A1+ · Adults · Coming soon · Pera & Kadıköy
BEGINNER ENGLISH THROUGH DRAMA
A1+ English Drama Lab is not a language school class. It is a theatre company's rehearsal room for people who are just starting English: body and situation first, words after. Twelve weeks, two hours a week, in Pera and Kadıköy. Days are not set yet; the waiting list is open.
What happens in a session
Each session opens with games: names, rhythm, voice. Then come instructions and situations. In the first weeks, listening and answering with movement is enough; nobody is pushed to speak. Everyday phrases (introducing yourself, asking for something, refusing, asking the way, apologising) are practised with a partner, inside a situation, again and again. In the final weeks the phrases move into characters and short English scenes. Grammar is not lectured; structures show up on stage and we talk about the rule when you need it.
What to expect in 12 weeks, and what not to
Cambridge estimates that reaching A2 from zero takes around 180–200 guided learning hours; this programme is 24. So we do not promise fluency or a level jump. What we expect: you say the phrases we practised with fewer pauses, you are more willing to speak English, and you can perform a short scene in English. It works best alongside a course, an app or your own study.
Why drama at the start
Beginner speech rests largely on ready-made phrases stored whole (Wray, 2002; Myles et al., 1998). Body-based instruction, starting with Asher's Total Physical Response, supports listening comprehension in the early stages. Drama gives those phrases a situation and a reason to be said. To be honest about the evidence: the strongest fluency study on drama (Galante & Thomson, 2017) was with B1 teenagers over 74 hours, and we found no controlled study of drama with adult A1 groups. We do not claim more than that.
Who it is for
Adults starting English from zero or coming back after years. People who took a course and still freeze. Adults who think they started too late. No acting experience needed. If you can already hold an everyday conversation (around B1), English Drama Lab is the better fit.
sources
read more
- Starting English From Zero in Istanbul: An Honest GuideStarting English from zero in Istanbul as an adult? Realistic hours, the options in Kadıköy and Beyoğlu, and what to expect from your first 12 weeks.
- Why Drama Works for Absolute Beginners, and Where It Doesn'tLearning English through drama as a beginner: what the research supports, where the evidence is thin, and what 24 hours can realistically change.
programmes
WHAT YOU CAN JOIN
questions
BEFORE YOU ASK
I speak no English at all. Can I join?
Yes, this group is built for that. In the first weeks you do not have to speak; listening and responding with movement is part of the work.
Will I be fluent after 12 weeks?
No, and we do not promise it. 24 hours is a first step, not a level. The goal is to start speaking.
When does it start?
Days and times are being set. Join the waiting list and we will tell you first when they are announced.
Do I need Turkish?
No. The working language of the room is English at a beginner pace; questions and enrolment can be done in English or Turkish.
Questions in English are welcome. Tell us what you are looking for and we will point you to the right group.