WINTER 2016 DIALOGUE

Telling tales TED CURATOR CHRIS ANDERSON ON THE POWER OF STORIES – AND HOW TO TELL YOURS

The Marsh Award for Children’s Literature

Talking in class – why oracy matters

Team triumph at World Schools Debating Championship DISCOVER FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL YOUR VOICE English-Speaking Union

WHAT IS DISCOVER YOUR VOICE? Our Discover Your Voice Training and TELLING TALES Outreach programme teaches debating and public speaking skills in schools all over the UK, and we are growing. Our incredibly talented and committed mentor hat was your favourite childhood story? oracy and promoting verbal communication skills network delivers sessions for students That’s the question we asked some of amongst young people so that they can realise their full at primary and level, our contributors this month. Their potential. On pages 14-19 you can read about different reaching thousands of young people responses (page 6) will no doubt strike aspects of this work, including the launch of the new per year. We offer introductory training aW chord with many of us, moving us not only back in time Oracy Network, an exciting alliance dedicated to to get schools enthusiastic about debating to our younger selves, but also in (virtual) space fostering oracy skills and to raising awareness of their as well as bespoke training for teams that to the adventures we lived with the stories’ protagonists. importance. Don’t miss Beccy Earnshaw’s piece about the want to enter (and win!) our competitions. As a child, I was an avid reader and devoured many ground-breaking and inspirational work of School 21, a Our sessions leave participants of the books that I now know to be classics in the world project of Voice 21, our key collaborator in the network. enthusiastic about debating, and of translated children’s literature. Pippi TED – the non-profit organisation confident about the value of their opinion. They have discovered their voice! Longstocking and Heidi, as well as the devoted to spreading ideas through Tintin and Asterix comic books, were all ‘TRANSLATORS the vehicle of short, compelling talks originally published in a language other PLAY A KEY ROLE – knows better than most the TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP: than English. Despite this, translated IN OPENING importance of the spoken word and If you, like us, believe that debating literature makes up a very small UP THE WORLD the impact it can have. And as TED and public speaking skills are essential to percentage of the total number of OF LITER ATURE curator Chris Anderson attests, one a young person’s development, then please children’s books published in the UK – AND INDEED of the most powerful tools in the use your network to bring schools in touch each year – just think how many other speaker’s arsenal is, of course, the with the work we do. It could be through THE WOLRD AS gems might be slipping through the net. story. Read his tips on how to tell your old school, your children’s school A WHOLE – TO As part of our work at the ESU to yours to best effect on page 28. or that of your neighbours, friends or promote cross-cultural exchange, we’re YOUNG READERS’ So what was my favourite story? colleagues. Please help us to enable more young people to discover their voice and delighted to offer the Marsh Children’s It has to be the Mrs. Pepperpot series, refer our programme to a school you know. Literature in Translation Award which recognises by Norwegian author Alf Prøysen. The country-living, the important role that translators play in opening grandmotherly heroine would suddenly shrink to the size Are you a member of an ESU branch? up the world of literature – and indeed the world of a pepperpot, be caught up in great (largely domestic) Then why not talk to your committee as a whole – to young readers. This year, the 20th adventures and could magically converse with animals. about funding a Discover Your Voice anniversary of the award, saw 27 entries translated Happily for me, I got to read them not once but several workshop for a local state school from 12 different languages competing for the top times – my children loved them too! in your region. This will allow us to reach even more young people who prize of £3,000. Turn to page 30 to see the shortlist We’d love to know about your favourite childhood would otherwise be unable to develop (the winner will be announced on Wednesday, 25th story in translation – email us at [email protected]. life-changing debating and public January 2017), and to read translator Daniel Hahn’s speaking skills. fascinating account of writing in another voice. Of course, here at the ESU, we’re not only interested To find our more about the in written stories. A key part of our work is involved in JANE EASTON, DIRECTOR-GENERAL programme visit esu.org/dyv

2 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 3 ESU Directory CONTENTS of Contacts News 8 Team England wins World Schools Debating The contacts below are your first port of call for general enquiries in the different departments Championship; new caterers at Dartmouth at Dartmouth House

House; a look back at a successful Debate RECEPTION / GENERAL ENQUIRIES Academy and the importance of oracy. Fiona Robinson 020 7529 1550 • [email protected]

DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE OUR WORK Kay Dacey, Executive Assistant 8 020 7529 1561 • [email protected] Pipe up at the back 16 CATERING / COMMERCIAL BOOKING ENQUIRIES Director of Voice 21, Beccy Earnshaw, 26 Teaching resource Harbour + Jones at Dartmouth House makes the case for the teaching of spoken The latest addition to our series of free teaching 020 7529 1578 • [email protected] communication in schools – and we announce resources introduces students to the idea of human MEMBERSHIP Gail Featherstone, Membership Officer the launch of the new Oracy Network. rights and how to articulate and defend their beliefs. 020 7529 1585 • [email protected] Shikha Kapoor, Membership Administrator International ESUs 20 30 Writing in another voice 020 7529 1571 • [email protected] Why joining the ESU opens up As we announce the shortlist for the Marsh Award EDUCATION opportunities across the world. Duncan Partridge, Director of Education for Children’s Literature in Translation, writer, editor 020 7529 1570 • [email protected] and translator Daniel Hahn shares his insights into Leela Koenig, Head of Oracy This house believes 22 the dark art of writing someone else’s book. 020 7529 1584 • [email protected] Melanie Aplin, Head of International Programmes The European Union as an 020 7529 1591 • [email protected] institution has succeeded. PUBLIC SPEAKING Maia Gibbs, Head of Education Network 020 7529 1593 • [email protected] 28 Telling tales A momentous moment in Westminster 24 COMMUNICATIONS TED curator Chris Anderson on the irresistible allure Anna Quenby, Director of Communications French student Simon Salomon speaks of stories, and how to tell yours to maximum effect. 020 7529 1561 • [email protected] to Dialogue about his internship in Craig Lucy McDonnell, Head of Editorial Mackinlay MP’s office the week after Brexit. 020 7529 1575 • [email protected] OUR ALUMNI Natasha McGowan, Communications Officer 020 7529 1574 • [email protected] A tale of two cities 25 34 ‘Oh! But you’re women!’ ALUMNI To celebrate the signing of a memorandum Kim Preston and Helen Berry, the ESU’s first Alex Orpin, Alumni Officer of cooperation between the and Tbilisi all-female US debate tour team, recall their 1991 020 7529 1569 • [email protected] ESUs, we take a diverting look at the trip and the extraordinary reactions they received. FINANCE similarities between the two cities. Marie Bond, Director of Finance & Operations 020 7529 1567 • [email protected] BRANCHES Tracy Hanlon, Finance Administrator 020 7529 1581 • [email protected] 38 News and diary dates 25 A look at the events and work of ESU branches Dialogue is published by the around the country. English-Speaking Union, Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London, W1J 5ED www.esu.org MEMBERSHIP Twitter: @theESU Facebook: The English-Speaking Union 49 What membership means to me Managing Editor: Lucy McDonnell 16 020 7529 1575 • [email protected] Seventeen-year-old Serena Parek tells us how ‘Students become able to explain Consultant Editor: Natasha Goodfellow her ESU membership has influenced her life. Design: Zed Publishing Limited ideas and emotions to other people, www.zedpublishing.co.uk HERITAGE Art Director: Lee Penton not only in a school setting but in Art Editors: Sarah Browne, Stuart Mabbett 50 From the archives Account Director: Matthew Jenns In the middle of the Battle of the Atlantic, Evelyn Every effort is made to ensure that information in Dialogue is accurate and correct. However, the Roy was offered a place at a prestigious US summer their lives outside the classroom too’ ORACY English-Speaking Union accepts no responsibility for school – would she risk the journey across the ocean? inaccuracies or any consequences arising from them.

4 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 5 CONTRIBUTORS EVENTS

To celebrate the announcement of the shortlist for the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation, we ask our contributors… ‘What was your favourite childhood book and why?’

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Thanksgiving dinner BECCY KENZA LUCIA DUMONT SIMON Friday, 25th November at Dartmouth House, London W1 EARNSHAW WILKS RENARD SALOMON From 6.30 pm My favourite childhood I really enjoyed Alexandre Dumas’ On The Road, by Join us at the English-Speaking Union’s headquarters as we celebrate our books were collections Esio Trot by Roald The Three Musketeers Jack Kerouac, is my Anglo-American roots with a special Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy roast of Winnie-the-Pooh Dahl. I’m not entirely transported me from favourite book and turkey with all the trimmings and welcome our young American exchange scholars who are currently studying in Britain. After dinner we will host a stories by AA Milne. sure why but I think it my Caribbean island the most beautiful lively debate on the future of the US under the new president with the best They are gentle tales might have something home to France and definition and of British debaters who have returned from their US debate tour. full of friendship with to do with the chant England; from castles to description of life imperfect but delightful used to make Esio Trot disreputable inns; and I have read so far. I love Price, £38 (members), £45 (non-members). For ticket enquiries please characters you cannot a bigger tortoise. I used from convents to masked the way it charts the contact Alex Orpin on [email protected] or 020 7529 1596. fail to love. I now have to read it in the hope balls in luxurious characters’ trips and the joy of sharing Pooh that it would make palaces. Furthermore, journeys on the roads with my children and me taller – it seems the protagonists’ motto, of the United States CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT have been struck again to have worked. ‘All for one and one of America, as well as Monday, 12th December at Dartmouth House, London W1 by the great wisdom for all’, helped me those inside their minds From 6.30 – 9.30 pm and huge warmth understand that we find and hearts. You are warmly invited to join other singing a few favourite carols. Money of the Hundred strength in unity even if, English-Speaking Union members raised will go towards funding our Acre Wood. like them, we come from and friends for an evening of educational programmes. different backgrounds. Christmas readings, carols, mulled wine and mince pies. The event will Price, £20 (members), £25 (non- feature the Godwine Choir. Founded members/guests), which includes Beccy is Director of Voice 21 Kenza was part of Team England, Lucia is President of the ESU Simon is a French student in only 2014 this talented group mince pies and a soft drink/mulled which campaigns for speaking which triumphed at the World International Council. Find out who took part in the ESU’s of singers has already established wine. There will also be a paying skills to be taught in all state Schools Debating Championship more about our international parliamentary exchange schools. Read her inspiring this summer – see page 8 to find partners on page 20. programme this summer, as he itself as one of London’s most bar. To book, please email Gail piece about the work of out more. explains on page 24. versatile chamber choirs. As well Featherstone at [email protected] School 21 on page 16. as performing they will lead us in or call 020 7529 1585.

6 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 NEWS ESU THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS IN IN THE NEWS AND AROUND DARTMOUTH HOUSE MEDIA A lunch less ordinary Mr Ife Grillo Visitors to Dartmouth House can look forward to an @IfeGrillo Jul 23 exciting new menu from newly appointed caterers Harbour ‘A victory for diversity’ In a world full of hate, being at + Jones, whose other clients include The Royal Society, reminds me that when Team England wins 2016 World Schools Debating Championship #WSDC The London Stock Exchange and the bar at RADA. we come together – borders fade The team will be managing the refit of the kitchens and smiles blossom Team England claimed its fifth win team, which was selected and trained by which will allow them to provide a broader, more this summer when they triumphed the ESU, included pupils from a range contemporary menu, as well as focusing on improving in the World Schools Debating of backgrounds, including one school service and choice. Other innovative ideas include a

Championship in Stuttgart, Germany. where 58% of pupils are eligible for free Aljazeera Jul 23 delicious hors d’oeuvres trolley and a club table in the Presidential Following nine months of intense debate school meals. They comprised: Archie Hall Wedgwood Room where solo members can meet new visit practice and preparation, the team beat (Westminster School), Ife Grillo (Bridge people over lunch. All feedback is welcomed, simply 55 other national teams. For their final Academy), Rosa Thomas (Alleyns School), email your views to [email protected]. On September 13th, The round, against Canada, they gave an Ed Bracey (Eton College) and the captain Rt Hon. The Lord Boateng, impressive performance debating Kenza Wilks (Dulwich College). They SPECIAL OFFER During November, all members Chairman of the ESU, whether ‘…states should were coached by former ordering the new lunchtime menu in the Wedgwood welcomed Her Excellency be allowed to pay other Australs finalist Andrew Room can enjoy a complimentary glass of house white Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, states to relocate and Fitch and Lewis Iwu, a or red wine or a fresh juice. Simply quote the words President of Mauritius and resettle refugees’. former World Universities ‘new era’ when placing your order. one of Africa’s foremost The winning Debating Champion. ‘Our team’s win was a victory educators and scientists for diversity,’ said Lewis. ‘The team World Speech Day to ESU headquarters at included pupils born overseas, pupils @Worldspeechday Aug 2 Dartmouth House, London. who had been educated in different types Congrats to team England ‘The visit of HE the President crowned best young debaters at of schools, and a whole range of of Mauritius recognises the World Debating Championships educational interests. There was no trade- flourishing of the ESU in that off between diversity and success – our country and the importance diversity contributed to our success.’ she attaches to education,’ Ife echoed Lewis’s comments: ‘The more said Lord Boateng. experiences and backgrounds there are, the stronger the team.’ The Guardian Aug 6 Why debating still matters A team of teenagers from England SPEND A YEAR IN THE USA have just won this year’s World Applications for our three-term Secondary School Exchange are Schools Debating Championship. now open! Each year, the ESU sends 15-20 UK students abroad to See our feature spend their gap year in an American private school. ‘I’ve gained a on coach Lewis Iwu new perspective on the world,’ said recent programme alumnus Kane in the next issue McLaughlin. ‘I see the boundless opportunities that exist rather than Anna England Kerr of Dialogue @Anna_EnglandK Aug 6 feeling restricted to a certain path in a certain country.’ Great to see 2 @ESUdebate The scholarship covers all tuition and lodging and is open to all programmes in @guardian today! UK students due to finish their A Levels in summer 2017. Financial @TeamEnglandWSDC and assistance is available on a means-tested basis to cover additional costs TEAM ENGLAND CAPTAIN KENZA WILKS IN ACTION. #Freespeechdebate with the such as flights and insurance, and there is a full award available designed RIGHT, FROM LEFT: ED BRACEY, IFE GRILLO, KENZA WILKS, @UKHouseofLords #debate to cover all costs for those who need it. ROSA THOMAS & ARCHIE HALL For more information please visit esu.org/sse The deadline is in February and successful applicants will leave for the US in August/September 2017.

