Spotlight Speakers: Perform a Poem or Monologue

Spotlight Speakers: Perform a Poem or Monologue

Spotlight Speakers: Perform a Poem or Monologue

Shy or curious kids aged 9 to 13 choose a poem or short monologue, learn to bring it to life with voice, gesture and eye contact, and perform it confidently in a supportive final showcase.

Spotlight Speakers: Perform a Poem or Monologue

Paid once.

Level
Beginner
Ages
9–13
Duration
45 min
Classes
1 / Week
Weeks
6

Class Experience

Spotlight Speakers is built for children who want to feel braver when all eyes are on them. Each learner picks a poem or a short character monologue that suits their personality, whether funny, dramatic or thoughtful, and spends six weeks turning words on a page into a real performance.

Learners play warm-up games that loosen nerves, mark up their text with pauses and emphasis, experiment with facial expression and movement, and practise memorisation tricks. They rehearse in small, low-pressure steps, sharing a line or two before a whole piece, and learn simple ways to calm a racing heart. The course closes with a friendly showcase where every learner performs their piece for classmates.

How classes work

This six-week live course meets once a week for 45 minutes. Each class builds on the previous one, moving from choosing a piece to understanding it, memorising it and adding expression. Learners rehearse a few minutes at home between classes, and the final week is a supportive showcase performance.

What we'll cover

  • Week 1: Brave Warm-Ups and Choosing Your Piece – Learners play confidence games, explore sample poems and monologues, and choose a piece that matches their voice and personality.

  • Week 2: Unlocking the Meaning of Your Words – Learners discuss what their piece is really about, identify its mood, and mark where feelings shift so their delivery makes sense.

  • Week 3: Pauses, Pace and Power Words – Learners annotate their text with pauses and emphasis, then practise reading aloud slowly and clearly to let key words land.

  • Week 4: Memory Tricks and Stage Presence – Learners use chunking and picture cues to memorise lines, and practise standing tall, making eye contact and using purposeful gestures.

  • Week 5: Taming Nerves and Dress Rehearsal – Learners try breathing and grounding techniques for stage nerves, then run their full piece and receive gentle, specific coaching.

  • Week 6: Spotlight Showcase Performance – Each learner introduces and performs their poem or monologue for the class, then shares one thing they are proud of.

Learning Outcomes

  • Choose and interpret a poem or monologue that suits them

  • Use pauses, pace and emphasis to convey meaning

  • Memorise a short piece using chunking strategies

  • Manage performance nerves with simple breathing techniques

  • Perform confidently with eye contact and expressive gestures

Prerequisites

No experience needed. Learners should be able to read a short poem aloud independently, and need a device with camera and microphone plus a printed or written copy of their piece.

What You'll Need

Supplies
Printed copy of chosen piecePencilHighlighter
Device and internet
Computer or tablet with camera and microphoneStable internet connection

Learners mark their poem or monologue with a pencil and highlighter to show pauses, emphasis and mood changes as they rehearse.

Syllabus

6 Lessons

A step-by-step plan of what your child learns, class by class. · 6 Weeks

Brave Warm-Ups and Choosing Your Piece

Learners play confidence games, explore sample poems and monologues, and choose a piece that matches their voice and personality.

Unlocking the Meaning of Your Words

Learners discuss what their piece is really about, identify its mood, and mark where feelings shift so their delivery makes sense.

Pauses, Pace and Power Words

Learners annotate their text with pauses and emphasis, then practise reading aloud slowly and clearly to let key words land.

Memory Tricks and Stage Presence

Learners use chunking and picture cues to memorise lines, and practise standing tall, making eye contact and using purposeful gestures.

Taming Nerves and Dress Rehearsal

Learners try breathing and grounding techniques for stage nerves, then run their full piece and receive gentle, specific coaching.

Spotlight Showcase Performance

Each learner introduces and performs their poem or monologue for the class, then shares one thing they are proud of.

Available Times

Next 7 days, US Eastern Time

  • Sun, Nov 8 · 11:00 AM
  • Sun, Nov 8 · 4:00 PM
  • Mon, Nov 9 · 1:00 PM
  • Tue, Nov 10 · 10:30 AM
  • Tue, Nov 10 · 7:00 PM
  • Fri, Nov 13 · 5:30 PM

Parents Often Ask

No. Confidence is built in small steps, starting with games and sharing a single line before a whole piece. Learners can keep their camera framed however feels comfortable, and coaching is always kind and specific. By the showcase most shy learners are ready to perform their full piece.

No experience is needed. The course is designed for beginners. It helps if your child can read a short poem aloud on their own, since they will be working closely with the words of their chosen piece.

No. In the first class learners explore a selection of age-appropriate poems and short monologues and pick one that fits them. If your child already has a favourite poem, they are welcome to bring it along instead.

They will perform a memorised poem or monologue with clear pacing, expression, eye contact and purposeful gestures. They also leave with practical tools, like breathing and grounding techniques, for handling nerves in school presentations.

It lasts six weeks with one 45-minute live class each week. Each class builds on the one before, and the sixth week is a supportive showcase where every learner performs.

Quite possibly. The 9 to 13 range is a flexible guide. A learner just outside it can thrive if they can read a short poem aloud independently and feel ready to practise a little each week.

Yes, there is a little homework: about 10 minutes of rehearsal a few times a week to memorise lines. There is no certificate; the showcase performance is the celebration of what they have achieved.

A missed class still counts as used. If your child misses a session because of illness or an emergency, contact support and they will review your case individually. Refunds, when given, go to store credit or the original payment method, and you can cancel any time from the class in your parent dashboard.

Meet your Instructor

Deepa I.

Joined August, 2026

4.4

22

Reviews

10+

Years

300+

Students

See ProfileMessage teacher

A filmmaker, writer, and actor with degrees in digital filmmaking and English, Daphne Sardis brings extensive experience creating short films and social media content. Background in writing and directing informs an approach that blends on-camera technique with storytelling and au…

Reviews

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