SPRING 2017 DIALOGUE Express yourself COMEDIAN HUGH DENNIS ON WHY BEING TONGUE-TIED WILL GET YOU NOWHERE 60 years of Schools’ Mace winners – where are they now? Debating free speech at the House of Lords Chamber Event Bonding through a shared language with the Experience English programme FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL English-Speaking Union EXPRESS YOURSELF ake a deep breath before you start. the oldest and largest annual debating competition Speak slowly. Make eye contact with for secondary school students in England, we your audience. All of these things can catch up with six past winners. From a rabbi, to help improve the delivery of a speech. a comedian, to the Chief Executive of Guy’s and TBut here at the ESU, we’re interested in more than St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, their diverse that. What sets us and our training apart is that we successes illustrate just how far these skills can endeavour to instil in young people the knowledge carry you. that what they – and other people – have to say is As I visit our competitions and events I see at least as important as the way in which they say it. much evidence of nascent talent and intellect. We want people to discover their voices, and then I am constantly delighted by the standard of debate DEBATE ACADEMY use them in the best way they can. from our young people and think Helping young people to they could remind some in the ‘ The best fun I’ve had understand the issues of today is the public eye of what makes for What is Debate Academy? 'WE WANT PEOPLE first step in developing minds which good public debate. And that’s Debate Academy is a week-long summer school to help young people all summer. Lovely TO DISCOVER are able to contribute to solutions to not just professional pride talking improve their debating skills. Run by some of the best coaches and people, inspiring THEIR VOICES, society’s challenges. Presenting both – Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, debaters in the world, it gives students – regardless of their level of ability mentors and such AND THEN USE sides of an argument so children are who presided over the recent House or experience – the opportunity to try a variety of debating styles and to THEM IN THE BEST interesting and aware of differing opinions before of Lords Chamber Event, says as learn more about current affairs and contemporary issues through lively useful knowledge. deciding where they stand is vital. WAY THEY CAN' much too – as you can discover evening lectures. At least eight practice debates with individual feedback Can’t recommend Helping them recognise that other on page 26. allow students to progress at their own pace. With plenty of fun social views are valid, that issues are rarely black and white, I’d like to finish by recommending you read our it enough!’ activities and attendees from all over the world, it also offers students and that it’s through an exploration of the nuances story on page 32 of Narjes, a client helped by our the chance to make new friends from a variety of different backgrounds. Benedict M, 2016 participant which reside in the grey where resolution is likely Experience English programme, which pairs to be found, is invaluable. Londoners with survivors of extreme cruelty who Full and part bursaries available! It saddens me then that today’s young people are have recently arrived in the UK. More than anything The English-Speaking Union is committed to ensuring that no student’s growing up surrounded by examples of poor quality else, she feels she gained ‘two ears that listen to me financial circumstances should stop them from attending, so if you know public debate, but it means the ESU’s mission if I’m happy, or if I’m sad; someone to hear me’. of someone who might be interested, please do get in touch. becomes more vital than ever. Our debating And that of course, is what dialogue, and debate, workshops and competitions equip youngsters with should be all about. Find out more the vocabulary, the knowledge and the confidence to Debate Academy is held at Uppingham School, Rutland, from navigate not just the debating chamber but the world. 