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Sample ballot, with notes

For new judges and the coaches who train them: a made-up Prose round, ranked and scored by the rules, with a weak comment beside the helpful ones.

Made by MiSpeechHub, not MIFA. Judges always score on the official ballot.

Sample ballot, with notes

What makes a comment helpful

  • It names a moment: a line, a character, a part of the piece.
  • It says what worked, so the student keeps doing it.
  • It gives one thing to try next time.
  • It is about the performance, never the person, their looks or their clothes.
  • It is kind. A student reads every word.
  • Write at least three points for each speaker.

Ranks and scores, as on this sample

  • One 1st, one 2nd and one 3rd. Everyone else is 4th.
  • 1st is always 100. Everyone else gets 80–99.
  • No two speakers in a room get the same number.
  • 75–79 is only for misconduct, with the misconduct box ticked first. Not used here.

Prose Interpretation · Prelim 1

A1 · The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter

1st · 100

Less helpful

Amazing!! Perfect.

Helpful

  • • The shift from the calm opening to the storm scene was clear in your voice and your posture.
  • • Your pause before the last line let the room feel the ending.
  • • Next time, slow the middle section a little so the letter scene lands as well as the storm.

C2 · Saturday at the Laundromat

2nd · 96

Less helpful

Funny.

Helpful

  • • Your timing on the jokes about the broken dryer got real laughs.
  • • The narrator and the grandmother sounded clearly different.
  • • The serious turn near the end came quickly. Give it a breath so we believe the change.

B1 · Where the River Bends

3rd · 93

Less helpful

Good job, but not as good as the others.

Helpful

  • • Strong eye contact in your introduction drew us in.
  • • The flashback was easy to follow because you changed where you focused.
  • • Some lines in the middle ran together. Vary your pace to show which moments matter most.

D3 · The Last Bus Home

4th · 90

Less helpful

Speak up.

Helpful

  • • The opening image of the empty bus stop was vivid.
  • • In the back of the room I lost some words in the second half. Aim your voice at the back wall.
  • • Your ending was thoughtful. Hold the final moment a beat longer before you close.

E1 · My Brother’s Bicycle

4th · 87

Less helpful

Too short.

Helpful

  • • Your energy as the younger sister was believable and fun to watch.
  • • Your time was 4:40. Adding a scene could help the story build.
  • • Try one clear gesture for the bicycle instead of several quick ones.

F2 · Notes from the Night Shift

4th · 85

Less helpful

I didn’t like this story.

Helpful

  • • You chose a piece with a strong, steady narrator voice.
  • • You looked down at the script often. Knowing the opening better would free your face.
  • • The nurse’s tiredness came through. Show us one moment where she lets it go.

Reason for rank

Less helpful

A1 was the best.

Helpful

A1 and C2 both built clear characters; A1 ranked first because the storm scene and the ending moved the whole room. B1 was close behind, with a strong introduction and a little less variety in pace.

A sample for teaching. Judges write on the official MIFA ballot.

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