SpeechMaze · The Global Youth Speaking Championship
See what the best young speakers do, and leave with three things your child can practice this week
The Global Youth Speaking Championship final, live and free. Finalists ages 5 to 14 were chosen from 106 students in more than 30 countries. Watch them speak, then hear what set them apart.
Saturday, November 7 · 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Online · Free to watch
106
students entered Round 1
30+
countries
19
judges on the panel
2
age groups, from 5 to 14
SpeechMaze 2026
One global stage
Students ages 5 to 14 from more than 30 countries recorded a speech for Round 1. On November 7, the finalists take the stage live.
For parents
If this sounds like your child
- They have plenty to say at home and go quiet when a teacher calls on them.
- They read their presentation off the slide.
- They rush, and their best idea gets lost.
- They fill every pause with "um" and "like."
- They want to try debate or a speech competition and don't know where to start.
Each of these is a skill a student can practice. On November 7 you'll see students your child's age who have.
Last season
Meet last year's winners
This is the level the finalists bring. Press play with your child.
The hour
What you'll watch
2:00 PM ET
The Championship Round
The top finalists from each age group, chosen in the 1 PM rounds, deliver their speeches to the judging panel. Ages 5 to 9 speak on "If I Could Solve One Problem in the World." Ages 10 to 14 speak on "The Skill That School Doesn't Teach but Everyone Needs."
2:35 PM ET
What the finalists did differently
While the judges deliberate, Ghalia walks through three things the finalists did that most students their age don't, and how your child can practice each one at home this week.
2:45 PM ET
Special awards and Regional Champions
Awards for standout speeches from across Round 1, finalist or not, and the top speaker from each region of the world.
2:50 PM ET
Winners announced
First, second and third place in each age group, live. First-place winners receive a $100 Educational Achievement Award and a month of TalkMaze coaching.
Ghalia's segment
Three things you'll take home
Each one comes with an exercise your child can try the same evening.
1
How the finalists open
The first ten seconds decide whether a room listens. You'll see the openings that worked and a simple way to practice one at home.
2
How they make a speech easy to follow
Finalists give every speech a clear shape: one point, a reason, an example. You'll learn the structure and a two-minute exercise to build it.
3
How they use pace and pauses
Strong speakers slow down where it matters. You'll hear the difference and leave with a drill for replacing "um" with a pause.
For parents and students
Why it's worth an hour of your Saturday
See what students your child's age can do
Every finalist is between 5 and 14. Watching someone their own age hold a room gives your child a concrete picture to aim for.
Cheer on students from around the world
Round 1 entries came from more than 30 countries, including India, Canada and Saudi Arabia. It's a warm room, and the finalists have earned their spot.
Watch the judges' standards in action
The panel scores structure, clarity, confidence, pacing and how well a speaker holds an audience. You'll hear what that looks like at the top of the field.
Is this hour for you?
It's for you if
- You're the parent of a student ages 5 to 17
- Your child has a presentation, debate, interview or speech competition coming up
- You're thinking about public speaking coaching and want to see the standard first
- You teach or coach and want examples to show your students
It's probably not for you if
- You want a lecture on public speaking theory. Most of the hour is students speaking.
- You need a fix for a presentation tomorrow morning. These are habits, built over weeks.
Your host
Ghalia Aamer, founder of TalkMaze
Ghalia's grade two report card said she needed to engage more with her classmates. She joined the debate team in grade seven, went on to compete at nationals four times, and has since given four TEDx talks.
In tenth grade she went back to coach her old middle school's debate team, which grew from 20 to 80 students in three years. She founded TalkMaze in 2020, received the Diana Award for her work with young people, and is a graduate of Columbia Law School.
About SpeechMaze
A real stage, free for every student
Free for every student
No entry fee in either round. First-place winners receive a $100 Educational Achievement Award and a month of TalkMaze coaching.
One rubric for every speech
Judges score ten criteria, from organization to audience engagement, each from 1 to 10. Every speech is held to the same standard.
Feedback on every speech
Judges write a strength, a next step and specific comments for each speech they score, and those go back to the student.
Students their own age
106 students from more than 30 countries entered this year, in two age groups: 5 to 9 and 10 to 14.
Key dates
October 15
Finalists announced
November 7, 2 PM ET
The live final, free to watch
November 7 to 14
Scorecard assessments for registered families
The finalists
Who you'll be cheering for
Ages 5 to 9 · 15 finalists
Ages 10 to 14 · 39 finalists
From TalkMaze parents
What families say
★★★★★
“I really appreciated being able to see not only what she did well, but also the specific areas she can continue to work on. ... The lesson was well structured, warm, encouraging, and engaging from beginning to end.”
★★★★★
“My son mentioned that the speech lesson actually helped him with his Language Arts class work and tests.”
★★★★★
“He likes Coach Deem a lot. He seems engaged and is learning a lot. Also appreciate the class session summary and the ability to go back and watch the videos.”
★★★★★
“She recently participated in the TalkMaze Speech Competition and placed as a finalist, earning the Rising Star Award.”
The TalkMaze path
From quiet in class to the judges' table
- 1
Quiet in class
Good ideas, short answers. Speaking up feels like a risk.
- 2
A free assessment
A 30-minute session with a TalkMaze coach to find where to start.
- 3
The same coach every week
1-on-1 sessions on structure, pace and presence, with Miles earned every session.
- 4
Speaking to a room
Students present at Circle, the TalkMaze speaking club, in front of peers.
- 5
Competing on a real stage
SpeechMaze, scored on a ten-criteria rubric, with feedback on every speech.
- 6
Judging the next generation
Some come back to sit on the panel.
Three of this year's judges trained with TalkMaze
Alex H.
Grade 10, San Diego
Trained with TalkMaze for a couple of years and has since won many speech awards, including a third-place finish at the international level.
Viktoria O.
Grade 11, Calgary
TalkMaze alumna and a Youth Alpha leader at her school. As a judge, she looks for clear communication and natural, expressive gestures.
Ritaj A.
Biochemistry, University of Calgary
TalkMaze alumna and high school debater. As a judge, she watches how well a speaker organizes their main points.
After the final
For registered families: your child's scorecard
Between November 7 and Friday, November 14, registered families can book a free 30-minute assessment with a TalkMaze coach. Your child gets scored on the same rubric the SpeechMaze judges used, with a written scorecard afterward: where they're strong, and the skills a coach would start with.
TalkMaze offers 1-on-1 online public speaking coaching for students ages 5 to 17, with the same coach every week. Coaching starts at $37 a week.
“The lesson plan and the immediate feedback is priceless!”
Questions
Saturday, November 7 at 2 PM ET
Free, online, about an hour.
Register to watchFollow @speechmaze and @talkmaze on Instagram for competition updates and finalist highlights.