SpeechandDrama Handbook2025
Passionfor performance
As part of the extensive Drama and Dance program at Perth College, students have the opportunity to take private Speech and Drama lessons with experienced and highly qualified teachers.
Mrs Chelsea Crowe and Ms Emily Verstegen co-ordinate the Speech and Drama program throughout the Junior and Senior School. They each have more than 20 years of experience teaching in private studio and school settings.
Chelsea and Emily bring a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for performance and literature to Perth College.
Student outcomes are designed to be creative, realistic and develop potential in all age groups, and teaching strategies are learner-centred to achieve this. Students are engaged in active learning experiences that develop clear speech and drama skills, and build confidence.
Speech and Drama is offered to students in Years 3 to 12 at Perth College.
HOW CAN SPEECH AND DRAMA HELP MY CHILD?
• Build self-esteem and confidence
• Tools to develop clear speech, voice colour and intensity
• Develop competent oral communication skills including questioning, sharing and conversation
• Develop active listening and public speaking skills
• Enhance time management and personal organisation skills
• Hone research, memory and concentration skills
• Nurture a love of language and an appreciation of literature
• Share and present work to an audience
• Learn verbal and non-verbal communication skills
• Explore mime, creative movement and the elements of drama and stagecraft
• Develop techniques to use multimedia within performances, including microphone techniques
• Develop teamwork, leadership and collaboration skills
Showcase Opportunities
THE PERTH SPEECH AND DRAMA FESTIVAL
The Perth Speech and Drama Festival is an initiative of the Speech and Drama Teachers’ Association of WA and is sponsored by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB). It is a celebration of language, literature and performance and participation is highly recommended.
Some of the categories include:
• Drama monologue
• Poetry speaking
• Prose speaking
• Storytelling
• Show and tell
• Duologues
• Small group plays
Results from current and former Perth College students have been outstanding. The Festival is held in June each year.
NORTH OF PERTH FESTIVAL
Senior School Speech and Drama students have the opportunity to enter into the poetry speaking, monologue and duologue categories of this festival. First place winners have a chance to perform at the Winners Concert and compete for the prestigious ‘Most Outstanding Speech and Drama’ trophy. The Festival runs in September and October each year
AMEB SPEECH AND DRAMA EXAMS
The purpose of the AMEB Speech and Drama Exams are to assess clear speech, drama, mime, improvisation, oral interpretation of literature, active listening, questioning, research, poise, and conversation skills. Each student presents a program of performance work to the examiner within a group setting, or individually. The AMEB’s qualifications, through the University of WA, are highly regarded both across Australia and the world and can be recorded for WACE.
The examiners are all teachers, so they try to make the experience an enjoyable and positive one. These exams are not compulsory and alternative performance opportunities will be provided for those students not wishing to participate. AMEB exams are held in Term Four each year.
END OF YEAR SHOWCASE
The End of Year Showcase is an intimate theatre experience for students in each year group and is a popular option for students not participating in an exam. Students present a variety of short drama scenes to parents and peers, demonstrating their stagecraft and drama skills, as well as developing resiliency and teamwork. The End of Year Showcases are held in late November each year
SMALL GROUP PLAYS, DRAMA MONOLOGUES, PERFORMANCE POETRY AND READERS’ THEATRE
Students will have the opportunity to explore these performance aspects throughout the year
YEAR 11 AND 12 ATAR
DRAMA WORKSHOPPING
Year 11 and 12 ATAR Drama students can use their Speech and Drama lessons for additional workshopping of their practical examination program of work.
Important Information
WHAT EQUIPMENT DOES MY CHILD NEED?
A display file to keep their Speech and Drama timetable and performance work safe. Other resources including a USB memory stick, novels, simple props, and costumes may be necessary throughout the year, but costs will be kept to a minimum.
HOW WILL MY CHILD KNOW WHAT TIME THEIR LESSON IS EACH WEEK?
By using the Speech and Drama timetable, provided by her teacher at her first lesson, you and your child will know when their lesson time occurs each week. Speech and Drama lessons will be rotated within the academic timetable. Therefore, your child’s lesson will be on the same day but at different times each week to ensure that, for most of the term, students will not continuously miss the same school subject.
Lessons are given in trios or small groups in Junior School, and can also be given in pairs or individually in Senior School.
Year 11 and 12 students are given priority for lessons outside the normal school day. Parents are reminded lessons for other year groups will tend to be scheduled during normal school time (ie not during lunch or after school). Your child’s learning needs are always of the most importance and every effort is made to liaise with their Kaya teacher or Year Co-ordinator to schedule suitable lesson times. Please consider your child’s current workload and commitments when deciding to take on cocurricular activities.
