Lesson 1

This week, Year 5 have had a drama focus in their English lessons. We have been learning all about monologues, reading with expression and performance techniques such as emphasising words and altering the tone of our voices.

We started the week by taking part in an online lesson with Hull Truck looking at drama techniques for performing monologues. We learnt how shifting the emphasis onto different words can completely change the perceived meaning.

Try reading the following sentence, shifting the emphasis to the word in capitals each time:

I didn’t say she stole YOUR money.

I didn’t say SHE stole your money.

I didn’t say she stole your MONEY.

I didn’t say she STOLE your money.

Do you notice how although the words are the same, the meaning changes?

We learned all about monologues and their purpose in plays and performances – to show a character’s inner thoughts and feelings. We explored how song lyrics can be performed as monologues.

Here is an example from Phoebe: