Topics ranging from dinosaurs and crutching to elephants and tractors were all discussed as a long-running speech competition returned to the Albury Community Hall this week.
On Monday, Albury School held its annual Speech and Poetry Day which has been running since 2003.
The school’s new entrant to year 3 pupils were required to take to the stage to recite a short poem, while year 4-6 pupils delivered a speech on a topic of their choosing.
Speech and drama teacher Phillipa Guerin, who has judged the competition for the last 20 years, said public speaking was such an important skill for children to learn.
‘‘These skills are so important, especially now because so many people hide behind their laptops, behind their games but to actually be able to talk to people is great.
‘‘I’ve had a lot of past students or their parents come back and say the skills they learnt here go towards helping with job interviews and even just presentations at high school.’’
She said she very much enjoyed the speeches and poems that were delivered this year.
‘‘Let the children choose their own topic and they do so well, they enjoy it, they have eye contact, the have the expression and they have the gesture.’’
Give them something they enjoy and they will always do well, she said.
‘‘[When it comes to picking the awards] I look at their confidence, but confidence grows of course as they get older and they see other children getting up on stage.
‘‘I also look at their expression, eye contact, projection of their voice and just their ability to have gathered the information and how they put it in a sequence.’’
From the competition, year 6 pupils Meila Eaves, 10, and Natalie Hende, 10, who finished first and second in their year group, were selected to represent Albury School at the Mackenzie District Speech Competition next week.
