Dear all,
As we are getting closer and closer to the BEO, we are getting busier and busier here in London, making sure that everything is ready for your arrivals.
That being said, please note that Friday 28th February will be our last post. We will, of course, continue to be available on an individual basis. So, if you have any pressing questions past this date, do not hesitate to get in touch.
To make these last few posts worth your while, we are also bringing you a sample of a Semi-Final Mystery event from 2018. Please make sure you download both the background info and the brief.
Finally, a quick friendly reminder that this weekend is the last opportunity to upload your song lyrics (mandatory), drama scripts (not mandatory!) and student data. We are looking forward to some good reading next week.
Many thanks & see you soon!
Kamila & the Oxford International team
PRESENTATION EVENTS
Question:
Is it possible to use cue cards during the presentation of the Country spotlight?
Answer:
Yes, it is possible to use cue cards but the students should be mindful of how that may influence their body language & delivery. For example, monotone reading of the text from cards may mean low points in the two judging criteria mentioned. However, if they use the cards effectively, it may even enhance their delivery.
Question:
Can they present the information as if they were in a conversation?
Answer:
Yes, they can. However, while we encourage students to be creative with the BEO Country Spotlight presentation, it is still a presentation so I would recommend reviewing the judging criteria before deciding how much dialogue you are going to include.
Question:
Can the presenters interact with the audience during Country Spotlight or investigation?
Answer:
To a certain extent, they can engage with the audience (not with the judges) as long as they are aware that the outcome may affect their presentation. I personally would suggest rhetorical questions only.
Question:
Please confirm if the article students have to research can be one in Spanish, or does it have to be in English?
Answer:
It could be in any language as long as the summary of the contents (Guidelines page 20) is in English.
CREATIVE EVENTS
Question:
In the guidelines, it states that the loading script is not mandatory so we want to clear this issue. If we load our script and want to change something before we arrive, can we revise it or not?
Answer:
You are correct that the script submission is not mandatory. If you submit the script by the deadline, we will check that your script is generally meeting the brief and we will also check the appropriacy of ideas and language. If we find that you misunderstood the brief and/or that your students used offensive language, we will send you a notification to make changes. If you do not submit at all, the Academic Event Manager can ask to see the script prior to the performance and if there are any problems you may have limited time to make changes.
However, if you submit now, and then make some minor changes in phrasing/wording, etc., you will not need to resubmit and you will not be penalised as these kinds of changes and/or omissions could also simply happen because the students might be a bit nervous, etc.
Question:
Are we allowed to use things like projectors and colourful materials?
Answer:
No. Unfortunately, neither projectors nor colour filters for the light will be allowed.
Question:
Will be the students be allowed to come out from behind the curtain at the end of the play?
Answer:
As we said, the space in front of the screen might be quite limited. This is to give students safe and sufficient space behind the screen. While small teams may fit in front of the screen, larger teams might not and this would be unfair. As per previous posts – only one student can be in front of the screen.