31st July-5th August, and is for students aged 14–18. It costs £495, which Proof, if any is needed, is found on page 16, where to covers all coaching, meals, accommodation and bus transfers to and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Schools’ Mace, JANE EASTON, DIRECTOR-GENERAL fromTo register,Oakham station. and forApplications more more now open. information, For more information pleasevisit esu.org/youngmembercontact [email protected] or visit esu.org/debate-academy Spring 2017 www.esu.org 3 CONTENTS News 8 Including winners of the 2017 ESU Performing The contacts below are your first port of call From32 strangers for general enquiries in the different departments Shakespeare Competition, our new partnership at Dartmouth House with the Department for Education and our to friends RECEPTION / GENERAL ENQUIRIES debut in The Week Junior Fiona Robinson 26 020 7529 1550 • [email protected] DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE OUR WORK Kay Dacey, Executive Assistant 020 7529 1561 • [email protected] 60 years of the Schools’ Mace 16 34 CATERING / COMMERCIAL BOOKING ENQUIRIES We catch up with six winners to find out how Way out East Harbour + Jones at Dartmouth House the competition shaped their lives Since 1922, the ESU has sent skilled speech and 020 7529 1578 • [email protected] debate mentors to all corners of the globe. We catch MEMBERSHIP up with four mentors on their return from Japan Gail Featherstone, Membership Officer Bringing a debating culture into schools is 020 7529 1585 • [email protected] an act of social liberation 20 Shikha Battershill, Membership Administrator Head teacher Geoff Barton makes INTERVIEWS 020 7529 1571 • [email protected] an impassioned case for all schools having EDUCATION 14 Hugh Dennis Duncan Partridge, Director of Education equal access to debate The actor and comedian talks to Dialogue about his 020 7529 1570 • [email protected] experiences as an ESU Performing Shakespeare judge Leela Koenig, Head of Oracy Teaching resource 23 020 7529 1584 • [email protected] Melanie Aplin, Head of International Programmes The latest addition to our series of free 24 Lewis Iwu 020 7529 1591 • [email protected] teaching resources introduces students to the The World Schools’ Team England coach on Maia Gibbs, Head of Education Network 020 7529 1593 • [email protected] idea of defending the indefensible the transformative power of debate and where COMMUNICATIONS we go from here Anna Quenby, Director of Communications Speaking in the house 26 020 7529 1561 • [email protected] The House of Lords Chamber Event is Lucy McDonnell, Head of Editorial 54 The Right Honourable the Lord Fowler 020 7529 1575 [email protected] one of the highlights of the ESU’s year, as • Q&A with the former Conservative MP and Natasha McGowan, Communications Officer Natasha Goodfellow discovers Lord Speaker of the House of Lords 020 7529 1574 • [email protected] ALUMNI This house believes 30 Alex Orpin, Alumni Officer HERITAGE 020 7529 1569 • [email protected] Freedom of speech should have no Iimits 38 FINANCE From the archive Marie Bond, Director of Finance & Operations From strangers to friends 32 During the London Blitz, ESU America members 020 7529 1567 • [email protected] helped in whatever way they could Ian Stokes, Director of Development We speak to a volunteer and a client from the 020 7529 1588 • [email protected] ESU’s Experience English programme Tracy Hanlon, Finance Administrator BRANCHES 020 7529 1581 • [email protected] 40 News and diary dates Dialogue is published by the We catch up with London Branch Chairman English-Speaking Union, Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London, W1J 5ED 16 Ann Armstrong and take a look at the latest news www.esu.org and events from ESU branches around the country Twitter: @theESU Facebook: The English-Speaking Union Managing Editor: Lucy McDonnell POEM 020 7529 1575 • [email protected] Consultant Editor: Natasha Goodfellow 52 My Mother(’s) Tongue Design: Zed Publishing Limited A poem to read aloud, by Denisa Vítová www.zedpublishing.co.uk Art Director: Lee Penton ALUMNI Art Editors: Sarah Browne, Stuart Mabbett, Kieron Lewis Account Director: Matthew Jenns 53 How the ESU changed my life Every effort is made to ensure that information in Dialogue is accurate and correct. However, the Katharine Brooks on how her experience English-Speaking Union accepts no responsibility for inspired her to make a positive difference inaccuracies or any consequences arising from them. 4 Dialogue Magazine Spring 2017 Spring 2017 www.esu.org 5 CONTRIBUTORS This month, tying in with our House of Lords Chamber Event on the freedom of speech, we ask our contributors… ‘Given the opportunity, what single issue would you like to speak out about today?’ DENISA HUW GEOFF DAISY VÍTOVÁ SPANNER BARTON OHAN My generation is too A hundred years I’d speak out about the I would speak out loud. Everybody has after the Balfour many great schools, against the ways that a voice but nobody Declaration, I would great teachers and women and minorities listens. So if I could love to see Britain great educational are constantly silenced squeeze my own voice finally join the other leaders we have in the or disbelieved when in, I would tell the 136 countries that have UK – across all sectors trying to discuss world I am listening.