POETRY PERFORMANCE COMPETITION

Over the next few weeks boys will be preparing to take part in the Poetry Performance Competition, now firmly established as one of Wyvern’s major events.  The competition presents an excellent opportunity for all students in the school to refine and demonstrate their public speaking skills.  All boys will enter the competition and are expected to select a poem, learn it off by heart and then perform it in front of the class.  Finalists will be selected from each class.  Year level finals will then be held to decide the top 3 places in each year group.

Boys are to select the poem they wish to perform. They may seek guidance from their class teacher or from Mrs. Barnes in the library who will have the school’s poetry collection on hand to assist in this process. Note, although the primary focus is on the performance of the poem, we do want boys to access poetry that is age appropriate and of high quality. With this in mind, as an alternative, boys may choose to write their own poem to perform adhering to the guidelines below. Each boy is expected to retain a copy of his poem, as well as provide a copy for his class teacher for approval by the end of week 3.

The poem or excerpt should be of approximately the following lengths:

• Kindy – between 4-6 simple lines (not nursery rhymes)
• Year 1 – between 6-10 simple lines
• Year 2 – between 8-12 lines
• Years 3 & 4 – between 10-20 lines
• Years 5 & 6 – between 18-30 lines

Class heats will be held in week 5 of this term with 4 boys from each class being selected to go through to the year level finals to be held in week 6.  All finalists will be presented with highly commended certificates.  We thank the P&F for their kind donation of prizes which will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

The following guidelines will be used when judging the boys:

• Complexity of poem (not length) – 5 points
• Voice (use/projection, tone, diction, pace) – 15 points
• Animation (manner, personality, gestures) – 10 points
• Overall presentation and style – 10 points

No costumes may be used, however, the boys are permitted to use a maximum of 1 prop.  Expression, gestures and body language are to be encouraged.

Sandra Gray
Deputy Head K-3