8 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 NEWS NEWS

DEBATE Georgia on our minds ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING, TBILISI From 7th – 12th September, delegates As well as organising the venue for 2016 representing 20 International ESUs the conference itself, Marina Tsitsishvili convened at the beautiful art nouveau MBE, President of ESU Georgia, laid on Writer’s House in the centre of Tbilisi an astonishingly varied programme of under the chairmanship of The Rt events for delegates and guests both in SCIENCE MATTERS ‘The mentors are absolute legends’ Hon The Lord Paul Boateng, the city itself and in the surrounding Did you know that nuclear was the ringing endorsement of student Chairman of the ESU. Caucasus mountains. Highlights included weapons inspired space discovery? Sean Murphy-O’Neill after attending As well as hearing from Duncan a trip to 7th century Jvari monastery and Or that we are really made of stars? the ESU’s Debate Academy hosted at Partridge, ESU Director of Education, to Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta, Or that scuba-diving could be part of a Uppingham School this August. More about the newly formulated ESU Georgia’s ancient capital. scientist’s job? These were just a few of the than 120 students took part in the week, Education strategy and the refinement Special mention must also be made fascinating facts revealed at the inaugural a unique learning experience which of the International Public Speaking f the reception at the British embassy, Lindemann Lectures on Thursday 29th combined young people passionate to Competition rules for 2017, delegates also hosted by the new British Ambassador, September at Dartmouth House. learn more about the world and debating, heard reports of the year’s activities from H.E. Justin McKenzie Smith, and of the with 20 expert debating mentors from individual countries and board members. garden party at the British Corner in A new initiative, which we hope to run the and . Amongst the most moving was that of Tbilisi’s Vake Park, a centre established annually; these fun, interactive lectures Participants engaged in countless debates Romania which, despite having only 30 by Marina in 2015 for the teaching of are an opportunity for A Level science and intensive seminars on debating theory, members and no permanent staff, had the English language and British culture. students to meet top scientists and to find and in the evening could attend a choice The passion for discussion was clear ‘The week was a huge success with managed to recruit 2,000 students to its ‘I was genuinely bowled over by the out about careers in science. Speakers of electives on topics ranging from LGBT+ throughout, with intense debates the students making great improvements National Public Speaking Competition, depth and richness of Georgian culture are our Lindemann alumni, postdoctoral rights to characterisation in films. More continuing outside classes and the students both in their debating skills and their a fantastic achievement. Many countries and history,’ said Gail Featherstone, scientists who receive a fellowship from active socials after these lessons allowed organising their own evening show debate knowledge of the world,’ said Eliot Pallot, reported a growing enthusiasm for the Membership Officer. ‘We are extremely the ESU to undertake research in the US. mentors to share skills and hobbies with on the Labour leadership contest between ESU’s Discover Your Voice officer. ESU amongst young people, with grateful to Marina and her wonderful On this occasion they included: the students, teaching them yoga, stage Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn ‘The mentors and I are already looking participants in programmes and team for opening our eyes to its many Dr Martin Laming, an astrophysicist combat and card games. (the audience narrowly voted for Smith). forward to going back next year!’ competitions increasing by the year. treasures.’ The 2017 International Council working at the US Naval Research ‘The meeting was a great opportunity Meeting will be held in Portugal. Laboratory in Washington D.C. ‘Debate Academy was for us to strengthen our Dr Karen Mooney, a marine biologist from ‘The amazing thing the best fun I’ve had all summer. international links,’ said For more Queens University Belfast who specialises about Debate Academy is Lovely people, inspiring mentors From the students International Council about Tbilisi, that you are around people who in researching kelp and sea weed and its and such interesting and useful President Lucia Dumont. see page 25 are interested and want to be there. use in renewable energies. ‘A brilliant knowledge. Can’t recommend ‘We left feeling empowered, Debates don’t end at the feedback, they chance to debate, it enough!’ will be analysed, explained and discussed by confident and eager to work Dr Vivien Cumming, a natural scientist train and socialise with the Benedict Mee, everyone through breaks, lunch and at the together.’ Lord Boateng commented: and freelance science writer for the BBC, best debaters from all around Westminster School end of the day.’ ‘We met at the same time as NATO and nature photographer. the world. A great opportunity ‘Expert, Eve Colyer, Solihull School in Tbilisi. Two very different responses to improve myself as a speaker, It was a lively and well attended evening, world-class a student and a person. Highly to the search for peace and security. I coaching helps you for photos please see facebook.com/ recommended.’ couldn’t help thinking that our founder, improve rapidly. Like EnglishSpeakingUnionAlumni/. Joey Dottore, RGS Sir Evelyn Wrench, and those who Hogwarts but for debating. Worcester GET INVOLVED Applications for the Lindemann Trust Wish I could go again.’ responded to his call at the end of the Ivan Kapelyukh, High Debate Academy is open to 14-18 year- First World War saw that whatever the Fellowships are now open. If you are a School of olds of all debating abilities. Applications importance of military might, it was postdoctoral scientist and would like are invited from March next year, check never going to be a substitute for the to find out more, please visit esu.org for more details. power that comes from relationships esu.org/our work. built around a shared language.’

10 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 11 NEWS NEWS

Debating mental health Mentoring We are excited to announce the launch self-confidence, to learn how to organise of a new partnership – London your thoughts and, of course, it’s great our mentors Debating Mental Health – between fun and provides a unique opportunity First ESU ambassadors appointed Child and Adolescent Mental Health to meet others.’ in a scheme that recognises the vital Services (CAMHS), the Anna Freud The new partnership was suggested by READ THIS! importance of our mentors Centre and the ESU. Our shared aim is Laura, a former ESU Discover Your Voice Anyone in any doubt as to the power to establish debate clubs for young people Mentor. Leela Koenig, Head of Oracy, entors are a key part of the work of public speaking would do well with mental health support needs. said: ‘It’s inspiring to see Laura’s continued of the ESU; they coach at our to read this, the latest book by Lord A 12-week-long custom-made curriculum involvement with the ESU in her new role. workshops and judge many of Alan Watson, former chairman of M will culminate in a final day in London Her initiative is a great opportunity to our competitions. To ensure they provide the ESU. In it, he analyses the causes where policymakers will be invited to broaden access to our work.’ the best possible experience for students, and consequences surrounding Sir listen to the experiences and ideas of the and that they themselves can develop as Winston Churchill’s (also a former debaters. The sessions will be co-delivered they teach, we have introduced a new ESU chairman) two great speeches by ESU Mentors and CAHMS ambassadors scheme to help guide and of 1946: his ‘iron curtain’ speech at participation workers who will receive support the mentors in their work. Fulton, Missouri, and his ‘United States extra training from the Anna Freud Situated in various parts of England Constance Collard (centre) Known as the chamber at an event led by the of Europe’ address given in Zurich, Centre staff. and , these ambassadors will provide ‘Coco’ to her friends, Constance is our Lord Speaker. Switzerland, later that year. Laura Tyrell, CAMHS a local point of contact for our mentors, ambassador for the north-east. She is an A member of the Durham Union Participation Officer, said: Together, as Watson vividly illustrates, meeting them regularly, assessing their alumna of many of our programmes, Society, Coco also has considerable ‘Debating will give our young they shaped the political architecture of performance and providing further skills having competed in the ESU-Churchill experience coaching debating across KS3 people the opportunity to learn the post-war period, persuading France development. In addition to this, we are National Public Speaking Competition and KS4 and so is in an excellent position to make their voices heard on and Germany to work together – an extending the mentor training programme for Schools and the ESU Schools’ Mace. to ensure that we are able to develop oracy the issues that really matter to almost entirely unimaginable concept to a whole weekend, as well as covering the She has also been one of the hundreds skills across the north-east; not just in them. Learning to debate is at the time – to regain their economic costs of a child protection qualification. of pupils who take part in our House of urban areas but also in smaller towns and an excellent way to improve and moral stature, and convincing the The initiative is the work of the newly formed Lords debate each year, speaking within cities in line with our education strategy. US to defend Europe from the Russian Education Network team which comprises: threat both militarily and financially Maia Gibbs (Head of Education Network), through the Marshall Plan. Gareth Williams (Education Network Q&A: Constance Collard SAVE THE DATE! Officer) and Alex Orpin (Alumni Officer). ‘Churchill was a giant and his real ‘ULTIMATELY, MY ROLE WILL ALLOW THE ESU Competitions season is hotting up with the three key ESU Our first three ESU Ambassadors are: TO HELP PRODUCE CONFIDENT, GLOBALLY stature becomes clearer with every year competitions already underway. Thank you to all branch AWARE AND ARTICULATE YOUNG PEOPLE’ that passes,’ says Watson. ‘Although volunteers for your invaluable support. Last year saw public Laura Smith (pictured top right) defeated in the 1945 election, he came speakers at air bases, young performers on stage at a West Ambassador for the north-west and north Why did you want to be an What are you looking forward to most? back with more power than ever in 1946 End theatre and a higher percentage of state-maintained Wales, based in Manchester. Laura is a ESU Ambassador? School-leavers in the north-east are far less with these two speeches. If we now schools than ever participating in the Schools’ Mace former training officer for the Manchester Having experienced first-hand the likely to go to university than their peers in assess the legacy of Churchill, 1946 is competition. This year promises to be even more exciting, University Debating Union, and is currently programmes that the ESU runs for any other region. Ultimately, my role will in many ways as important as 1940.’ with new resources for teachers and students; special events studying for a masters in civil engineering. schoolchildren, including debate allow the ESU to deliver more programmes to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Schools’ Mace, training sessions and numerous in this area, all of which help produce the oldest and largest debating competition for schools SPECIAL OFFER Craig McDonald (left)Ambassador for the competitions, I believe in the confident, globally aware and articulate in the UK; and the final for the Performing Shakespeare Churchill’s Legacy costs £16.99 south-west and South Wales, based in transformational power of debating young people. These skills are essential competition to be held in the Gielgud Theatre on and is published by Bloomsbury Pontypridd. Craig has been a mentor with and public speaking skills and really for success in many capacities, so I’m most Shaftesbury Avenue on 21st March 2017. The Schools’ (bloomsbury.com). Members can the ESU since 2014 and has worked on wanted to support this work. I’m also looking forward to assisting the expansion Mace national final will be held on 22nd March, claim a 25 per cent discount by numerous programmes: Discover Your very excited to put my experience into the region, and eventually seeing and the UK Public Speaking final on 22nd April. entering the code CL25 at the Voice and the Welsh Schools’ Mace, and in competitive debating into practice an established network of schools that Keep an eye on esu.org for more details and to book online checkout. has been the organiser of the Welsh leg in a meaningful and rewarding way. participate in public speaking and debating. tickets, or email [email protected] to reserve a place. of the John Smith Memorial Mace.

12 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 13 NEWS NEWS

It’s good to talk TEACHERS’ TEA Evaluating oracy On Thursday, 7th July the ESU hosted a For oracy to be measurable, the 3. Expression and Delivery, aka Spoken communication is at the heart of conference for teachers from both sides of the concept has to be broken down HOW you say what you have to say our work at the ESU. Read on to discover Atlantic for professional development training into smaller elements making it The manner in which content is the latest news and views on this vital topic on teaching oracy skills (speaking and listening). possible to assess someone’s ability delivered to the audience determines The attendees were past and present Walter and, more importantly, to develop how well it comes across. A thoroughly Hines Page scholars, the ESU scholarship which ways to improve. researched argument can only sends British teachers to conduct a research tour There are a variety of ways in which persuade if it is delivered with the right GOING FOR GOLD in the USA, as well as American teachers sent by oracy can be improved, and our way words, combined with the appropriate American ESU branches to the UK. Headteacher and Walter Hines Page Scholar Joy Donaldson is one of a few powerful frameworks use of voice and body language. on how oracy skills can help you clear recruitment hurdles The training involved teachers learning fun currently in use in the education Expression and Delivery is the skill games and other strategies to support their sector. Developed by world-class set in which we measure a speaker’s riority in the recruitment process will speak appropriately, teaching of basic speech and debate skills. debaters, public speakers and ability to combine effective language almost certainly be given to those and always be aware There were also discussions around methods teachers, it identifies four key and deliver that with the appropriate P candidates who can communicate of your non-verbal to encourage shy children to speak out (and components at the heart of our voice and body language. effectively and with confidence. In keeping communication. how to get noisy children to listen!). teaching and judging methodology: with Great Britain’s success at the 2016 However, the race does not 4. Organisation and Prioritisation, Olympics, let’s consider this statement using end there, especially if being This was followed by an expert panel discussion 1. Reasoning and Evidence, aka what you say WHEN a sporting analogy: the recruitment process recruited as a teacher, or for other jobs lead by Joy Donaldson, a Walter Hines Page aka WHAT you say A collection of arguments does not has many hurdles… so let the race begin! where the skills of presenting, persuasion scholar who researched oracy in the classroom A mere statement that something is automatically become a great speech. The importance of the first hurdle can or any form of relationship-building are key. in the USA, and is now headteacher of a London true or important is not persuasive. Careful thought needs to go into the often be overlooked. Remember, first Your prospective employer may want to see primary school. Joy was joined by Georghia Ellinas, What makes an argument persuasive choice and order the arguments, and impressions really do count, and an evidence of your ability to motivate people; Head of Learning at Globe Education, and Beth is the extent to which it has logical how best to pace them. employer’s decisions can to present ideas and Davies, Past National President of the National analysis, backed up by well-chosen Organisation and Prioritisation be heavily weighted ‘The momentum and information in a logical WHAT IS Union of Teachers. The discussion was chaired by examples or facts and figures. is the skill set in which we measure during any informal, overall outcome of your order and structure; to ORACY? ESU Director of Education, Duncan Partridge. Reasoning and Evidence is the a speaker’s ability to deliver clearly pre-application job search is largely build rapport with your ‘The conference was a great opportunity to share skill set in which we measure a structured content at the right time. conversations had with audience or to work well teaching methods from both sides of the pond speaker’s ability to combine their informed and sustained If you can count it, a prospective employee. in a team. and also to discuss the standard of oracy skills in research skills, logical analysis and A clear road to improvement that’s NUMERACY Your qualifications, by the range of your Remain in the race by the classroom,’ said Duncan. selection of useful evidence to back At our competitions, participants plus your ability to communication skills’ listening actively to inform If you can read it, up their statements. are marked separately on each skill Turn to page 19 to read about the recent present yourself as an your responses and as you that’s LITERACY set and receive feedback on how to launch of the Oracy Network, and see outstanding candidate on paper will provide approach the final hurdle, continue to 2. Listening and Response, aka improve. Skills rarely improve in If you keep it to yourself, Joy’s piece on the importance leverage towards the next hurdle. If you are communicate graciously, skilfully negotiate what to say TO WHOM isolation, however. Speakers who that’s SECRECY still in the race, the third hurdle is often a mutually agreeable outcome or next step, of oracy in getting a job, left. Connecting with an audience in the organise their thoughts deliver them seen as the biggest challenge: the interview, and be able to accept or reject criticism. If you steal it, that’s PIRACY right way is required for persuasion better, and those who listen well in which candidates must be able to tailor While your job search is propelled by of any kind. It is important to listen know better which evidence is more If you enjoy it, that’s ECSTASY their language skills effectively. Both parties your qualifications, the momentum and carefully in order to determine the effective. ‘It is a pleasure to see how use their communication skills to gather overall outcome is largely informed and If you think you understand it, best way to respond to a question breaking oracy down into four skill information, and ask open and probing sustained by the range of your that’s LUNACY… from the audience or to a counter sets makes becoming a better questions to gain a better understanding of communication skills. Use them well and but if you can EXPLAIN it, argument in a debate. speaker, thinker and listener more each other. Throughout, you must be able employers will feel they have made the that’s ORACY Listening and Response is the skill accessible to everyone,’ says Leela to listen actively, to ask for clarification correct decision and got to know the person set in which we measure a speaker’s Koenig, Head of Oracy. ‘It allows and skilfully summarise what you need behind the qualifications, which is what Contributed by Roderick ability to combine their listening anyone to see where they stand and to communicate. You also need to choose really counts. You’ve cleared the last hurdle Chamberlain, Honorary Treasurer skills with their ability to produce how to improve – and that is the vocabulary in keeping with your audience, and have completed the race. Well done! effective replies. best way to learn.’

14 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 15 ORACY

PIPE UP AT THE BACK

As the ESU and Voice 21 launch the Oracy Network t is an average morning at School 21. Like their to promote the teaching of spoken communication peers in schools across the country, students in schools, Director of Voice 21, Beccy Earnshaw, are in assembly, but this is not your standard makes the case for talking in class assembly. There is no monologue from the front Iwhilst students shuffle in their seats, eyes glazed, MAKING A STATEMENT listening in stony silence. Instead the 150 pupils in the Unlike most school leaders, the founders of School 21, room are grouped into circles and are in the midst of a state comprehensive in Stratford, East London, had the discussing the difference between reaction and response. opportunity to start their school from scratch; to design Using familiar and established talk protocols, they into its DNA the pedagogies and approaches they felt ensure they all get the opportunity to speak. Teachers would make the biggest impact on students’ success. listen and at times ask questions to deepen students’ They chose to put oracy, a focus on speaking skills and thinking. On the screen, sentence stems prompt pupils spoken language, at the centre of the school as one of to engage with the contributions of three core practices that would their classmates and give reasons for ‘TALK SUPPORTS underpin all aspects of its their views, whilst a list of target curriculum, culture and community. vocabulary highlights higher-level THINKING, AND Oracy is present across all subjects language for students to select and THAT MEANS and settings, challenging teachers use. The facilitator raises their hand IT SUPPORTS to get students in class to talk in and a hush descends. Then, without purposeful and meaningful ways. being targeted, cajoled or compelled, LEARNING’ They are encouraged to model good individual students volunteer to share speaking and listening in their the thoughts of their group, comfortably and confidently practice, track their pupil’s progress in speaking skills addressing the large room. and value and celebrate the spoken word. Walk the corridors of the school and from maths to The aim is for students to find their voice physically drama you will hear the buzz of lively and purposeful and metaphorically – to learn how to express themselves discussion. Look at the timetable and you will see oracy, and communicate clearly. They become able to explain take its place alongside maths, English, the arts and ideas and emotions to other people, not only in a school science on the curriculum. In the classrooms you’ll hear setting but in their lives outside the classroom, too. teachers – and other students – giving specific feedback They develop the skills to listen effectively, discuss on students’ speaking skills. And on the walls, posters and respond with meaning, and debate and disagree reinforce the six attributes the school believes are essential agreeably. They gain the confidence, self-belief and for success in the 21st century: craftsmanship, spark, courage to speak in public and share their thoughts, professionalism, grit, expertise and, crucially, eloquence. intellect and creativity with the world.

16 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 17 ORACY

SPEAKING UP

ORACY NETWORK LAUNCHED TO PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN EDUCATION The ESU has joined together with Voice 21 – an organisation also committed to the development of speaking and listening skills – to launch the Oracy Network. This is an alliance of schools, educational charities and academic bodies dedicated to fostering oracy skills and to raising awareness of their importance. The network was launched on 8th November at Whilst there appears to be a general consensus that from the idea that talking isn’t an extra thing. reads as follows: ‘A strong focus on oracy, the ability to the House of Lords, where various associated speaking skills are important in principle to students’ It’s children discussing ideas with each other and talk fluently and accurately and express ideas, develops projects were also announced. These include: success beyond school, it rarely appears at the core of coming up with their own conclusions. Talk supports pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and communication two publications: Speaking Frankly – a collection the curriculum. Indeed, far more effort is often invested thinking, and that means it supports learning.’ skills. It also strengthens the quality of teaching. This of essays making the case for oracy in the school in stopping children from talking, particularly in Of course, for this to happen in a meaningful way, makes a significant contribution to the high standards curriculum – and a research report on the current secondary schools. A study from 2005 found that in the both students and teachers need to understand what that all pupils achieve.’ State of Speaking in Schools; an Oracy Network average secondary school in a disadvantaged community, ‘good talk’ looks, sounds and feels like, and to have clear Oracy was vital in the first classrooms (many of the website (oracynetwork.org) and the convening of a students spoke approximately four words a lesson, criteria for planning and assessment. To this end, School techniques used to promote classroom talk are adopted Commission on the Future of Speaking in Schools. equating to just over two hours of purposeful classroom 21 worked with Professor Neil Mercer and his team from Socrates and Aristotle) and it is just as relevant and The network has already gained many high-profile talk across their secondary school at Cambridge University to explore the different vital today. If we are truly committed to empowering supporters, including Dame Alison Peacock, Chief career. There are many reasons for components of oracy and spoken language. What every young person regardless of their background with Executive of the National College of Teaching, and ‘A STUDY FROM this. The lack of currency in the emerged was a framework of four key oracy skills – the belief that their voice has value and that they have leading academics from Cambridge University. 2005 FOUND THAT qualifications system; the challenges the linguistic (vocabulary, structure, rhetoric), physical the ability to articulate their thoughts so others will The timing is critical, as illustrated by the recent IN THE AVERAGE of assessing oracy; a concern that (voice and body language), cognitive (content, reasoning listen; if we want independent critical thinkers who can decision to remove the speaking and listening some children are too shy/ and audience awareness) and social & emotional collaborate and co-create across contexts; if we are going component from GCSE English assessment and SECONDARY disruptive/dominant/quiet to (listening and responding, and confidence). This to foster civic engagement in our increasingly fragmented to replace this with a stand-alone ‘spoken language respond to oracy teaching in a framework provides the infrastructure for teaching oracy society and spark democratic participation amongst a SCHOOL IN A endorsement’, which has no impact on final grades. constructive way, and the pressures across School 21, enabling teachers to have specific, generation of young people detached from our formal In such a climate, it would be easy for schools to be DISADVANTAGED to meet external accountability formative conversations about students’ spoken language institutions; then it is time to get talking in class. tempted to devote less teaching time to developing COMMUNITY, targets have meant that the teaching skills across subjects and over time. This is an edited extract from Beccy’s contribution to oracy skills. However, there are many people in of spoken language falls into the Starting in Year 7, students receive specific timetabled Speaking Frankly, part of the new Oracy Network (see right). STUDENTS SPOKE schools and other organisations who understand the worthy but peripheral, ‘nice to have’ oracy lesssons based on a curriculum designed to enable continued crucial importance of providing support APPROXIMATELY category. It is often sidelined to them to first discover their voice and then use it to make and guidance to students in the area of speaking FOUR WORDS extracurricular time, such as debate a difference in the world. The dedicated oracy Beccy Earnshaw is Director of Voice 21, which campaigns for and listening. ‘The ESU has always believed in the club, or to one-off initiatives like a curriculum super-charges students at the start of speaking skills to be taught in all state schools and provides A LESSON’ transformative potential of the spoken word,’ says class assembly, with the result that secondary school, helping them to master protocols and support to educators on all things oracy, based on the instruction and practice in oracy techniques to support their learning across all areas of work of School 21 – a state-funded, non-selective 4-18 Duncan Partridge, Director of Education. ‘The ability becomes the preserve of a self-selecting few, exacerbating the curriculum and beyond. These lessons, delivered by school that opened in September 2013 in Stratford, East to marshal concepts and ideas and to present these inequality and gaps in confidence and achievement. specialist teachers signal the status of oracy within the London. Beccy was previously Director of Schools NorthEast cogently in spoken form, as well as to understand ‘The first step in embedding oracy into your classroom school and help level the playing field for students who (a network of 1,200 schools in the North East) and has also worked for and consider the views of others, is key to ensuring is accepting that it already happens – your students have had differing exposure to talk-based activities in The Children’s Commissioner for England, The Electoral Commission, young people leave school able to become talk a lot, and you can leverage that,’ says Amy Gaunt, their primary education. The Hansard Society and BBC Parliament. successful and valuable members of society.’ Primary Teacher and Oracy Lead, School 21. ‘You start It’s working. School 21’s Ofsted report from June 2014

18 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 19 INTERNATIONAL

CASE STUDY FRIENDS ACROSS ESU FRANCE OPINION The French education system has the reputation of being one of the BENEFITS OF THE ESU most thorough systems in the world, THE OCEANS by French teacher however oracy is far from a priority on the curriculum. Françoise Placé Most French teachers see their Joining the ESU opens up opportunities across the world, as Lucia ‘My students and I have been involved objective as purely the transmission On the other hand, parents need with the ESU through the public-speaking Dumont Renard, President of the ESU International Council, explains of knowledge: from primary school to be convinced of the necessity to competition for the last four years and have on, pupils are expected to absorb a develop these skills, and teachers benefited from it in several ways. inked by the use of the English community events, sustaining remaining connected through the huge amount of information, often of the importance of including them Through the debating and public-speaking language, motivated by a and spreading this unique brand online international platform. copying from the board or learning in the classroom. activities my students have learnt how common purpose and united that stands for cultural exchange, Today more than ever, the mission by rote; they are not required Through our four branches (with under the same brand, the 59 educational achievement and global of the international ESUs is to build to apply, compare or question 210 members in total), we approach to share ideas and express them clearly. LInternational ESUs form a family development. sound relationships, encourage this knowledge. Developing oral decision makers including the Moreover, they learn how to convince committed to promoting global As volunteers, members aim to solidarity, include more people, skills such as debating or public French Minister for Education to their audience, which is a very useful skill understanding and strengthening LUCIA DUMONT share knowledge, information, broaden the membership and create speaking are not ‘subjects’ per se. request that oracy should form part in and outside the classroom. Some former RENARD students have told me how much it helped friendly relations among peoples PRESIDENT ideas, opinions and values. It is a sense of belonging to a family. Furthermore, the busy timetable, of the curriculum. With the support throughout the world. OF THE ESU important that all member ESUs Building on the wide daily homework and frequent tests and resources from the ESU, we them in their philosophy classes as well as The ESUs deliver educational and INTERNATIONAL get involved and work together as participation in the International and exams make it difficult to fit seek to create the conditions that in the various workshops they take part in COUNCIL cultural programmes and organise a team, supporting each other and Public Speaking Competition, in any extracurricular activities, let will encourage all schools to teach outside school. They have also learnt how the flagship program of the ESU, alone acquiring oral skills in English. oral skills as part of their standard to defend their views, which will be a huge it is also essential to support and However, oracy is much needed practice. Our branches – in Paris, asset when they start university and promote debating, educational and in our media-centred, global society. Strasbourg, Bordeaux and the Loire in the future in their professional careers. cultural exchanges. The aim of the English has become the global Valley – also organise parliamentary The themes that are suggested for the international network is to make language of communication, so internships, cultural visits, round debates force them to think about topical the next generation ‘empowered it is necessary to train and form tables, debates, informal meet-up issues and to treat them with a critical world citizens’ who will ‘discover these global citizens, the orators groups and theatre workshops, as mind and a personal approach. their voices’, thus ensuring the and leaders of the future. We aim well as supporting the International Being able to address a challenging topic longevity of the English- to give them opportunities for Public Speaking Competition, in a foreign language, however difficult Speaking Union. the exchange of ideas and broader thanks to the Loire Valley it may be, forces the students to organise cultural understanding, in line with branch’s particularly dynamic and their thoughts and to clarify their ideas. the mission and vision of the ESU. committed team. The biggest benefit is that it gives students confidence, but it also allows them to take DID YOU KNOW? part in an international competition and to be part of the English-speaking community. As for myself, as a teacher, I enjoy the opportunity to work with native speakers and to give my students new motivations to learn the English language. I must admit that 1920 59 1980 2014 68 50 610,000 Inauguration of the first No of International Nigeria becomes Most recent member No of ESU branches Number of countries represented Chinese students participating in it has given me a new lease on my teaching International ESU, the ESUs the first ESU to be country – – in America in the International Public Speaking the International Public Speaking and I am very grateful to the ESU for giving United States of America established in Africa joins the ESU Competition 2016 Competition 2016 me these new opportunities.’

