At the Geraldine Inder School of Dance and Drama the Speech Classes are a popular option. Students are guided through the New Zealand Speech Board syllabus and can opt to take exams or not. Here we provide a safe environment for students to challenge themselves without feeling embarrassed or afraid of making a mistake.
Students practise relaxation and breathing exercises, voice activities, impromptu skills and drama games. A variety of material is used to engage and inspire students and to foster a love of reading and literature.
At the end of each year, students are given the opportunity to perform in the annual pantomime in either a group or solo role. This gives them the chance to step out of their comfort zone and a successful performance can be a huge confidence booster for individuals.
Over the years the students will develop a higher self-confidence. The stress and nervousness of having to speak in a public situation melts away as students learn how to relax and reduce anxiety to a minimum.
Communication is encouraged through:
1. Poetry
2. Drama
3. Reading and books
4. Stories
5. Talking to people
6. Personal and researched ideas
Impromptu skills are developed through:
1. Listening
2. Concentrating
3. Thinking
4. Synthesising ideas through language and actions