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."

NEW PRINCIPALS IN ACTION

New Principals threw themselves into the action during training last week in Bristol. Executive Principal, Alison Mazanec and Training Manager, Margaret Darley taught the group a specially extended lesson so they could experience as much of the curriculum as possible.

The group found their big voices for the speech work and used their exaggerated drama actions!

There was no language barrier as the English principals worked with their Spanish counterparts to develop a 'snippet' at the end of the week.

In Spain, the Helen O'Grady lessons will be taught in both Spanish and in English to help the students with their communication skills in both languages.

For more information on the Academy in Spain visit http://www.helenogrady.es/