Le Concours d’art oratoire is a public-speaking event, which has become a yearly event for many schools across the province. Classroom, school and then divisional level competitions lead to the provincial competitions.

Participating students choose a subject in which they are particularly interested, naturally resulting in a carefully prepared and enthusiastic presentation. The speech may be designed to inform, to convince, or to amuse the audience. The presentation must be the student's original work and committed to memory. The only exception is for those students in the Core/Basic French categories, grade 4 and grades 5/6. Those students recite one of two French poems selected by the Concours Coordinator.

A valuable skill in itself, public speaking provides students with experience in research and writing. Confidence and self-esteem are also gained. Public speaking events are fun and exciting activities. They offer many opportunities for students to meet new people, exchange new ideas, challenge their abilities, and communicate in French with people other than their teachers.

Students are judged on voice, quality of language, choice of subject, gesture, and their response to a question from the jury. Judges and questioners are given a small token of appreciation for their contribution of time and effort to this daylong event.

Early Immersion Grades	Late Immersion Grades	Core French/Core Extended Grades	Français Grades	Secondary Students Impromptu
3 & 4		4*	3 & 4
5 & 6		5 & 6*	5 & 6
7 & 8	7 & 8	7 & 8	7 & 8
9 & 10	9 & 10	9 & 10	9 & 10	9 & 10
11 & 12	11 & 12	11 & 12	11 & 12	11 & 12

Speeches will be judged according to voice, quality of language, choice of subject, oratory skill and response to a question at the end of the presentation.

For more information or to volunteer at this event, contact the CPF–MB office at 222-6537 or email jsteinthorson@cpfmb.com

Certificates of participation are awarded at all levels of the Concours competition; approximately 9,000 certificates are distributed throughout the province of Manitoba. Ribbons are awarded to divisional winners and plaques are awarded to provincial Concours winners. As well, a trophy is loaned to the winner's school for one year bearing the name of their student. Winners from Grade 7 to Grade 12 receive cash awards with values between $100 and $200 each.

First place winners in the Grade 11/12 category, with the exception of Impromptu, will get the opportunity to travel to Ottawa where the national competition will be held. The grand prize for each of the first place winners at this event is a $20,000 scholarship to the University of Ottawa. Each of the finalists who compete at the national level will be granted an entrance scholarship of $2,000 to the University of Ottawa.