Behind The Scenes Of A Speech And Drama Class: Warm-Up, Skill, And Share

Many parents know that speech and drama can help build confidence. But most are not sure what actually happens inside the room.

A speech and drama class gives children a safe space to warm up, practise communication skills, and share their ideas with others. It is not random play. It is a guided learning experience with a clear structure behind it.

Key Takeaways

• A speech and drama class follows a clear three-step rhythm: warm up, practise a skill, then share.
• Warm-ups help children settle, reduce nerves, and prepare their voice and body.
• Skill practice builds communication tools like eye contact, clear speech, and storytelling.
• Sharing gives children safe, small chances to speak in front of others.
• Over time, children grow more confident in speaking, listening, and self-expression.

What Happens In A Speech And Drama Class?

A well-run class follows a rhythm. The teacher guides children through short activities that build voice, movement, listening, imagination, and presentation skills.

At Lorna Whiston, the Speech and Drama programme runs from age 3 to 17. Classes are grouped by age and stage, from Early Bird for young learners to Public Speaking for older students. Each stage is designed to match where a child is, and to gently stretch them further.

Step 1: Warm-Up

Every class starts with a warm-up. This matters more than it might seem.

Warm-ups help children:

• Settle into the room and shift focus from school or home
• Reduce nervous energy, especially for shy or quiet children
• Prepare the voice, face, and body for active use
• Join in without pressure, using group games instead of solo tasks

Common warm-up activities include tongue twisters, breathing games, facial expression exercises, movement games, and call-and-response activities.

This connects directly to what Lorna Whiston describes as helping students gain awareness and control over their body and voice, which is a core goal of their Speech and Drama programme.

Step 2: Skill Practice

This is the core of the class.

Good teaching focuses on one or two skills at a time. This keeps the learning clear and manageable for children of all ages.

Skills covered across classes may include:

• Clear and expressive speech
• Volume, pace, and tone
• Eye contact and body language
• Active listening and turn-taking
• Storytelling and role play
• Group presentations and creative thinking

The Education Endowment Foundation notes that oral language approaches, including structured spoken activities and teacher-led interaction, can support pupils’ spoken language and reading comprehension (Education Endowment Foundation, 2021).

Singapore’s Ministry of Education also highlights communication, collaboration, and inventive thinking as core 21st Century Competencies. A structured speech and drama class builds all three in a practical, child-friendly way (Ministry of Education Singapore, 2023).

Step 3: Share

Sharing does not mean a big stage performance. For young children, it can be something much smaller.

Examples of sharing in class:

• Saying one line to the group
• Acting out a short scene with a partner
• Performing a character voice
• Telling a group story
• Giving a mini speech or reading a short poem

The goal is simple. Children practise speaking in front of others in small, safe steps.

This matters because many children still struggle with this. A 2025 National Literacy Trust report found that only 48.2% of children felt confident speaking up in class, 47.4% felt confident giving a presentation, and 40.2% felt confident speaking in front of an audience (National Literacy Trust, 2025).

That gap is real. Regular sharing in a supportive class can help close it.

Why The Class Structure Works

The warm-up, skill, and share format is a simple learning cycle.

• Warm-up helps children feel ready
• Skill practice teaches the technique
• Sharing helps children use the skill with an audience

Lorna Whiston’s own programme notes that drama supports learning across four areas: emotional, physical, intellectual, and social. This three-step structure touches all four.

OECD research also supports this. Stronger social and emotional skills are linked to better educational outcomes, wellbeing, and healthier relationships with others (OECD, 2021).

Frequently Asked Questions

What age can children start a speech and drama class?

Children can start as young as three years old. Lorna Whiston’s Speech and Drama programme begins with Early Bird classes for young learners and builds through age-based stages up to age 17.

Is speech and drama only for confident children?

Not at all. Many children who join are shy or quiet. The class structure is designed to bring children in gently, starting with group activities before asking for individual sharing.

How often should a child attend speech and drama classes?

Most structured programmes run once a week. Consistent attendance helps children build on each session and develop communication habits over time.

Will speech and drama help my child in school?

It can support communication skills that are useful in school. These include clear speaking, active listening, eye contact, turn-taking, and confidence in group settings. Singapore’s 21st Century Competencies framework includes several of these skills.

How is a speech and drama class different from acting lessons?

A speech and drama class covers a wider range of communication skills. It includes voice use, body language, listening, storytelling, and group interaction, not just performance or script work.

How will I know my child is making progress?

You may notice small signs at home first. These can include clearer speech, more willingness to speak up, better listening, and more expressive storytelling.

A good speech and drama class works because it breaks communication into steps a child can actually follow. Warm up the body and voice. Practise one skill at a time. Then share it in a safe and supportive way. That rhythm, repeated week after week, is how confidence grows.

To learn more about age-appropriate Speech and Drama classes for your child, visit Lorna Whiston’s Speech and Drama programme page.

References

1. Education Endowment Foundation. (2021). Oral language interventions. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/oral-language-interventions
2. Ministry of Education Singapore. (2023). 21st Century Competencies. https://www.moe.gov.sg/education-in-sg/our-programmes/21st-century-competencies
3. National Literacy Trust. (2025). Children and young people’s speaking and listening. https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/children-and-young-peoples-speaking-and-listening-in-2025/ 
4. OECD. (2021). Beyond academic learning: First results from the Survey of Social and Emotional Skills. https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/social-emotional-skills-study
5. Lorna Whiston Schools. (n.d.). Speech and Drama programme. https://www.lornawhiston.com/speech-and-drama/