Foundation

Activity 2 : Speaking by Heart

Speaking by Heart gives students an opportunity to develop a real appreciation of poetry and drama, and to express themselves in a way that builds confidence. Presenting poetry or drama has important educational benefits – it can expose students to new and exciting vocabulary, figurative language and text structure. Most fundamentally, poetry and drama allow us to connect with words in a way we can't do with other written forms of language. To help students make the most of this section, see our top tips below:  Ensure that students are genuinely interested in their selected poem or monologues. The more students feel connected to their choice, the more they will be able to interpret it with confidence and creativity.  If students are struggling to make a choice, consider selecting a small number of poems and monologues that contain the opportunity for vocal variety. Allow each group (for example 6 students) to read and pass the pieces round. Each student might then select one or two to read aloud to their group. You could then ask students who have chosen the same piece to work together.

16