Communication is one of the most valuable life skills we can help our children build — and it’s one they’ll use in every classroom, friendship and job interview to come. If you’re looking for an after-school activity that does more than fill an afternoon, speech and drama classes are worth a serious look.
The Betty Ann Norton Theatre School and Agency is a long-established Dublin theatre school with decades of experience helping children grow in self-confidence, self-belief, and the ability to express themselves clearly and creatively.
If your child does only one after-school activity, speech and drama or theatre studies is a strong choice. Beyond the fun of working with like-minded friends, it builds confidence, sharpens self-awareness, and lays a foundation that carries into everyday life — not just onto a stage.
Some children who take these classes go on to work in front of a camera or on stage. Others discover a love of teaching, writing or public speaking. But every child who takes part comes away better able to communicate and express themselves with ease.
Betty Ann Norton Theatre School Courses
There are many excellent speech and drama and theatre schools around the world. If you live in Ireland, it’s worth looking at the range of courses on offer at the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School, which has decades of experience teaching children how to communicate well through voice, speech, drama, acting, mime and film. Courses are available for children of all ages, with the option to take graded exams and to take part in one of the school’s annual stage productions.
Discover Which Course is Best for Your Child
Kindergarten Speech & Drama
These classes introduce very young children to speech and drama through a mix of games, theatre, rhythm exercises, music, mime, movement, storytelling and puppetry. Children present in-house work, and participation in the Feis Maitiú is encouraged to help build confidence.
The focus throughout is on creativity, enjoyment and fun.
Class ages: 3½ to 6
Duration: 1 hour weekly
Acting Up – Pure Drama Course
A lively class for 9 to 11 year olds who want to have lots of fun. This class centres on pure drama, with games, improvisation, and children creating their own stories — a great outlet for energy built up during the school week. It’s a perfect way to build confidence, discover a new hobby, and make friends.
Class ages: 9–11
Duration: 1 hour weekly
Junior Speech, Mime, Drama & Acting
A three-hour class split between 90 minutes of speech and mime training and 90 minutes of drama and acting.
The school places strong emphasis on speech training (sometimes still called elocution), both for performance and for everyday communication. This class also suits children who need extra support with speech or who tend towards lazy speech habits.
Children work on storytelling, poetry speaking and writing, reading aloud, and speech and communication games. They’re also introduced to the art of mime, and work is prepared for graded examinations in speech and drama, as well as Feiseanna.
The drama side of the course encourages personality development, confidence and creativity, covering theatre games, movement to music, sensitivity training, improvisation, characterisation and an introduction to script work.
Class ages: Junior, 7–10 years
Duration: 3½ hours weekly
Grades: Covers initial grades 1, 2, 3 and the Trinity Guild exam
Advanced Junior Speech, Mime, Drama & Acting
A follow-on three-hour class — 90 minutes of speech and mime training and 90 minutes of drama and acting — for children aged 11 to 14, covering grades 3, 4 and 5 with a follow-on graded examination in speech and drama, as well as Feiseanna.
Children continue their work in speech training, storytelling, poetry speaking and writing, reading aloud, speech and communication games, mime and drama. Students are introduced to major poets and dramatists, so that when these writers come up in state exams later on, they’re already familiar territory.
Class ages: Junior, 11–14 years
Duration: 3½ hours weekly
Grades: Covers grade 3 (if not already completed), 4, 5 and the Trinity Guild exam
Trinity Guild Hall Courses
Covers grades 6, 7 and 8, along with diplomas for acting and teaching. Subjects include mime, poetry speaking, acting, theory of speech and film, and voice training for acting and radio work.
Class ages: From 13/14 years to adult
Duration: 30 weeks
Grades: Advanced grade 6, 7, 8 or Diploma for Acting or Teaching
Teen Film Studies
An engaging course for teenagers covering acting to camera and film production, along with some stage acting. The emphasis is on film production, with students writing, acting, producing and directing their own scripts in a creative, supportive environment. Selected scripts are developed into short films later in the course, and students also take part in a scriptwriting competition at the Feis Maitiú.
Class ages: From 13 years
Duration: 10 weeks
For further information on any course or production, visit the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School website or get in touch directly to book a place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age can children start speech and drama classes?
Classes typically start from around 3½ years old with a kindergarten-style introduction to speech and drama, and continue through structured courses right up to adult level.
Do speech and drama classes help with confidence, or just performance skills?
Both. While children do build performance skills, the wider benefit is confidence, self-awareness and clearer everyday communication — skills that carry well beyond the classroom or stage.
Are these classes suitable for a child who struggles with speech?
Some of the junior courses are designed to suit children with speech difficulties or lazy speech habits, alongside children with no specific concerns. It’s worth discussing your child’s needs directly with the school when booking.
Do children need any prior experience to join?
No. Courses are structured by age group, starting from kindergarten level, so children can join without any previous drama or speech training.
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- Fun After-School Activities for Kids
- Building Confidence in Shy Children
- How to Help Your Child with Public Speaking
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