What's your Point?

After an intensive fun first day, it is a recollection moment on What's Your Point?  Our top 3 attendees with a maximum point of 21 points each won for themselves edible "Cool Fish", without having to fish!  But for the rest, they were encouraged to spend the day emulating "sharks"!

So the topic covering Fishing using Social Media to turn our "cold calls" experiences into positive genuine leads was the main point selected by our winners! Who are they?

Jennifer, drama teacher from Helen O'Grady Singapore

Marie Escueta, Director from Helen O'Grady Philippines

Jacqueline Louise Cadger, Principal from Helen O'Grady (Hanoi)

Laughter Yoga kicks start Eastern Asia's first Conference

Eastern Asia Conference kicked off to a roaring "Ho-Ho Ha-Ha Yeah!" that replaced our so familiar tambour!  The Eastern Asia franchisees as well as participants from South Africa and Philippines  agree that Santa Claus laughter is not only easy to learn but highly contagious!  Lynette Chiu, our highly respected Helen O'Grady Drama Director and trainer for Eastern Asia is now a Laughter Yoga certified coach! What better way to start our Monday morning than an extra boost of oxygen for the brain and innovative get-to-know you opportunity!

From left: Margaret Ow (Singapore), Tanya Boey (Singapore), Jenny Phung(Ho Chi Minh City), Francine Booysens (South Africa), Kevin Yu (Hong Kong), Certified Coach and Drama Director, Lynette Chiu

 

An electrifying moment for Lynette Chiu and Helen Cowie, Principal of

Helen O'Grady (Ho Chi Minh City).

 

What a contrast! 

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall - swaying hips, gentle movement and voice to

a strong loud deep laugh! 

Facial Expression, Vocal Energy and Body Language

Learning English Drama for young pre-schoolers may not be as difficult as we imagine.  Children have huge imagination.  We need to bring that imagination to the forefront of learning a language by getting them to copy us.

Here, Vice-Principal Fern Kwok does exactly that to engage her students through her facial expression, body gestures and the children copy her.

4 year olds in Hong Kong - The Deep Blue Sea rehearsal

"Give your head a massage" - remember those lines - "We are the jellywish, wobble, wobble, wobble,,,,,,!! Here we have a group of 4 year-old students in a Hong Kong kindergarten at a class rehearsal of "The Deep Blue Sea".  After just 17 hours (17 one-hour lessons), students without any knowledge of English are able to work with their teachers to put together a short pre-school play.
Vice-Principal Fern Kwok from Singapore and Hong Kong teacher Joanna captivates the students with their facial expressions, vocal energy and use of numerous props to support the learning of Drama in Education.

Drama Cultural Exchange Camp between Beijing and Singapore

First international drama and art cultural exchange between Beijing and Singapore. 

Where is your 8years - 12 years old child spending his / her summer holidays? Not attending more academic classes, I hope!

Wouldn't you like your child to have the opportunity to spend some valuable time in building presentation, team work and leadership skills before another new school year begins in September? And in a completely English environment taught by FOREIGN DRAMA TEACHERS? How about a taste of cultural differences between the cities of Beijing and Singapore through the visual and performing arts? Most importantly, providing your child with a healthy structured yet relaxing stress-free learning environment!

All these will be happening in our first international Helen O'Grady Drama and Arts camp with 4 days preparation in Beijing followed by 5 days in Singapore, ending with a final presentation in Beijing. Throughout this DRAMA JOURNEY, children will receive a journal to EXPRESS their experiences from Day 1 of this international camp.

This will definitely be the most memorable camp for them!

Francine visits Beijing!

Beijing Dreamaker 卓美 welcomed Francine Wan, one of the Helen O'Grady supervisors from Singapore to a week of classes and training. Teachers (from left to right)  - Danny from America, Alice from Beijing, Emma from UK, Maryon from Canada, Heather from Beijing spent time on preschool training as well as tips about classroom management.

Drama classes in school

Students in Northland Primary are busy rehearsing "The Sweetest Music" drama story.  They are seen here preparing for the Emperor's Feast. 

Helen O'Grady Production Hong Kong - The Pied Piper

Two classes from Chan's Creative Primary School in Hong Kong put together a year-end production for their family day which was well attended by family and friends. The Lower Primary presented "Aladdin Lost His Lamp" incorporating many movements and a Persian dance while the Upper students presented "The Pied Piper." 

Village folks at the market square

Aladdin - "Where's my Lamp?"

What's the problem in Hamelin?

The Pied Piper returns to demand his $1,000.

Helen O'Grady in Kuala Lumpur

Helen O'Grady, founder of the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy and husband Steve Griffiths, retired CEO of the Academy was on a stopover visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 19th - 21st 2012. 

Retired CEO Steve Griffiths and Founder Helen O'Grady

Jilin Composite class - EFL learners

It was an enjoyable experience having spent time with Helen Liang, a trained Helen O'Grady Drama Teacher and her assistant teacher Sally in one of their composite classes in Jilin, north-east of China. Jilin branch of Dreamaker started teaching drama in March 2011.

This vibrant group of 7 to 10 year olds were having a blast reciting their lines and acting them out with their teachers!  The theme of the lesson "Dinosaurs, Reptiles, Frogs and Toads" gave the students a chance to move from pre-historic times to current age!

As non-speakers of the English Language, these students embraced the fun, and acted out various speech lines in addition to the improvisation!  Here's what they said in this picture -

"Chocolate Ice-cream, Strawberry Ice-Cream, what a treat!"