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 England 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 secondary school 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 Bristol 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.