DRAMA CLASSES IN KIEV, UKRAINE

This month has seen the opening of the first Helen O'Grady Drama classes in Kiev. Training Manager, Margaret Darley, spent two days there with Principal, Elena Ischenko, and teacher, Maya Nickolayevna, helping teach the first classes. With Upper Primary aged children (9 to 12years), the programme will be taught mostly in English, using drama activities to help develop the students' command of the language. With the younger children (below), who have much less experience of English, specific words will be picked out of the exercises each week and reinforced during the lesson.

Margaret, pictured below (centre) with Elena (left) and Maya, said: "It was fascinating delivering the curriculum to children who do not have English as their first language. The skills we teach are, however, universal as all children respond to praise and encouragement, while having fun in a positive environment. Even the youngest child was able to leave the class understanding what a 'big chocoalte cake' is! I have no doubt classes in the Ukraine will be very successful."