Make Poetry Come to Life By Speaking It Aloud
Bring Stories to Life With Your Voice

Do you want to speak more clearly, express yourself more persuasively, think more deeply, and learn to tell stories and recite poetry well? For the sheer fun of doing it?

Do you sometimes feel nervous about speaking out, or speaking up?

Yes? 

Great - then this course will help you find the hidden power in your voice. By using powerful words and strong images in stories, and learning to modulate your voice to bring out the magic in the ideas and the words of the texts we'll be looking at, you'll develop confidence and skill that will help you conquer nerves, communicate more effectively and learn about some great works of literature in a fun way.

The exercises we'll cover will help you speak more clearly and will enourage deep thinking around the topics in the texts, which span centuries of human thought and come from a range of cultures and eras.

This 'Performing Poetry, Speaking Stories' course draws on this rich cultural heritage, drawing on classical techniques of voice training and storytelling skills, bringing the exercises up to date and making them relevant to the you today without losing any of their original magical power.

It will be of special appeal to those interested in drama, performance, and music - as well as those who just enjoy stories and want to improve their ability to speak in public with confidence.

On this course you'll cover the following:

• Three key elements of poetry: Metre, Rhythm, Rhyme.
• Dealing with dialogue.
• Speaking verse so it flows 'trippingly off the tongue' without tripping you up.
• Stories and poems that pack a punch.
• Dealing with Timing. Speed. Volume. Pitch. Emotional Tone.
• How to bring a story to life.
• Learn key techniques for persuasive speeches through engaging with examples in story.
• You will be encouraged to do your own research into stories on particular themes as well.

About Leon

Leon is a teacher steeped in the wonder and wisdom of the traditional integrated and integrative classical liberal arts, and is a keen supporter of living traditions, including living traditions of oral storytelling. He is author of several books including Aesop The Storyteller (Aladdin's Cave Press, 2008), a collection of 12 versified Aesopic fables, and History Riddles (Liberalis Books, 2013).

Requirements

Students will need standard stationery supplies, and access to digital resources and word processing facility. They will need EITHER a digital shared workplace OR a hard copy A4 ring-file binder with dividers. In both cases, they will need facilities to upload clear scans or pictures of homework tasks. All courses will be taught on line in a specialised learning environment - a fast broadband connection is advisable.

Accessibility and Flexibility

The course is open to students at KS2 level and content will be adapted to individual levels and interests as much as possible. Special needs students can be provided for (please contact the tutor to discuss before enrolling) and assessments can be handed in via video rather than in written format, with videos uploaded to YouTube and shared via private link.