Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
British schools are very good at developing public speaking skills. Public Schools in particular attach some importance to public speaking and the prep schools make sure the children are prepared for this. This is often done as part of the classroom program, but the children are also encouraged to particvipate in both intra- and inter-school competitions. Almost all schools have a school public speaking competition of some kind.
At the moment we run three major "cultural competitions" in the course of a year: the Reading Competition, Young Nusician of the Year and Mastermind. In 1989 we plan to add a fourth: a public speaking competition. There will be a Cup awarded and the usual £10 and £5 prizes for the winner and runner-up. Eloquence and diction are necessary adjuncts to oral communication, and oral communication is an integral part of learning English. I am sure we should try to do more to promote better, more fluent, more elegant diction in the young, and not regard English teaching as meerly fstering the written side of communication. Children will be given more details next term of how the Public Speaking Competition is to be administered.
"Harecroft Hall Newsletter," December 1988.
We were delighted that Mrs. Rosdaling Spedding was able to act as Adjudicator in the final round of the 1987 Competition, held before a large audience in the Wortham Hall towards the end of the Christmas Term. There was a huge entry, which was most encoraging .... As will be seen, there was a wide variety of choices made. Mrs Spedding spoke very highly of the general standard of presentation and performance, but reminded the contestants of the need to include the audience more closely, by speaking to them,and not to the reading desk or the back of the Hall. She also remarked how much it had helped to make it interesting and, at times, amusing evening that the boys had clearly chosen passages of pfose and poems that really appealed to them.
Fanfare Mount House School, Autumn 1988
Another child's finished.
And you're waiting to begin.
You set there wishing, hoping,
That the ceiling woud fall in!
Then a large and booming voice cries,
"Could we ave Kate Nellist, please!"
The other children push you,
And you get up, though your knees
Are wobbling like jelly,
And your cheeks are burning hot,
And now you are not even sure,
Whether you know your lines, or not.
You know if you forget them.
You for ever will be teased,
And your parents and Miss Way.
Will certainly not be pleased!
You start to say your poem,
Until the very last line.
You walk back to the table,
And the voice says "That was fine!"
Kate Nellist, Junior Wyvern Queen's College Junior School, 1989-90.