20 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 21 INTERNATIONAL

economic and education systems, as OPPOSITION called for Britain’s referendum to be well as to stabilise their politics. If only Darius Jokubaukas, emulated in their own countries, with for this, I believe the EU has succeeded 18, Lithuanian IPSC pushes for at least 34 referendums in the in one of the hardest tasks: helping to 2016 competitor coming years, according to a report by the civilise today’s world. European Council on Foreign Relations. At this very moment 151 nations I’m a young, fairly well educated, liberal However, in order to have a more in-depth around the globe are engaged in Eastern European, who would never analysis we have to look into the reasoning some form of conflict. There are consider himself to be a hard-boiled behind this sudden spike in Euroscepticism civil wars, famines and more. We nationalist. And yet at times, I manage and public discontent toward the EU. One need to set standards in this world; to see eye-to-eye with a Member of the reason for public dissatisfaction is fairly well we need peace and integration European Parliament who is so out of this highlighted by constitutional expert between every country. As a world, he endorses Donald Trump. Nigel Professor Vernon Bogdanor, who suggests recent EU report showed, 85% Farage, the Leave campaign in Britain and that British people felt constrained by of the 28 EU countries rate widespread Euroscepticism have managed endless regulation that benefited other their quality of life as to illuminate many shortcomings of the members of the union but overlooked ‘satisfactory’, whereas this European Union. By illustrating its growing Britain. It is quite clear when you consider drops to 50-60% for inefficiency and the overall demise in public The Common Fisheries Policy or Common non-member states. The case support, I wish to prove that no matter what Agricultural Policy and how they were a is clear, we need to start from the proposition states, the EU has not yet drain on Britain’s budget. British people and This House Believes... somewhere to turn the deep deemed itself worthy to be called successful. other EU citizens feel as if they are left out wells of our world into bright Margaret Thatcher in her famous ‘Bruges of the process of creating European laws and speech’ suggested that willing and active this voter disinterest is explained by lack of ‘I have first-hand cooperation between independent sovereign accountability. When it comes to generating THE EUROPEAN UNION AS AN states is the best way to build a successful new policies, decisions in the European experience of how European Community. Unfortunately, it Union are made behind closed doors, the EU encourages seems that member states are currently whether inside the European Commission INSTITUTION HAS SUCCEEDED neither willing nor active. Voter turnout has or at meetings of EU leaders or ministers. candidate countries to been declining for years and public approval This lack of transparency and the feeling PROPOSITION The EU is not only active in the fields borders, something we should all be aiming regulate their human of the European project has fallen in five of of being cheated further disrupts the Ece Ozer, 17, Turkish of economics and government, but also for in today’s globalised world. This the six largest member states. The European organisation and public participation. IPSC 2016 competitor in areas including the environment, concept has been an opportunity for free rights records’ Parliament elections in 2014 saw a big Leaving is not the answer and Britain education, migration, food safety, and trade and free movement between the anti-establishment vote in favour of will probably not gain the status of a As well known American human rights. member states; it has helped to reduce skies. Within the EU statistics is a Eurosceptic parties, which took around 25% ‘Great Power’ by making hundreds of industrialist Henry Ford once stated, Over the years, the EU has integrated prices; given consumers more choice, and, spark of that dreamed-for future and of the seats available (UKIP in the UK, bilateral trade agreements. However, you ‘Coming together is a beginning; keeping as a region within the wider continent. thanks to unified information systems, a hope for greater integration for Front National in France, The Danish have to acknowledge that the point made together is progress; working together is Many people claim this has created both has helped to create more secure borders. countries at both regional and global People’s Party in Denmark and SYRIZA by the Leave campaign has some merit to success.’ I believe this is the quote that discrimination against non-member states The EU cannot only be seen as an levels. As an 18 year old, knowing that in Greece). It is obvious that anti-European it. The European Union has the potential best summarises the current situation and as well as privileges for member European institution which impacts on regional my peers can live in a better parties are no good for the community, to be successful, but the lack of willing the purpose of the European Union as countries; but if we can see beyond these integration within its borders, it has also environment thanks to the EU makes as they openly oppose its austerity policies and active participation from its citizens an institution. ‘face values’, we realise that, more affected the regulations of non-member me feel optimistic for a better future and EU integration, thus further reducing stops it from realising its potential. The most important question that needs importantly, the EU is in the vanguard states. As a Turkish girl, living in a country for the world. its efficiency. to be answered is, ‘What is the mission of a unique and futuristic idea: living which is currently a candidate for but a Recalling the words of Ford, creating Having nations deliberately try to leave HAVE YOUR SAY of the European Union?’ The European beyond national barriers. The idea of a non-member state of the EU, I have this union was the beginning, keeping the union is already a clear sign of its lack We’d love to hear your opinion – Union is both an economic and political single market, the Schengen Information first-hand experience of how the EU it alive was progress and being able to of success, but that is not the only please email [email protected] or tweet union, created in 1958 and consisting of System and a single currency have created encourages candidate countries to regulate work collaboratively with member manifestation of this sort. Several @theesu and we’ll feature a selection of 28 member countries from all over Europe. the idea of an area without national their human rights records, improve their states for 58 years is a success. ‘insurgent’ parties across Europe have responses in the next issue.

22 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 23 INTERNATIONAL

to the use of a common language, we A MOMENTOUS MOMENT IN were always able to learn from each other. Over and above practising my spoken and written English skills, during this WESTMINSTER same month, I also discovered the historic and cultural richness, the demographic Simon Salomon, a French student, spent three weeks in diversity and the architectural beauty of this international city. BRISTOL TBILISI Craig Mackinlay MP’s office in Westminster in July 2016 This internship was an unbelievable as part of the ESU’s parliamentary exchange programme. opportunity for me and I took full Here he tells us about his experience advantage of it. It opened my eyes to the importance of English as a way of building y name is Simon Salomon, I was working in Craig Mackinlay’s bridges between nations and individuals, A tale of two cities I am 17 years old and come office at the House of Commons, with and broadened my interest in foreign from France. I have just three other interns from the UK, Germany languages, cultures and politics. I feel To celebrate the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Bristol and Tbilisi ESUs passed my Baccalauréat and the United States of America. My more aware of European and global issues, at the International Council Meeting in Georgia recently, we take a light-hearted look at the the two cities M(A level) and will attend a political sciences everyday tasks consisted of answering as well as political means of action and university in France next year. Thanks e-mails from Craig’s constituents, lobbies, and far more inclined to seek Dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, Bristol’s fortunes have A few hundred years older than Bristol, Tbilisi also lies to the English-Speaking Union’s support, researching and gathering data on topics out further experiences abroad. long been tied to its position on the tidal river Avon. on the banks of a river, the Kura, in a key position on the I recently had the chance to complete relating to Brexit and the constituency’s I thank the English-Speaking Union Tobacco, wine and slaves were some of its main imports HISTORY east-west trade route between Europe and Asia. Occupied an internship shadowing a Member of social, cultural and economic situation. from the bottom of my heart and and piracy loomed large – the legendary pirate Blackbeard variously by Mongols, Iranians, Russians and Soviets, it Parliament and working as part of his This enabled me to develop a more precise congratulate and support its actions that I is believed to have been born in the city. became capital of the newly independent Georgia in 1991. office in Westminster. idea of what the British political system, know will be very helpful for many others. My internship took place between everyday life and social difficulties looked Georgian, a unique language with a unique alphabet based Officially English, although visitors may well be puzzled the 28th of June and the 27th of July like. Working among an international staff APPLY NOW! on Greek and Iranian scripts and consisting of 33 letters. by the West Country accent and the choice local turn of – a decisive period for British politics. was also very enriching. I came across If you’d like to spend a month as an intern A quick internet search produced this handy phrase: ეს phrase. Some of the most common include: ‘Gert lush’ I arrived a few days after the EU different ways of thinking, organising and in the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, LANGUAGE ბატონი გადაიხდის ყველაფერს (bat’oni gadaikhdis (Great; very nice), ‘Alright my lover’ (Hello), ‘Where referendum results, and could observe working, and it was sometimes difficult to applications are open until February 2017. q’velapers – ‘This gentleman will pay for everything’), you to?’ (Where are you?) and ‘Cheers, drive’ (Thank For more information, see esu.org/our-work though ‘ინგლისური იცით? (inglisuri itsit? – from close quarters David Cameron’s agree. Nevertheless, and certainly thanks you driver, said when alighting from a bus). resignation, the Labour Party’s leadership ‘Do you speak English?’) may land you in less trouble. campaign, Theresa May’s nomination as Tbilisi’s Bridge of Peace, designed by Cameron’s successor, the creation of her Spanning the Avon Gorge, the Clifton Suspension Bridge Italian architect Michele De Lucchi, government and her first statements and is the symbol of the city of Bristol. Just over 400m long, it MOST opened in 2010. A sweeping confection actions as prime minister. opened in 1864 after 110 years in the planning, the final FAMOUS BRIDGE of steel and glass, lit at night by hundreds design the brainchild of Bristol’s most famous son, of LEDs, it has been likened to a piece engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, then aged just 23. ‘This internship of sushi, amongst other things. opened my eyes to the Pies are big news in ‘Brizzle’, and none Pastry’s a big a deal in Tbilisi, too, where lobiani – flaky more so than the mouth-watering combos FOOD dough discs filled with spiced kidney beans and bacon importance of English from local success story Pieminister. AND are a delicacy. Don’t leave without sampling the wine DRINK as a way of building Wash them down with a pint of cider, – Georgia is the oldest known location for the cultivation Bristol’s most famous libation. of vines and boasts 18 different varieties of grape. bridges between nations Now involved with larger installations such as 2015’s Tbilisi’s answer to is Dr Love, who has been and individuals, and Dismaland and 2009’s Banksy versus Bristol Museum livening up walls in his home city since 2010. Georgia’s (which saw queues of up to seven hours), the mysterious STREET ART best-known street artist, he is also internationally known – broadened my interest street artist made his name in Bristol and many of his one of his works is even in Bristol! in foreign languages’ pieces can still be seen around the city.

24 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 25 OUR WORK

This term’s ESU IN ACTION 175 students from TEACHING across the capital took part in the London RESOURCE Debate Challenge this summer

he latest addition to our series of free teaching resources aims to introduce students to the T idea of human rights and how to articulate and defend their beliefs. In the first game, suitable for KS3&4, students physically position themselves on a line according to the degree of their beliefs, while in the second, suitable for all Key Stages, they set the rules by which their imaginary desert island will be run. Both are guaranteed to spark lively debate – but will students’ arguments end in utopia or dystopia?

FURTHER INFORMATION To download the full resource please visit esu.org/ teaching resources. An extract is shown below. These resources are aimed at helping teachers to teach speech, debate and performance in the classroom as part of their regular lessons.

26 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 27 PUBLIC SPEAKING

tories helped make us who we are. It’s no surprise therefore, to discover ‘As our ancestors began • It’s easy to remember what you’re going I mean this literally. The best evidence that many of the best talks are anchored gaining control of the use to say because the structure is linear, and from archaeology and anthropology in storytelling. Unlike challenging your brain is extremely comfortable suggests that the human mind evolved explanations or complex arguments, of fire, so its warmth and recalling one event right after another. Swith storytelling. As our ancestors began everyone can relate to stories. They Many speakers therefore use a speaking flickering light drew people gaining control of the use of fire, so its warmth typically have a simple linear structure slot simply to share their own story. It is and flickering light drew people together after that makes them easy to follow. You just together after dark. And the simplest, easiest-to-prepare type of talk dark. And what did these hunter-gatherers do let the speaker take you on a journey, one what did these hunter- there is. And there’s a comfort to it. You with this time together? They told stories. step at a time. Thanks to our long history know your story. You certainly know more gatherers do with this time Anthropologist Polly Wiessner has spent around campfires, our minds are really about it than anyone in the audience. 40 years researching certain forager cultures. good at tracking along. together? They told stories’ If your journey has been remarkable, In 2014, she published a paper that showed And a natural part of listening to stories and if there’s a coherence to the narrative, a dramatic difference between daytime and is that you empathise with the experiences Here’s a great story: this type of talk can work really well. nighttime gatherings. Daytime talk, even of the characters. You find yourself Once, when I was eight years old, my But there’s a trap here too. Remember, when larger groups were involved, centered immersed in their thoughts and emotions. father took me fishing. We were in a tiny the goal is to give. Personal stories on economic discussions and social gossip. In fact, you physically feel what they feel; boat, five miles from shore, when a massive sometimes fail to do that. They may At night, the mood mellowed. There might be if they’re stressed or excited or exhilarated, storm blew in. Dad put a life jacket on me entertain or intrigue or boost the speaker’s singing, dancing, rituals. But the most time was so are you. And that makes you care about and whispered in my ear, ‘Do you trust ego. But they don’t automatically give the spent on storytelling. Tales that brought people the outcome. Your attention is held. me, son?’ I nodded. He threw me audience something they can walk away from distant places to the hearth and into the What are the elements of a great story? overboard. [pause] I kid you not. Just with: insights, actionable information, hearts and minds of listeners. Tales of people The classic formula is: A protagonist with tossed me over! I hit the water and bobbed perspective, context, hope. alive and dead. Present and distant. Tales goals meets an unexpected obstacle and a up to the surface, gasping for breath. It was The key shift needed is an artful edit evoking hilarity, tension and awe. Tales told crisis results. The protagonist attempts to shockingly cold. The waves were terrifying. of your journey that links together critical by men. Tales told by women. Often the star overcome the obstacle, leading to a climax, Monstrous. Then … Dad dived in after moments in a way that someone else can storytellers were elders. In some cases, they and finally a denouement. (There can also me. We watched in horror as our little boat derive meaning from them. Without that, had lost their sight but were still venerated be interruptions and plot twists.) flipped and sank. But he was holding me even if your life has been impressive, the for their oral storytelling. the whole time, telling me it was going to talk may feel rambling and self-indulgent. Professor Wiessner told me that these stories When it comes to sharing a story from be OK. Fifteen minutes later, the Coast But if the journey reveals something played a crucial role in helping expand people’s the stage, remember to emphasise four Guard helicopter arrived. It turned out powerful you have learned, and if each step ability to imagine and dream and understand key things: that Dad knew the boat was damaged and in your journey is revealed with humility the minds of others. They allowed human • Base it on a character your audience can was going to sink, and he had called them and honesty and vulnerability, it is a minds to explore vast social networks and to empathise with. with our exact location. He guessed it was journey we will gladly make with you. build imagined communities far beyond the • Build tension, whether through curiosity, better to chuck me in the open sea than borders of their local social group. Stories social intrigue, or actual danger. risk getting trapped when the boat flipped. brought social status to great storytellers and • Offer the right level of detail. Too little And that is how I learned the true meaning actionable insights to great listeners. (For and the story is not vivid. Too much and of the word trust. example, an attentive listener could learn how it gets bogged down. to avoid the life-threatening dangers described • End with a satisfying resolution, whether Some of the greatest talks are built around in a story.) Therefore, those narrating and funny, moving, or revealing. a single story like this. This structure offers Read more… listening skills are likely to have been selected Of course, it’s all in the execution, so it’s the speaker huge benefits: for as modern humans evolved. So it’s not just really worth fine-tuning your stories. • The throughline is taken care of. (It is This is an edited that we all love hearing stories. They probably Often, especially with stories from our own simply the narrative arc of the story.) excerpt of TED TED curator Chris Anderson on the helped shape how our minds share and lives, we overstuff with details that are • Provided the story is compelling, you can Talks: The Official receive information. important to us, but that a wider audience evoke an intense response in the audience. TED Guide to The power of stories has continued to this just doesn’t need to know. Or, worse, we • If the story is about you, you will create Public Speaking by irresistible allure of stories, and how Chris Anderson day, as evidenced by the multi-billion-dollar forget an essential piece of context, without empathy for some of the things you care (Headline, £14.99, to tell yours to maximum effect industries built around novels, movies and TV. which the story doesn’t make much sense. most about. headline.co.uk).

