What is Choral Speaking?

Choral speaking requires a group of performers to orally interpret and recite

or speak from memory. In its most formal sense it is considered quite old-
fashioned in the UK although it is still organised on a national level
throughout many former colonies.

Choral speaking is speaking in unison, usually under the direction of a leader

who can be likened to the conductor of an orchestra because the
performers’ voices play their parts like the various instruments.

Choral speaking has three main purposes:

learning
performance
enjoyment.

Learning Opportunities include:

speaking clearly and audibly: improvement in pitch, tone, volume, rate, diction
and enunciation
building co-operation. Because it is a group activity, it directs all pupils
towards a common goal
problem solving: each group has to work out its own interpretations and
presentation of selections
vocabulary building: by becoming familiar with a text through speaking it,
pupils will increase their repertoire of phrases and expressions which they
can draw upon in writing

Performance
practising choral speaking does not necessarily mean there must be a
performance. Practice has its own value.
Pupils will have opportunities to use language to expand, organise, sequence
and explain their ideas
Pupils will participate in group decision making
Pupils will experience using vocal and facial expression and gesture to convey
situations character and emotions

Inclusion
Choral speaking can be successful regardless of class size or pupil ability
Pupils learning English as an additional language will feel supported in a group
speaking situation where they can work alongside their peers
EAL pupils can rehearse and experience standard English structures
As pupils are not speaking alone, they may feel less conspicuous or intimidated,
and this offers great opportunities for those who are shy

Enjoyment: by becoming familiar with a text, pupils will:

develop their comprehension skills
develop emotional engagement with writing
Enjoy poetry and word play
 Tips and Techniques
What is Choral Speaking?
Choral speaking requires a group of performers to orally interpret, memorise and
perform either poetry or prose using the spoken, not singing voice.

Types of Choral speaking

Refrain
One person reads the narrative and the rest of the group joins in the refrain
Unison
The whole group reads the material together
Antiphon
The class is divided into two or more groups with each group being responsible for
a certain part
Cumulative
This is a method where groups of voices or individual voices are added to or
subtracted depending on the intended meaning
Solo lines
Individuals read specific lines in appropriate places throughout the group activity
Line around
More solo work where each line is taken by a different person in the group

Making the performance interesting

Alternate
slow and fast lines, stanzas or paragraphs
loud and soft lines
low & high voices
Emphasise
key words and phrases by reciting them in a louder or softer voice
Pause
for a specified number of silent ‘beats’, before continuing the next line or phrase

More tips
Unity
when groups of voices speak a line together, they must remain unified at all times
(count or tap feet).
Articulation
pay particular attention to articulation, especially the letter ‘t’ and the ends of
words
Sound effects
Use body percussion, clap, click or make appropriate sound effects at the end of
lines, stanzas or paragraphs. Incorporate music when appropriate
Costumes and props: may be added as long as they are simple and easily handled
Bodily movement
Use gesture, choreography or other movement to enhance communication or
better express meaning
 Text-marking symbols for choral
speaking texts
This format was agreed during INSET.

Speakers Upper case letters at left margin

Pause (p) for pause with number indicating number of beats/ duration
e.g. (p4)
Faster lowercase (f) at left margin
Slower lowercase (s) at left margin
Emphasis word in capitals
Quiet word in italics
Soft-loud <
Loud - soft >
Repeat x2, x3, x4 etc at end of line

Wet Playtime
A good poem for practising the letter /t/ sound
By Dave Ward

Hungry chatter
Friendly chatter
Pitter patter
What’s the matter?
Tattered textbooks skim like skates
Bad boys batter
Last week’s mates
Watch the rain
Just drench the playground
Blowing paper
Round and round
Here inside
The jigsaws clatter
Eat those crisps
They’ll make you fatter
Drop your juice
And dodge the splatter
Teacher’s coming
Quick let’s scatter
Pitter patter
Nitter natter
Friendly chatter
What’s the matter?
 Criteria for judging Choral Poetry Performance

Name of Poem

Each of the 5 criteria carries 5 marks

Judge________________
Criteria Comments Mark out of 5

Audibility It is vital that the audience can clearly hear the words.
Shouting is acceptable only for effect.

Enunciation Sloppy or lazy speech will lose marks. Performers should

enunciate sounds in words clearly. Dialect or foreign
languages may be used for effect for part of the
performance.

Content Judges will be looking for representation of the theme

"belonging" with a clear message of "community cohesion".
It is expected that KS2 will take the theme beyond home
and family to a community or national perspective.

Techniques Performances should include a minimum of 3 choral

speaking techniques e.g. refrain, unison, antiphon,
cumulative, solo lines, emphasis, pause, alternating
sounds (high/ low, fast slow) sound effects using body
percussion only.

Presentation Judges will award marks for the display of a sense of

occasion with appropriate behaviour, for clarity, unity,
gestures, interpretation, choreography, facial expressions,
beginnings and endings. Teams should introduce their
school/club. Conductors are optional, but should be an
adult if used with KS1.

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