The Commonwealth Essay Competition

One of the easiest ways to reach your English students is to bring real life into the classroom. If you teach them to write a letter, why not write a real letter to a real person? The same goes for writing essays.

TESL ppl, I offer you.. or rather The Royal Commonwealth Society offers you the PERFECT opportunity to implement process-writing.
The Commonwealth Essay Competition ( http://www.rcsint.org/essay/) is an international education project open to all young Commonwealth citizens under the age of 18. It has four different age bands, 'Classes'. Each Class offers five topics, plus the Commonwealth Question.

Competition deadline is 1st March 2008

CLASS A - Born 1989-1991
1500-2000 words
All questions can be answered by writing an essay or a story which explores the topic in an interesting and relevant way.

1. Tell us about your favourite book OR your favourite place and what it means to you.
2. Why decorate?
3. Is the world becoming tribal or global?
4. EITHER Let me tell you a story. This is how it all began … OR Fifty years from now.
5. Refugees.
6. The Commonwealth Question (see details below).

CLASS B - Born 1992-1993
1200-1500 words
All questions can be answered by writing an essay or a story which explores the topic in an interesting and relevant way.

1. "You have to have a dream or you go nowhere." (Kofi Annan)
2. An inter-galactic market research company is canvassing opinions on whether Planet Earth is suitable material for "first contact". What do you think?
3. What advice would you give to a family living with teenagers?
4. EITHER This is where I live OR These are the things which make me who I am.
5. Blue.
6. The Commonwealth Question (see details below).

CLASS C - Born 1994-1995
500-700 words

1. Write a story or an account starting "Now, when I was your age …"
2. Write a review of a favourite book, film, exhibition or piece of drama. Make sure you discuss why you liked it and why you think other people would too.
3. What single change would most improve life in your community? Explain why.
4. Write a story which includes a song and a secret.
5. Imagine what it would be like to live for a whole day relying primarily on just ONE of your five senses.
6. The Commonwealth Question (see details below).

CLASS D - Born 1996 or later
300-600 words

1. Write a story or a poem entitled EITHER "The Storm" OR "The Ring".
2. If you were given three special powers, what would they be and how would you use them?
3. Strange happenings at the market.
4. My best friend.
5. You wake up one morning as the family pet. Describe your day.
6. The Commonwealth Question (see details below).

Commonwealth Question
The Commonwealth Question is open to all candidates and entries will be judged according to the relevant criteria used in the four Classes (A to D).

If you choose to answer the Commonwealth Question please DO NOT submit another essay and keep to your Class word count.

There is a £150 prize for a winning entry on the Commonwealth Question in each of the four Classes. This prize is in addition to the main prizes offered in each Class. Any entrant selecting the Commonwealth Question as their topic will also have their essay considered for a main prize.

The theme for Commonwealth Day 2008 is "The Environment: Our Future". Discuss the likely impact of climate change on life as you know it. What is to be done?

Now it's all up to you and don't forget to READ THE RULES!