28 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 29 OUR WORK

Writing in another voice As we announce the shortlist for the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation, writer, editor and translator Daniel Hahn shares his insights into the dark art of writing someone else’s book

Dear Reader, Welcome to this piece of writing. It’s by me. Writing a translation can be a lot harder than you think. I get to choose what I say, how I say it, how I structure Perhaps you will read a translation of mine someday? it, how it gets resolved. The opinions are mine, and so is the Well, if you do, here’s the one simple thing I want you to voice. It’s me, talking to you. (Hello!) Within the constraints remember: the book is by someone else, sure, they’re its of editorial sense, relevance, competence and, you know, ‘author’ in the most conventional sense, but all the words general respectability, pretty much anything goes. are mine. Every single one. Perhaps surprisingly, for a writer, I don’t do this often. That’s not to say that I want you to think about this act of I spend much of my time writing, but not like this. writing-again as you read. Arguably, the greatest compliment Of my 40-something books, more than 20 have been you can pay a translator is to forget that what you’re reading translations. That is to say, they’re books I’ve written, is a translation at all; just as the greatest compliment you can in English – but in each of those pay an actor is that for those few cases I’ve been writing other people’s moments you forgot it was a books, rather than my own. As a ‘THE GREATEST performance and were temporarily translator I’ve written novels (by COMPLIMENT fooled into thinking you were novelists from Angola and Spain and YOU CAN PAY A watching not a character but a real Guatemala), I’ve written assorted person, right there and breathing and works of non-fiction (by writers from TRANSLATOR IS TO alive before your eyes, every artifice Brazil and Portugal) and I’ve written FORGET THAT WHAT forgotten. My job is to make you children’s books (by children’s YOU’RE READING IS A believe that what you’re getting is the writers from France, Argentina and living original, without any fraud or Quebec). I’ve even – though TRANSLATION AT ALL’ interference from me along the way. reluctantly, and badly – written (And – again like actors with their poems. Only other people’s poems, of course. So unlike acting – I suspect it’s not just us translators who feel that way this article, which is all me, when you read one of my books but most kinds of writer: the last thing they want is for you it often isn’t entirely me, it isn’t entirely mine. Someone else to be constantly aware of all that writing happening, there’s has chosen what the writing is going to do: what it’ll say, really nothing more distracting to a reader…) and how, and the voices and the register and the rhythm Unless you read all the world’s written languages, or unless and so on. My job is merely to figure out the words and you believe that only Anglophone writers are worth reading, commas to make it happen. That ‘merely’ is a lie, though. you will depend on the work of translators. (And if you really

30 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 31 OUR WORK

THE 2017 Márquez’s opening to Cien años de soledad – and no other MARSH AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S translator would have made all the same choices or written it SHORTLIST in English quite the same. (If you’re not a Spanish speaker, I’m LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION referring of course to the book you know as One Hundred Years of Solitude. Interesting that Rabassa’s famous title starts with a ‘One’ rather than an ‘A’, I think?) That new English book is THE FLYING CLASSROOM OH, FREEDOM! García Márquez’s, but it’s Rabassa’s, too. Erich Kästner, trans. Anthea Francesco D’Adamo, trans. Sian Williams If you once read Camus’s L’Étranger in English (was yours called (Pushkin Children’s Books) (Darf Publishers) The Outsider, perhaps?), the opening line might have been ‘Mother Snowball fights, kidnappings, cakes The Underground Railroad of America which died today.’ Or ‘Today my mother died.’ Or maybe she was just and a parachute jump combine in this carried thousands of slaves to a new life in ‘mum’, or ‘my mum’; or ‘mummy’, or ‘ma’? Mother has died. heart-warming tale of bravery and friendship Canada is the inspiration for this riveting book do believe that only Anglophone writers are worth reading, well, My mum passed away. The difference might seem negligible, the by German author Erich Kaestner. from Italian author Francesco D’Adamo. doesn’t that seem unlikely, statistically, given that there are maybe details trivial, but each of these opening lines would set you up 20 of ‘them’ to each one of ‘us’? Limiting yourself arbitrarily with a quite different sense of this narrator, and of his relationship to a thin diet of English-language books to his mother, and of his relationship to the THE LITTLE BLACK FISH THE SECRET OF THE BLUE GLASS alone would mean you were missing out on ‘EVERY WORD WE reader addressed. Samad Behrangi, trans. Azita Rassi Tomiko Inui, trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori most of the best.) Having decided on the words, and the (Tiny Owl Publishing) (Pushkin Children’s Books) Here, for example, are a handful of things USE REPRESENTS A sentence structure for optimal effect, and the An Iranian classic about a little fish who First published in 1959, this tale of a hidden you might have read: Anna Karenina, The CHOICE WE HAVE TO punctuation… the translation then rumbles decides to leave the shoal, swim against family nourished with milk from a blue goblet Name of the Rose, Madame Bovary, Pippi on to sentence two, and more decisions. the tide and see the world. Beautiful is cleverly interwoven with the upheaval of Longstocking, The Girl with the Dragon MAKE. EVERY COMMA We pretend that translators are ‘neutral’ illustrations add to the enchantment. World War II in Japan. Tattoo, Hedda Gabler, Ferrante’s ‘Neapolitan – OR SHOULD IT BE – that the Camus you’re reading isn’t in any Quartet’, almost all fairy tales, Asterix, the A SEMICOLON, OR A way compromised, that what you’re getting . Unless you are a remarkable linguist, is, as it were, ‘the real thing’ – but that’s BRONZE AND SUNFLOWER DETECTIVE GORDON: THE FIRST CASE your access to many or most of these would DASH, OR PERHAPS never the case. For better or worse, what Cao Wenxuan, trans. Helen Wang Ulf Nilsson, trans. Julia Marshall depend on somebody who can read the NOTHING AT ALL? – you’re getting is something interpreted by (Walker Books) (Gecko Press) original and then takes it upon themselves IS A DECISION WITH and selected by and re-expressed by a Bestselling Chinese author Cao Wenxuan is Ulf Nilsson, one of Sweden’s top children’s to re-write it, in English, so you can have second writer. It’s just that the second writer behind this moving tale of a city girl making a authors, dreamt up this delightful and unusual a chance to read it. With any luck, they IMPACT FOR OUR in the sequence is asking you to collude in new life in the countryside. But will she be able story about a detective toad trying to solve the sought to retain all the voice, and the READER’S EXPERIENCE the pretence that he isn’t there. to stay in the place where she has found happiness? mystery of a squirrel’s missing nuts. rhythms, and the diction, and the nuance OF THE LINE’ But he is. (not to mention, of course the basic You never know, it might even be me. meaning); and strove to ensure the tone So if you do sometime find yourself remains precise and the jokes remain funny, and, basically, reading a book by an Angolan novelist or a Quebecois children’s keep absolutely everything unchanged. Except for all the words, writer or a Mexican journalist or a French illustrator or a obviously. All those have to go, of course, to be replaced by a Guatemalan short story writer or a Portuguese blogger or a My Marsh – get involved hundred thousand new ones (give or take) that somehow have Brazilian footballer or a Cape Verdean poet or a Spanish thriller Registration is now open for the any personal connections they make Association and a £100 voucher for the exact same effect. writer, I hope you enjoy my book. English-Speaking Union’s inaugural with it. Contributors are encouraged to Browns Books for Students. And every word we use represents a choice we have to make. My Marsh competition. This invites incorporate additional languages into Our supply partner for this Every comma – or should it be a semicolon, or a dash, or perhaps students to upload a video review their entries – particularly if these include competition, Browns Books for Students, nothing at all? – is a decision with impact for our reader’s Daniel Hahn is an award-winning writer, editor of their favourite shortlisted title and the original language of the book. will contact all registered schools with experience of the line, just as the original writer’s choices had and translator with 40-something books to his is a fun, inspiring way for children to Prizes include a subscription to The regard to sourcing the shortlisted texts. an impact on those who read their books first. name. Recent books include the new Oxford practice speaking to camera. Week Junior (which will also cover the Schools will have until the closing date In the late sixties a remarkable American man called Gregory Companion to Children’s Literature and a The winning entries will be those winning entries); a copy of all 27 entries of 20th December to upload a short Rabassa wrote these words: ‘Many years later, as he faced the firing translation of José Eduardo Agualusa’s A General which are deemed to have effectively for this year’s Marsh Award; a discount video review of their preferred book. squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant Theory of Oblivion, which was shortlisted for the and engagingly communicated both the voucher for a particular course or For more details, visit afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.’ That brilliant 2016 Man Booker International Prize. reviewer’s opinions about the book and conference offered by the School Library esu.org/our-work. sentence was his version, his re-creation, of Gabriel García

32 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 33 OUR ALUMNI

‘OH! BUT YOU’RE WOMEN!’

Kim Preston and Helen Berry, the ESU’s first

all-female US debate tour team, recall their 1991 trip OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT: HELEN AND KIM READY TO SPEAK; NEW YORK CITY, ONE OF THE STOPS ON THEIR TOUR. and the extraordinary reactions they received THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: HELEN AND KIM ALSO VISITED ST LOUIS, CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA

in St Louis, Missouri, were mostly or more than 90 years, two of the How did you first get into debating Helen: I had done lots of debating whilst at City University and this African-American students whereas UK’s best debaters have been sent and why? at school – a girls’ grammar in Plymouth. was the summer before my in other universities, debaters tended Fon a two-month tour of the United Kim: Debating wasn’t offered at my Public speaking was encouraged, I even pupillage started. I had to be white males. States, speaking in show debates at school. I had always been interested in stood for the Green party in a mock taken part in prestigious different universities across the country. oratory though, so when I went to the election! I then joined the debating debating competitions How does debating differ in the US? In 1991 the ESU selected Kim Preston University of Birmingham to study politics society at the University of Durham, later such as the World Kim: Debating is run through and Helen Berry, the first all-female tour I was introduced to debating for the first becoming its president. Debating is great University Debating academic departments in since 1928. Carly S. Woods, an academic time, and it was this that made me realise for learning to think on your feet and Championships in Australia in US universities (usually the specialising in women’s debating societies I wanted to become a barrister. I wasn’t not being fazed by people heckling or 1988 and a debating competition ‘To sum it up in communications department) and and who has previously organised US sporty or arty but I found I was good at interrupting you. Girls often worry about at Princeton University in the US. therefore is a subject you earn credits for, Debate Tours says, ‘The idea that women this. I love the intensity of the form and what people think of them so it’s a great Helen: I had finished at Durham and had three words the tour rather than being extracurricular. Britain cannot or ought not debate looms large the ability it gives you to speak frankly way of gaining confidence. just returned from the World University was formative, fun and misses a trick not teaching subjects like in this history, and for many, is still with humour. Debating Championships in Toronto. communication, debate and negotiating a concern today. Despite this, What were you doing in 1991 deliberately feminist’ in the UK. It is why we are struggling women have consistently seized the before being selected for the For those readers who may not know, with Brexit right now as there are not opportunity to participate, using the US Debate Tour? what is the US Debate Tour and what enough trained negotiators. We also found skills as an entry-point for a variety Kim: I had finished my does it entail? arguments and make the debates more that the format of the debates was quite of important roles in public life.’ undergraduate degree at Kim: It is two months’ travel across the of a performance. different. The American Policy format Twenty-five years on, we talk Birmingham, as well as United States, with universities hosting Helen: When we arrived in New York, which was the most common then, has to Kim and Helen about their my law course you. We went to places well off the tourist we were given a huge wodge of tickets and a set time period for cross examination experiences on this historically trail such as the Mid-West and the South. told to explore! The whole tour was a very and questions, whereas the British significant tour… We stayed in state universities, religious diverse experience – when were in deepest, Parliamentary format trains you to be private universities, and we were put up in darkest Louisiana, students had never met receptive to being interrupted with points tutor’s homes and motels – we even stayed any Europeans before, which was a striking of information. It is altogether a more ‘Stand up, take in a monastery one night. We did show contrast to the well-travelled students we fluid and spontaneous style. a deep breath debates on campus for audiences ranging met at the Ivy League college, Cornell. Helen: Also, the further west we went, from 50-2,000 people. We researched Some campuses were more ethnically the more difficult people found our sense and argue’ every place we went to personalise our diverse than others – the debate teams of humour, which was a very British,

