifying tournaments throughout the season and work toward eligibility for the TFA State Tournament.
Middle school ModernBrain students may compete in some high school-level TFA invitationals for experience, but state-championship eligibility is governed by TFA's high school rules.
For Texas students, the circuit provides frequent high-level competition in speech, Congress, and multiple debate formats.
Visit the TFA Official Website.
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The National Individual Events Tournament of Champions, or NIETOC, is a major national championship focused on individual speech events.
Competitors generally attend in May after qualifying through designated tournament results or other approved qualification routes during the season.
NIETOC uses multiple preliminary and elimination rounds, meaning successful competitors are evaluated by a large number of judges over the course of the tournament rather than relying on one performance.
ModernBrain students have won NIETOC national championships, reached numerous final rounds, and earned team sweepstakes recognition.
Visit the NIETOC Official Website.
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Adults can continue competing or practicing public speaking through several organizations.
International Public Debate Association: IPDA offers one-on-one extemporaneous debate. A common format includes approximately 30 minutes of preparation followed by a roughly 30-minute debate. Competitors can participate beyond the traditional Kâ12 setting.
More information about IPDA can be found on their official website.
Watch a ModernBrain national champion coach competing in IPDA:: Watch the Debate.
Professional Speech and Debate Association: ProSDA runs virtual adult competitions with events such as Impromptu, Oratory, Interpretation, and SPAR. Competitions include divisions for newer and more experienced speakers.
Watch a ProSDA spontaneous-speaking final: ProSDA Final Round Example
Visit the Professional Speech and Debate Association.
Toastmasters International: Toastmasters clubs provide ongoing public-speaking practice in communities around the world. Members commonly prepare 5â7 minute speeches and participate in impromptu-speaking exercises. Many clubs meet weekly, and Toastmasters also offers a competitive speaking pathway.
For adults interested in practical communication training beyond competition, ModernBrain coaches also share speaking strategies through the AuthenTalk Public Speaking Podcast.