Zoe Millard, a freelance drama facilitator, reveals the insights she's found as she, and her friend Jules Marshall, launched a new 'Creative English' course. The free course at the Lansbury Lodge Women's Project aims to help women of East London intregate in the community with confidence.
 
The free two hour class is run by, myself, Zoe Millar and Jules Marshall, two freelance drama facilitators and current volunteers at the City Gateway Women's Project. It takes place every wednesday and will run for 8 weeks.

The course was inspired by the amount of women who want places on the ESOL or Practical English course but do not yet posses the level of english required, or the confidence to improve by themselves. Many women of the borough do not have the confidence to practice their english for fear of being laughed at, or 'getting it wrong'.

The class gives women the opportunity to practice in a safe environment and express themselves creatively. At the taster session on the 1st of April women were asked what they want from the class, specific things that they need help with and topics that they would like to explore. A lot of women mentioned how they lacked confidence in calling up doctors and dentists and others how parents evening is currently very difficult. Others mentioned that listening was also a problem and that they needed to practice understanding different accents and speed of speech.

From this discussion the two facilitators have devised a course tailored to the groups collective needs, giving the women power over their own learning. Drama is an effective method of engaging people and raising self esteem and the class consists of Drama, movement and speaking games to create a sense of fun and togetherness; at the same time as practicing spoken word. There are also set activities and 45 minutes devoted to role play in order to allow the women freedom to practice specific conversations before they actually take place. The class takes place in an informal atmosphere , encouraging women to be themselves and find enjoyment in their learning.

Creative English:
To help women of east london intregate in the community with confidence
 
A new class for Landsbury lodge womens project, City Gateway.
Wednesday 1.00pm - 3.00pm
First proper session Apr 22nd