34 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 35 OUR ALUMNI

‘There is a massive SPEND YOUR need for young GAP YEAR people, especially young girls, to STUDYING AT find their voice in AN AMERICAN public speaking KIM (LEFT) AND HELEN (RIGHT) TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE TOUR TO EXPLORE HIGH SCHOOL AMERICA’S DIVERSE LANDSCAPES, and debating’ INCLUDING THE HUDSON RIVER, ABOVE gently satirical style of making fun of the selection process and the ESU SECONDARY SCHOOL opposition and politicians. It made it very had had to send women as a last resort. EXCHANGE SCHOLARSHIPS hard to get a laugh. We also faced lots of Helen: People were definitely surprised! questions about a United States of Europe. But we were unfazed by it and ended up Since 1928, the ESU has offered thousands Knowledge of Europe was very limited far surpassing their expectations. university in public speaking of young people the once in a lifetime so opponents struggled if the motions as many lack confidence in this area. opportunity to spend two or three touched on topics to do with this part What are your best memories of the My university also runs academic exchanges terms in a US high school, after A levels. of the world. We therefore stuck to US debate tour? to the US so my insight into the university Students study a range of different American motions about issues such Kim: Speaking at Cornell to a packed system there has been really helpful. subjects, including some that don’t as the American Dream. auditorium. And being with Helen. feature in a British school syllabus. Your teammate can make or break the What advice would you give to young Did the experience of being tour if two egos clash and luckily people who want to get into debating? SSE is as much a cultural exchange as the first all-female debate that didn’t happen. Kim: Do it. Put aside any anxiety you an academic one. Host schools offer an team hold any significance To see some US Helen: To sum it up in have and stand up, take a deep breath and extensive range of extracurricular activities for you? Debate Tour alumni in three words, the tour argue. It also gives you the potential to and facilities, as well as American rites of Kim: One memory action, come along to was formative, fun and travel around world. I went to the US and passage such as spring break, prom, and stands out: when Thanksgiving at the ESU on deliberately feminist. Australia with debating and then to South Friday, 25th November for a graduation. Your increased independence, we met the head of Africa right after apartheid had ended in fun and informative debate wider outlook and maturity will be a huge the communications on US politics. See page 7 What lasting impact did the early 90s for another show debate tour benefit to you at university and in your it have on you? Has it department on one for more details which was fascinating. future career. campus early on in the tour affected your career at all? Helen: There is a massive need for young he remarked, ‘Oh! But you’re Kim: The experience gave me people, especially young girls, to find their For more information, women!’ We looked at each other an enormous confidence to take up voice in public speaking and debating. visit esu.org/sse, email a little bemused and said ‘Yes’ to which the Bar. I came back to my pupillage I feel that the rise of online communication his next remark was ‘Why?’ I thought three weeks late and instead of being through social media has made verbal [email protected] or about explaining about the birds and overwhelmed, I was confident and ready skills worse. Things need to change. call 020 7529 1590 the bees, but realised that the shock was to start. I am a barrister now and have made that the British National Debate Team a career out of debating doing court trials. FURTHER INFORMATION were compiled of ‘mere’ women. This Helen: The tour was a really formative Priority for places on the US debate tour is understandably become the quote of the experience. I am now the of given to ESU mentors. To find out more about trip and we dined out on it several times. Postgraduate Studies and Professor becoming a mentor, email [email protected]. Many people assumed we were a ‘B’ team, of History at University of Newcastle. Information will also be posted online at at or that something had gone wrong in the I also coach my female colleagues at the esu.org from late April 2017.

36 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 BRANCHES

FIND AN ESU Branches News & Events NEAR YOU

There are 36 ESU The UK Branches of the ESU are at the centre of our mission as a vibrant membership organisation for the 21st century. Read all about their exciting work and upcoming events over the next few pages NORTHUMBERLAND branches throughout & DURHAM England and Wales 1066: BRANCH CHRISTMAS LUNCH, 7TH DECEMBER 1066 Hats & Hidden Hastings We have had an interesting year, with a number of speakers covering several YORK & DISTRICT interesting subjects. Following our AGM in June, on 6th July we held a ‘Hatters’ Tea Party’ with a wonderful cream tea at Fairlight Lodge Hotel. September saw our own Michael Plumbe showing us his photos of the MANCHESTER hidden gems of Hastings Old Town, many of LIVERPOOL & MERSEYSIDE which are easily missed unless you pay close MID-CHESHIRE CHESTER LINCOLNSHIRE attention while walking around the town.

DIARY DATES BRANCH CHRISTMAS LUNCH NORWICH & NORFOLK Wednesday 7th December an exhibition of contemporary documents BIRMINGHAM Cooden Beach Golf Club TN39 4TR identifying Shakespeare as a London DIARY DATES SUFFOLK Special Guest: Michael Foster DL, resident and actor was on view. James THE STORY OF THE WOMEN’S High Sheriff East Sussex Simister then spoke about the politics LAND ARMY WORCESTERSHIRE OUSE VALLEY CAMBRIDGE, WELLAND VALLEY of Shakespeare’s England, painting the Tuesday 13th December, HEREFORDSHIRE WINTER WARMER backdrop to his historical plays and 1.45 for 2.30pm HERTFORDSHIRE COLCHESTER Wednesday 4th January 2017 major tragedies and pointing out the EPPING FOREST Filsham Hall, Filsham Road TN38 8HH uncomfortable and possibly perilous THE BAT AND THE WIDOW: OXFORDSHIRE parallels between them and the dangers TWO VIENNESE OPERETTAS SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BRISTOL For more details contact Michael abounding in Tudor and early Stuart times. Tuesday 17th January 2017, LONDON SOUTH WALES CANTERBURY Plumbe ([email protected]) A special treat was a full discourse by Peter 1.45 for 2.30pm BATH & EAST KENT Martin on ‘Discovering Shakespeare Anew’. GUILDFORD & DISTRICT In this the contemporary biographer of Dr THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS: POLITICAL SALISBURY & SOUTH WILTSHIRE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Johnson explored in depth the use and RHETORIC AND NATION-BUILDING development of English in Shakespeare’s IN THE UNITED STATES TAUNTON BRIGHTON, WEST SUSSEX 1066 HOVE & DISTRICT literary output and the debt our much more Tuesday 21st February 2017, EASTBOURNE BRIGHTON, HOVE Lest we forget extensive language owes to his inventive and 1.45 for 2.30pm & DISTRICT EXETER & DISTRICT Commemoration was the theme of our flexible use of the language of his day. How summer activity – mainly of Shakespeare on could any academy put English in a All events take place at The Hove Club, the 400th anniversary of his untimely death grammatical and textual straitjacket after 28 Fourth Avenue, Hove BN3 2PJ PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT and also of the brave young men whose lives Shakespeare had opened up drama and For more details, contact the CORNWALL were cast away in the Battle of the Somme. poetry to an unprecedented exploration Information Programme Secretary Our review of Shakespeare began with of the human psyche? Yes, Shakespeare is on 01273 307335 a visit to Somerset House, London, where to be read as well as acted.

38 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 39 BRANCHES BRANCHES

KEEP UP TO DATE city of Bristol was about CORNWALL: PUBLIC SPEAKING For more information COMPETITION IN GHANA BRISTOL on all forthcoming events, to present Tbilisi Zoo with CANTERBURY & EAST KENT DIARY DATES Twinned with a penguin be sure to check the 21 penguins from Bristol THANKSGIVING LUNCH At our AGM on 19th May, branch pages on the Zoo, Bristol ESU presented Saturday 26th November, Dr. Tom Greene, the new website at esu.org a Bristol blue glass penguin DIARY DATES 12.30 for 1.00pm Headmaster of Clifton as a small token of our THANKSGIVING LUNCH Royal Eastbourne Golf Club BN20 8BP College, was elected as Vice- cooperation. Find out more Saturday November 26th, 12.30pm Speaker to be confirmed President, and Flora Waite-Taylor was about the two cities on page 25. Tyler Kiln public house, Members £23.00; elected to the committee. All others were Canterbury CT2 9NE on-members £25.00 re-elected apart from David Stephens who resigned after many years’ devoted DIARY DATES CHRISTMAS LUNCH NEW YEAR DRINKS AND CANAPES service. Brian Freehand then gave us an PUBLIC SPEAKING HEATS Sunday December 18th, 12.30pm. Saturday 14th January 2017 amusing talk, ‘A View from the Wings’. Tuesday 15th November Fordwich Arms, Canterbury CT2 0DB Event to be confirmed On 20th July we had our summer drinks & Thursday 17th November (A roast, not a Christmas menu!) party which was attended by over 50 St Bede’s Catholic College & Castle All welcome. Contact Stephen Prickett THE CAMBRIDGE SPIES members in the Chairman’s garden. School, Thornbury respectively at [email protected] Wednesday 8th February 2017, During the ESU International 10.30am Members Conference in Tbilisi, Bristol’s BATH AND DISTRICT PUBLIC CONCERT All Saints Church Hall, Eastbourne twin city, this September, the two ESUs SPEAKING FINAL Saturday March 25th 2017 BN21 4HE agreed to be twinned in future. Marina Monday 28th November, 5.30pm Discover the talented youngsters in Speaker Edward Towne Tsitsishvili, Chairman of ESU Georgia, St Mary’s School, Calne SN11 0DF Walmer, organised by Gawain Douglas. Members £9.00; non-members £11.00 and Tony Williams, Chairman of ESU More info to follow. Contact Noel Bristol, signed a memorandum of CHRISTMAS PARTY Ensoll at [email protected] cooperation in the presence of Justin Tuesday 13th December, 6.30-8.30pm the host school with and ESU of women in Ghanaian national McKenzie Smith, the new British 9 Carnarvon Road BS6 7DR, £12.50 dignitaries in support. Also present were development and how to solve the EPPING FOREST Ambassador to Georgia and the Mayor headteachers of other schools, most of problem of the country’s unemployment. A call to arms of Tbilisi, Dr Davit Narmania. As the FINAL OF THE CHURCHILL COLCHESTER whom signed up for a local competition The students were competitive and On 16th June we enjoyed a visit to SCHOOLS PUBLIC SPEAKING Public Speaking Goals early next year. Six pupils aged 8 or 9 prizes were awarded. The Headmaster Armoury House in City Road in the COMPETITION Former premiership and now Colchester demonstrated what they had learned and Head of English were very impressed City of London. On arrival we were met Thursday 12th January 2017 at 6pm United footballer, George Elokobi, was about public speaking with two teams by the standard of speaking and wish by Colonel Bob Shedden and Edwin Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital guest speaker at Colchester English Study of a chairperson, speaker and opposition to continue hosting speaking events Seabrook. Bob then gave us an excellent School BS8 1JS Centre on 27th July. Branch Chairman questioner. Amelia Sumner, another Year in collaboration with the ESU. briefing on the long history of the house Brian Cooke interviewed George about 4 student, was a highly impressive Master which is the permanent home of the MEN BEHIND THE MEDALS his journey from his native Cameroon, of Ceremonies for the hour-long event. Honourable Artillery Company (HAC). Saturday 28th January 2017 through inner-city London, to the UK EASTBOURNE The HAC traces its roots to 1537 and Speaker Graham Pitchfork at large. He shared many of his personal Independence Day & Military Music perhaps earlier although the precise date experiences as well as his career in CORNWALL Once again the sun shone for our is not known. What is sure is that, unlike REACHING THE ICE BEARS football, which earned him great respect Public Speaking in Upper East Ghana Independence Day lunch on 4th July, all other parts of the armed forces, HAC Thursday 9th February 2017 from the audience, members of which Although Ghana’s national language in the lovely garden of our President is independent of the MoD and thanks Speaker Dr. John Sparks then asked questions from the floor. is English, more than 80 languages are Mrs Jane Mitchell and her husband EPPING George is interested in motivational spoken in the country. English tends to Douglas. The day was well attended FOREST: WHY DO WE NEED POLICE speaking when he eventually retires be a second or third language and is and we all enjoyed the American cuisine. A RECENT VISIT TO COMMISSIONERS from sport and has undertaken training nearly always ‘broken’. Jack Irwin and This is always a most popular event. ARMOURY HOUSE Tuesday 28th February 2017 in public speaking. the Cornwall branch of the ESU worked Our midsummer lunch was postponed Speaker David Shattock Branch Public Speaking Training in collaboration with Patrick Adokoh, until 17th September and we were able Manager Nicky Browne organised education graduate, to organise a public to welcome military music composer All the talks are held in the Apostle a showcase of primary school public speaking competition there in June. Louise Denny to the Royal Eastbourne Room of Clifton Cathedral BS8 3BX, speaking at Our Lady Immaculate There was an audience of 80, with five Golf Club. BRISTOL: BRISTOL 7.15 for 7.45pm, £2 for members Catholic Primary School, Chelmsford, teams of three – speaker, chairman and Louise spoke most engagingly about ZOO PRESENTED TBILISI ZOO WITH and £5 for guests on 22nd June 2016. The event was well questioner. The five topics addressed her fascinating work, diverse career and 21 PENGUINS attended by parents, pupils and staff from included discussions on the importance many international visits.

40 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 41 BRANCHES BRANCHES

to a Royal Charter issued by King Henry EXETER AND book, Jewels and Jackboots, about the The meeting was followed by talks DISTRICT: VIII, owns the house and surrounding JONATHAN occupation of Channel Islands; and one by GUILDFORD & DISTRICT DIARY DATES from Laura Wass on her time in Uganda five acres of land in perpetuity. Several FENBY CBE journalist Jonathan Fenby CBE on ‘France All change THANKSGIVING LUNCH and by Tom Kupper from Lincoln attempts by governments to take the since the Revolution’, in which he covered Our second AGM since our October Thursday November 24th Cathedral on medieval stained glass property into public ownership have 227 years of French history in 45 minutes! 2014 relaunch was held on a glorious Six , St Albans AL3 4SH and the art of the glazier. failed when challenged in court. During the year Exeter and District summer evening in July. We gathered On 22nd August, the Branch was most The purpose of the HAC is to provide ESU has helped to fund gap year students together in the upper circle bar of the CHRISTMAS PARTY fortunate in being gifted an evening at assistance to the City of London policing on various projects in Thailand, Ecuador, Yvonne Arnaud theatre to hear Professor Tuesday 13th December Doddington Hall to view the sculpture and to the Royal Artillery in peace and Peru, India and Nepal. Jane Setter give a six-minute speech on Chairman’s home exhibition there. A reception was held for war. After the briefing Edwin showed us spoken English and European issues – some 40 attendees, followed by a talk on around the beautifully appointed rooms most topical given Brexit! Fifty members ANNUAL CELEBRITY DINNER the exhibition by James and Claire Birch, which include a small museum housing DIARY DATES attended and enjoyed hearing too of our March 2017, details tbc the owners. Afterwards, guests were able artefacts covering the period of the last EXETER & DISTRICT CHURCHILL PUBLIC SPEAKING second successful year of ESU With The Rt Hon. The Lord Boateng, to view the superb exhibition in the half millennium. Lunch followed and Revolutions and committee changes! COMPETITION programmes and increase in membership Chairman ESU magnificent grounds. so ended an excellent day. The Branch Chairman, Lynn Samuel, Wednesday 23rd November, (we are now the fourth largest branch A number of meetings involving the stood down at our AGM in June. There 5.30 for 6pm; venue tbc outside London!) from our chairman, For more information on any Branch and Lincoln universities together was a good turnout of members there Contact [email protected] Lori Winch-Johnson; treasurer, Timothy of these events, please contact with staff from Dartmouth House took DIARY DATES to thank and congratulate Lynn on the Lewis; and debating mentor, Dr Jo [email protected] place over the period, all aimed at WILDLIFE IN TANZANIA dedicated and efficient manner in which CHURCHILL PUBLIC SPEAKING Russell. We elected a new committee and promoting the ESU and its work in Thursday 1st December, he guided the branch during his tenure. COMPETITION Sonia Halliday thanked the outgoing Lincolnshire schools and teacher training. LINCOLNSHIRE: LAURA WASS WITH SOME OF 10.15 for 10.45 am Lynn is succeeded as Chairman by Paul Thursday 1st December, 5.30 for 6pm members. We were also serenaded by THE UGANDAN CHILDREN SHE WORKED WITH We will report in more detail on this in Speaker Bob Johnson Waterworth and by next summer the Venue tbc taelnted chanteuse, Aurora. We’re a later edition. branch will be in need of two more key Contact Maureen Speller as above looking forward to enjoying many more TCHAIKOVSKY WINTER TALES officers. Carol Cathcart and Tim Pink events at our wonderful new venue Sunday 4th December have both indicated their desire to retire ‘SAY THAT EVER ‘GAINST THAT of Weybourne House, located at St LIVERPOOL & Concert at the Royal Festival from their position of Branch Secretary SEASON COMES…’ Catherine’s, just off the Portsmouth Road MERSEYSIDE Hall with the London and Dining Secretary respectively, in both Wednesday 14th December and only a short walk from Guildford Nursery Rhymes and Philharmonic Orchestra cases after years of service. It is important Exeter Golf and Country Club EX2 7AE town centre and mainline train station. 90th Birthday Celebrations Cost £32.00 to cover transport by for the continuing success of the branch Dinner with Professor Carol Rutter In July, we were delighted to welcome coach and driver’s gratuity that successors are identified as soon as Contact Tim Pink at sheila.pink@ Gail Featherstone, Membership Officer, possible so that they can shadow Carol btinternet.co.uk HERTFORDSHIRE to our AGM at The Athenaeum in EPPING FOREST AREA QUIZ and Tim for a few months. Please A Shaw Thing Liverpool. Gail not only talked to Thursday 5th January 2017, consider whether you could fill one SCORN: FROM HIEROGLYPHS The sun shone on an unusually large members individually but also spoke 10.15 for 10.45 am of these positions: do contact Carol, TO TWITTER audience on Saturday 23rd July for our to the group about the current aims Host Joan Francies Tim or the Chairman for a chat. Wednesday 18th January 2017 annual visit to the George Bernard Shaw LIVERPOOL AND MERSEYSIDE: Our summer events included John Exeter Golf and Country Club EX2 7AE Festival at Shaw’s Corner, Ayot St FROM LEFT: JUNE LANCELYN GREEN, PRESIDENT HH ELIZABETH STEEL, SPEAKER JEAN FINNEY, THE CENTRAL LINE Nettles OBE of Bergerac and Midsomer Lunch with Matthew Parris Lawrence. The play was You Never Can LINCOLNSHIRE ESU MEMBERSHIP OFFICER GAIL FEATHERSTONE Thursday 2nd February 2017, Murders fame speaking about his recent Contact Tim Pink, as above Tell, an amusing work that echoes Shaw’s Scholars & sculpture AND CHAIRMAN BRIAN WORSTER-DAVIS 10.15 for 10.45 am socialist ideals, considered by him to be The Branch AGM was held at Swinderby EXETER AND DISTRICT: (L-R) ESU'S Speaker Jenny Plummer GAIL FEATHERSTONE, SHEILA PINK FREEDOM OF SPEECH one of his ‘Plays Pleasant’. The unlikely Village Hall on 4th July. Mr. Toby AND CHAIRMAN PAUL WATERWORTH Wednesday 15th February 2017 hero is the head waiter of a well-to-do, Dennis (The Lord Lieutenant) and our THE RUBBISH PICKER’S DAUGHTER Exeter Golf and Country Club EX2 7AE although split family, enjoying a President conducted the evening. In Thursday 2nd March 2017, Lunch with Sir Steve Smith luxury lifestyle of eating, music addition to the election of officers 10.15 for 10.45 am Contact Tim Pink, as above and dancing. The audience KEEP and committee, a report was Speaker Elizabeth Gowring only realises at the end that UP TO DATE given by the Chairman Sir THE MILDER SHORES OF LOVE the waiter’s son (unknown For more information Michael Graydon. He All events are held at Murray Hall, Wednesday 15th March 2017 to the family and important on all forthcoming events, highlighted work with the be sure to check the Loughton IG10 3SB, unless otherwise Exeter Golf and Country Club EX2 7AE in the legal world) was able Lincoln universities in branch pages on the indicated. Admission £4.00 including Lunch with Bel Mooney to overcome his humble website at esu.org promoting the Discover Your tea/coffee Contact Tim Pink, as above origins and straighten out the Voice Programme and our family’s problems. ongoing support for scholars.

42 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 43 BRANCHES BRANCHES

of the ESU, particularly those concerning Emeritus as recognition of her contribution LONDON: BLETCHLEY PARK Chairman The Rt Hon. The Lord Boateng IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE young people. not only to the Liverpool and Merseyside BOOK CLUB MEETINGS THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS and Jane Easton. The branch continues Our speaker Jean Finney gave an Branch but to the ESU in general. Wednesday December 21st, Tuesday 10th January 2017 to enter schools into the Public Speaking entertaining and lively talk on the origin Wednesday 18th January 2017, Luncheon meeting with speaker Competition and is looking forward to of nursery rhymes, encouraging us to sing Wednesday 15th February 2017 Fr. Michael Burgess the 2017 contest. the rhymes learned in childhood and then DIARY DATES Dartmouth House giving us the true meaning behind the CHRISTMAS LUNCH AT LIVERPOOL Contact Kathleen Earley on SECRETS OF A CHESHIRE words which was fascinating. The greatest ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL [email protected] – HIGH LEGH DIARY DATES fun however came at the end of lunch Thursday December 15th, Tuesday 14th February 2017 BRITAIN’S TOP MRS MOP when the Branch surprised former 12noon for 12.30pm COFFEE MORNINGS Luncheon meeting with speaker Sunday 20th November, President June Lancelyn Green MBE with Speaker Roger Johnson, Wednesday 14th December, Judy Popley lunch 12 for 12.30 a celebration of her recent 90th birthday. BBC TV News Presenter Wednesday 11th January 2017, Speaker Debra Preston The toast was by proposed by former Wednesday 8th February 2017 THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION Chairman Hilary King and champagne LUNCH & CONCERT LONDON Dartmouth House AND MY SUBSEQUENT ESCAPE CHRISTMAS LUNCH QUIZ & SOCIAL and birthday cake followed. After the Sunday April 2nd 2017, 12 noon Secrets & Spies Tuesday 14th March 2017 Sunday 18th December, blowing out of nine candles (not 90!) June Bistro Jacques in Hardman Street, The London Branch enjoyed a fascinating Luncheon meeting with lunch 12 for 12.30 gave a truly wonderful impromptu speech Liverpool L1 9AS, followed by a visit to Bletchley Park recently. To walk Dr. Andrew Zsigmund highlighting not only her birthday party concert at 2.30pm with the RLPO through the huts where the secret work MID-CHESHIRE All luncheon meetings will take place MORE MATHS FOR GRANDPARENTS and her many ESU memories but her conducted by Vasily Petrenko was carried out during the Second World Fundraising fun at: Portal Premier Golf Club, Tarporley, Sunday 15th January 2017, meeting with the Queen on her recent visit For more information please contact War gave us an insight into the conditions Branch members and their guests were Cheshire CW6 0DJ at 12 noon for 12.30 lunch 12 for 12.30 to Liverpool. The Branch has conferred [email protected] under which the decoders worked. The joined by visiting members of the lunch. Prior booking is essential. For Speaker Michael Raw on June the honorary title of President exhibits and hands-on consoles enabled Liverpool and Merseyside Branch of the further information please contact one to pit oneself against the experts and ESU for our annual summer fundraising Jennifer MacPherson on 01606 215908 AFRICAN ADVENTURE LIVERPOOL AND MERSEYSIDE: ON MAY 16TH, THE NORTH WEST REGION ENTERTAINED ESU CHAIRMAN, THE RT HON. THE LORD BOATENG (CENTRE) AT LUNCH AT INGLEWOOD MANOR HOTEL, SOUTH WIRRAL. PICTURED WITH LORD we look forward to returning to this most event, at Abbeywood Gardens, which Sunday 19th February 2017, BOATENG FROM LEFT ARE: DAME LORNA MUIRHEAD, LORD LIEUTENANT OF MERSEYSIDE; KEITH BUTCHER, CHAIRMAN NW REGION; AND DAVID BRIGGS, LORD LIEUTENANT OF CHESHIRE interesting place. raised £611.00 for Branch projects. lunch 12 for 12.30 Andrew Lownie’s talk ‘The Lives of The lovely weather meant we were able Speaker Anna Meek Guy Burgess’ gave us an in-depth view to wander at leisure around the extensive NORWICH & NORFOLK of the man and how he became embroiled gardens, enjoying the glorious border, Outings of interest NORWICH IN BLOOM in the spy business. Like many other spies prairie-style meadow, woodland and Norwich and Norfolk Branch continues Saturday 18th March 2017, who were brought up without a male role vegetable garden. At 3.00 pm we were to meet monthly for lunch and has been lunch 12 for 12.30 model, Guy was targeted by the Russians entertained by two young musicians from entertained by a variety of very interesting Speakers Reg and Jo Chiddick whilst at Cambridge. Andrew described Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College, speakers. We were delighted to welcome how Guy was reeled in by other spies and Northwich: flautist Hannah Faulkner Jane Easton, Director-General ESU and, All meetings are held at Park Farm how he came, perhaps inadvertently, to and violinist Caitlin Sherwood. more recently, Shona Gawell, the former Hotel, Hethersett NR9 3DL go to Russia. Afternoon tea was then served. A raffle Membership Officer. We enjoyed an was held with very desirable prizes outing to Sea Mere Gardens, a working generously donated by the committee. farm with delightful gardens and a mere DIARY DATES dating back to the ice age when it was a OUSE VALLEY PRIVATE VIEW OF ROYAL glacier. Five members also attended the Public Speaking in Schools COLLECTION DIARY DATES House of Lords Tea Party hosted by ESU & The Future of Newspapers Wednesday January 25th 2017 IRAQ POST-WORLD WAR II TO Now in its sixth year, our highly Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace SADDAM HUSSEIN successful series of Junior Public Speaking Contact Jane Reid on Tuesday 8th November Competitions, organised by our President [email protected] Luncheon meeting with speaker Dr. Tony Wood, involves children in Bob Kermeen years 3 and 4 at Primary School. Held at MUSIC RECITAL Bedford School on two successive Tuesday Wednesday March 1st 2017 IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER mornings in May, an impressive total of Dartmouth House Tuesday 13th December 72 pupils from 13 schools took part in Contact Jane Reid on Christmas luncheon meeting with 24 teams, with 24 very interesting topics. [email protected] speaker Brian Hallworth On both occasions the hall was packed FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS AT MID-CHESHIRE AND NORWICH & NORFOLK BRANCHES with teachers, parents and Ouse Valley

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members, with no shortage of questions for the speakers. ‘Being a teacher is one VICTORIA AND ALBERT – SALISBURY & SOUTH of the most important jobs in the world’ A MUSICAL ROMANCE WILTSHIRE was one topic dealt with very Wednesday 14th December, Waterloo & A New Chairman satisfactorily, judging by the applause! 12.30pm for 1.00pm More than 100 members and guests We now look forward to our seventh An entertainment by the attended the branch’s summer lecture at year (25 April and 2 May 2017) and to Ridgeway Ensemble the Salisbury Museum. The subject was our second Junior Debating event. At Captain the Hon. Henry Percy, the man a trial-run in March, five ‘guinea pig’ BRITISH UNIVERSITIES IN who brought the news of victory at the schools took part – the first attempt at A COMPETITIVE WORLD Battle of Waterloo to Britain. The talk, formal debating in Bedfordshire for Tuesday 24th January 2017, with amusing illustrations, was given by OXFORDSHIRE: WINNER SOPHIE HAXWORTH 10–11 year olds. It was an encouraging 12.30 for 1.00pm Colonel Sir William Mahon, Bt, LVO, success and a new experience to which Speaker Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice- who served in the Irish Guards for 33 the children adapted very well – Chancellor, Buckingham University OXFORDSHIRE years before becoming a member of the extremely well in one or two cases! School leavers awards Hon Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Budding politicians no doubt. OUSE VALLEY SECONDARY PUBLIC The annual school leavers awards, At the AGM, Gill Prior stood down On 27th September we were delighted SPEAKING COMPETITION organised by Michael Robson OBE, a having served the maximum six years as to welcome Gail Featherstone, the ESU’s Wednesday 8th February 2017, member of the Oxfordshire committee saw Chairman. Sir Peter Jennings praised her Membership Officer to our first event of early evening an increase in submissions culminating in contributions to the ESU at Dartmouth the season, which started with our AGM. Bedford School MK40 2TU some very worthy winners. All have been House, highlighting her sound advice This was followed by an eye-opening talk Branch heat of the national recommended by their head teachers and during her service on the Board of from Roger Perkins, Head of Journalism competition for 14-16 year olds will be reading an English-related subject. Governors. Nigel Estlick then thanked SOUTH WALES: (L-R) JOHN JONES, ELIZABETH at Buckingham University, on The Future Contact 01234 881473 The six recipients were: Gill on behalf of all the members for MORGAN, LADY INKIN AND SIR NORMAN LLOYD- EDWARDS AT THE SUMMER GARDEN PARTY of Newspapers. or 01234 822206 • Amy Beecham from Wood Green School, being a superb Chairman and cited all Witney, now at Warwick University the innovations she has made and seen SOCIAL MEDIA – A GOOD THING • Jacob Fleming from Fitzharys Abingdon through. He concluded by giving her a DIARY DATES OR A BAD THING? now at Swansea University gift from all the members of the branch. ERNEST SHACKLETON: HIS LIFE SOUTH WALES LES PARISIENNES Tuesday 21st February 2017, • Sophie Haxworth (pictured above) The new Chairman, Michael Tulloch, AND TIMES Public speaking for primary, Parisian Tuesday 22nd November, 12.30 for 1.00pm from Lord Williams Thame, now MBE, served in the Sherwood Forrester’s Wednesday 18th January 2017 women – and party time 12.30pm for 1pm Speaker Athina Karatzogianni, Senior at Bristol University Regiment, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Speaker Dr Isobel Williams What made young lawyer Denise du Speaker Anne Sebba, author Lecturer in Media and Communication, • Ed Morgan from Chendenit School, His many interests include country sports, Fournier return to Paris shortly after the and journalist Leicester University Banbury, now at Bath golf and skiing. The guest speaker was ESU CHURCHILL PSC FOR Nazi occupation in 1940 to hide shot- • Cameron Farnham (pictured below) Lady Gooch, who gave a lively description SCHOOLS, BRANCH FINAL down allied airmen? What made Noor CONTEMPORARY GERMANY from North Oxford Academy, now of her duties as High Sheriff of Wiltshire. Late January 2017 Inayat Khan, an Indian-born Parisian and Tuesday 14th March 2017, 12.30pm at Loughborough University Contact [email protected] pacifist, volunteer to work behind Nazi for 1.00pm • Emeline Young from Matthew Arnold lines for the British Special Operations Speaker Mathias Haeussler, Fellow School, Oxford, now at Bristol University DIARY DATES LIFE IN LIBYA UNDER GADAFFI Executive? And what made Jeannie of Magdalene College, Cambridge. ROWING THE ATLANTIC Monday 20th February 2017 OXFORDSHIRE: WINNER CAMERON FARNHAM WITH BRANCH CHAIRMAN TIM HALLCHURCH Monday 21st November Speaker Susan Sandover OUSE VALLEY Speaker Mark Mortimer SIXTH-FORM DEBATES ESU CHURCHILL PSC FOR March 2017. Details tbc. ESU CHURCHILL PUBLIC- SCHOOLS, REGIONAL FINAL Teams of two pupils from local schools SPEAKING COMPETITION FOR Mid-March Contact 01234 822206. SCHOOLS, BRANCH HEATS Contact [email protected] Late November/early December All events take place at Contact [email protected] Meetings take place at the Rose The Sharnbrook Hotel MK44 1LX and Crown, Harnham SP2 8JQ unless otherwise listed. THE WILTSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE Coffee from 10.15; talks begin at 11am; For more details contact 01234 881473 Wednesday 14th December luncheon at 12.15 or 01234 822206. Speaker David Philpot Tickets: £17.50, talk & lunch; £7, talk only SOUTH WALES: SPEAKER ANNE SEBBA WITH OUSE VALLEY: LES PARISIENNES, 22ND NOVEMBER STUDENTS FROM HOWELL`S SCHOOL, LLANDAFF JUNIOR DEBATE ACADEMY

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Rousseau, a brilliant young linguist hired as an interpreter by German military chiefs, pass on key information to British What membership means to me Intelligence? Our September lunch speaker, Anne Sebba, spoke movingly about these and other heroines who, ‘It is vital to build the skill of each in her own way, fought against the German occupation. In July Fonmon Castle hosted our conveying your arguments summer garden party with a memorable performance from EU4IA, a euphonium quartet of students from the Royal Welsh eloquently and with clarity early on’ College of Music and Drama. Students were again to the fore when we held our second annual lecture in partnership erena Parek, aged 17, from Harrow, friendship. I also like the ESU-Churchill speaking competition, an initiative I with the University of South Wales at in London, tells us how her ESU Public Speaking Competition, which was fortunate to be chosen for. Being which Lord Kerr of Kinlochard Smembership has influenced her life. has a real diversity of subjects and whose on the other side of the fence was an presented a comprehensive review of I have been debating from the age of unique format allows for three different, experience and I felt real empathy with the Britain and the European Union a week 11 as part of my school’s small, pupil-run but equally important, roles: speaker, contestants. The highlight for me was the before the referendum. debating society. Since then, I have taken questioner and chair, each separately day of the finals in Cambridge where I was Our commitment to develop personal part in various competitions run by the assessed before the team is judged overall. a mentor, guiding one of the eight teams confidence in much younger students ESU in the roles of competitor, mentor for the day. It was engaging to see so much was evident when Marjorie Page YORK AND DISTRICT: MEMBERS OF THE NORTH EASTERN REGION ON THEIR VISIT TO KIPLIN HALL, RICHMOND and student judge. discussed – from the US primaries to the organised a public speaking training Within our society, our favourite style of ‘DEBATING WITH aims of art. Despite the final day pressures, session for 70 Bridgend primary One of the exhibits was the chair formal debate is by far the ESU Extended THE ESU HAS the mood was pleasantly relaxed – a pretty schoolchildren with a resultant SECURING THE STATE Lord Nelson sat in during the initial Mace, which allows specialism within each common affair at these competitions… competition involving nine schools. Wednesday 7th February 2017: stages of the Battle of Trafalgar on the of the roles of the various speakers (first, GIVEN ME THE especially when the tea and biscuits come lunch 12 noon for 12.30 pm 21st October 1805. Another exhibit, second and summary speakers), but most OPPORTUNITY TO out! Cardiff City Stadium CF11 8AZ a chronometer, had been stolen from importantly builds a team and nurtures MEET LIKE-MINDED I carry all these skills and experiences DIARY DATES Speaker Professor Sir David Omand, the collection but miraculously was later back to my school’s debating society, which WELSH SCHOOLS’ PUBLIC former Director of GCHQ and Visiting discovered and was able to be returned to STUDENTS WHO I now lead. As we welcome the new Year SPEAKING HEATS Professor at the Department of War the estate intact and none the worse for its SHARE A PASSION 7s, it is the ESU values of clever debate and Tuesday 29th November: Studies at King’s College, London adventures. We were guided rounded the FOR PUBLIC enjoyment that keep them coming back Bridgend and District Schools hall by one of our group, Mary Buxton, week on week. It is vital to build the skill 2.00 pm at Sony UK Technology WELSH SCHOOLS’ PERFORMING who also happens to be one of the SPEAKING’ of conveying your arguments eloquently Centre CF35 5HZ SHAKESPEARE COMPETITION FINAL volunteer guides there and she had plenty and with clarity early on. This is why Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Tuesday 8th February 2017; 1.00 to tell us about the histories of the four For the regional final, I spoke at the work of the ESU is so crucial as it North Wales schools’ dates to 5.00 pm families who have owned it over the years. Dartmouth House on the role of anarchy introduces students to the art of speaking, to be confirmed. Royal Welsh College of Music and After our tour, we enjoyed a delicious in our society and whether all warfare a relationship that might otherwise never For information on the competition Drama, Cardiff CF10 3ER tea with homemade cakes and then some is a failure of man. It’s a prestigious but have been developed. contact Marjorie Page at: of the party bravely took on the rather thankfully intimate location and it gave With one year to go before my high [email protected] dismal weather with a walk around the me the opportunity to mingle and meet school debating career comes to an end, attractively laid out gardens. like-minded students who share a I’m now looking to the field of university PRESENTATION LUNCH YORK & DISTRICT passion for public speaking. My ESU debating… one in which I hope I’ll have Wednesday 7th December, 12 noon A date with history membership has also enabled me a little edge! for 12.30 pm In July, members of the North Eastern KEEP UP TO DATE to widen my network and contacts Cardiff City Stadium CF11 8AZ Region and their guests went to see For more information on all outside the competition. Presentations from Branch Kiplin Hall, Richmond, the beautiful forthcoming events, be sure to check A new initiative from the ESU FURTHER INFORMATION award winners and Performing house built by Sir George Calvert, the the branch pages on the website this year has been to include Joining the ESU is free for under-23s. To find Shakespeare winners Secretary of State for King James I and at esu.org student judges in its public out more, email [email protected] the founder of Maryland in the USA.

48 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 Winter 2016 www.esu.org 49 FROM THE ARCHIVE

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

f you’d won a scholarship to America Germans. Nevertheless, on Tuesday, 25th outward leg). Most lastingly perhaps, – but had to sail there with a high risk June, after numerous phone calls and it fostered in Evelyn a love of travel and of your ship being torpedoed – would letters to the ESU and the shipping learning. After the war she taught at army you go? This was the dilemma facing company, Evelyn set sail for America. schools in Greece, Austria, Malta and Libya, STUDY SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE USA EvelynI Roy, a teacher from the Wirral, who Happily, she made it there safely and and at the age of 70 she was awarded a had been offered a place at a prestigious US took classes in public speaking, addressing degree with the Open University. summer school by the English-Speaking various audiences as an ambassador for the Union in 1940. The school was in ESU. On Thursday, 1st August 1940, she Thank you to Margaret Roy for transcribing THE WALTER HINES PAGE SCHOLARSHIP Jamestown, on Chatauqua Lake in New spoke at the Hall of Philosophy, ‘my first Evelyn’s diary and donating Evelyn’s The English-Speaking Union’s Walter Hines Page Each scholarship helps cover the cost of international York state: ‘A Metropolitan City in a experience of a microphone,’ on ‘Why documents to the ESU. Scholarships enable UK teaching professionals to travel and domestic travel, and in-country living expenses. Scenic Wonderland’, as it billed itself. Britain will win this War’. It must have to the USA to research and exchange educational ideas Scholarships are provided by teaching unions in An exciting contrast to wartime Britain, been a difficult speech to prepare – scholars Evelyn couldn’t wait. But the problem was had been reminded by the ESU of the in the field of communication. conjunction with the ESU and applicants must be a GAIN A NEW getting there. A few days after she’d heard government policy not ‘to embark on any member of one of the sponsoring groups. The grants the good news, she wrote in her diary: propaganda in the United States which PERSPECTIVE Through the Page Scholarships, the ESU and sponsoring range from £1500 to £2500. ‘…the Athenia with 1,400 passengers was might be thought to be directed towards Cross-cultural exchange, such as teaching unions are seeking new and innovative research torpedoed off the Hebrides. On board were bringing them into the war’, while at Evelyn’s experience, is at the heart projects that can help inform their work in the field of The following unions and associations are currently 1,000 women and children – there were the same time urging them to ‘lose no of the ESU’s mission. We believe that oracy and communication. sponsoring the Walter Hines Page Scholarships: 300 Americans as the boat had put in at opportunity of putting the facts of the if the world is able to communicate L’pool to take them home to USA.’ British position before the American more effectively, global understanding Page Scholars travel to the US to study an aspect of • ATL Three weeks later, on Friday, 10th May, people.’ ‘It was a great success,’ Evelyn between nations will improve. To this education in which they are interested and which aligns • NASUWT Germany invaded Holland and Belgium noted in her diary. end, we offer a range of international and all seemed lost. ‘Looks as if my trip The exchange not only allowed Evelyn with the ESU’s work. Thus, research proposals should • NUT scholarships and research awards, to USA is off with a capital “O”. Fortune to hone her public speaking – it gave her outline a communications dimension to the project, and including the Walter Hines Page of war but, gee, am I disappointed,’ she an invaluable insight into the US way of life suggest how it might tie into the ESU’s interests in the Scholarship which offers teachers wrote. There was more bad news to come. and the American perspective on the war, field of oracy. On 16th June, HMS Andania went down something she spoke publicly about on her a two-week study trip to the US. between London and New York and a return to the UK (on a ship with only 80 Applications are now open. For more week later France capitulated to the passengers as opposed to the 3,000 on the information, see esu.org/page For details of how to apply, please visit esu.org/page or contact [email protected] 50 Dialogue Magazine Winter 2016 BECOME A YOUNG MEMBER

ESU membership is free until you’re 23, and is a fantastic way of staying up to date with the latest news about our life-changing scholarships, exchanges and training opportunities. If you fancy spending your Gap Year in an American High School; or, once at University, think you might like to be a Parliamentary intern; or if you’re interested in ways of broadening your horizons through developing skills in Public Speaking and Debating, then you should consider joining the ESU.

To register, and for more more information, visit esu.org/youngmember