Learning drama methods in Dublin

Blog post by Miia Komppa, Literacy Phase teacher at Helsingin aikuisopiston peruskoulu

europass Teacher Academy – teachers from all over Europe

In June 2025, I took part in a course on using drama in teaching in Dublin, organised by europass Teacher Academy. The course was an intensive six-day programme. During the training, we tried out and analysed many different drama methods that can be used in teaching many subjects.

europass Teacher Academy is a training organisation that works in thirty European cities and organises Erasmus+ courses for European teachers. There are courses in Helsinki too. I was surprised how common it is to take part in these courses. In Dublin, I met European teachers who go on different courses even a few times a year. One teacher was in Ireland for the eighth time, and the whole staff of one small primary school had been sent to yoga and relaxation courses in different parts of Europe after a busy spring.

During my course week, there were 14 courses on different topics at europass Teacher Academy. There were 75 European teachers in total.

A hand framing a globe-shaped ball hanging from the ceiling of an old library.

Meeting people, culture and trips

The training was very well organised. The premises of europass Teacher Academy were pleasant. Participants had many chances to meet each other during breaks and during the shared programme organised by the school. The programme included, for example, an afternoon of tasting European treats, a walking tour of the city with interesting stories and a full-day trip to the countryside. We also got to try hurling, a field game that is one of Ireland’s national sports. The most fun was a cheerful evening of Irish dancing, where we danced with, among other things, a broom as our partner. These lively dances are danced in Ireland at weddings and other celebrations, for example.

Most of us teachers were travelling alone, so it was easy to find company for our own trips too. With European colleagues, I spent an evening in the small fishing village of Howth near Dublin, where we also went on a boat trip and saw cute seals.

People playing a ball game with sticks on green grass.

People's feet and brooms arranged in a circle on a stone floor.

Drama methods for many uses

There were only three participants on my drama course, so we could focus on methods that suited our own teaching. I was surprised by how varied drama methods are. You can do exercises, for example, using only gestures, sounds, objects, pictures, words and stories.

The course widened my understanding of using drama in teaching. Our inspiring teacher, Miriam, had worked in refugee camps, so she understood what literacy students are like. My fear that the course content would be too theoretical for my own teaching turned out to be unnecessary. I learnt many exercises that you can do with very limited language skills and without any written material. I also liked the approach that takes into account students’ own language backgrounds and life experience. But maybe the best part was the tips on how to include even reluctant students in group activities without forcing them. I am looking forward to trying out what I learnt with literacy students.

Two women talking at a table. On the table there are many different objects, such as pens, a crocheted flower, a small torch and a stone.

Three people laughing and trying to fit under a blanket on a classroom floor.

Two women smiling. In the background, there is a slide that says Improvisation in the Classroom.

Laughter, fun and relaxation

The course was very interactive and hands-on. We did almost all the exercises ourselves first and only then looked at them and analysed them. All of us on the course had used different drama exercises in our own teaching before. We were happy to share our ideas, so we also learnt a lot from each other.

On two afternoons, we visited an intermediate English course to practise what we had learnt and to see our teacher lead the exercises in practice. We saw how language learners who were very shy at first got excited about playing and using the language creatively. By the end of the day, there was lots of laughter and the students wanted more!

I had a really fun time on the course. It was relaxing to be just a participant and not have to worry about how the lessons went. I enjoyed improvising, singing and telling stories. It was really refreshing to do these things to my heart’s content for a whole week. I noticed that acting in English was easier for me than in Finnish. Probably, when I speak a foreign language, I am not as critical of myself as when I use my first language.

Four women posing and smiling. Three of them are holding papers.

Homely Dublin and green Ireland

I had never been to Ireland before. The relaxed atmosphere of Dublin charmed me straight away. The city felt really homely. It was colourful, loud and a bit rough around the edges. People liked to chat and told stories in a funny way. There is a lot to see in Dublin. After the social course days, it was sometimes lovely to go to museums, bookshops and cafés on my own.

On the countryside trip organised by the school, I saw the beautiful nature of eastern Ireland. The country looked exactly as I had imagined, even the weather: everything was very green, sheep were eating grass in the valleys and it was raining.

People standing in front of a stone wall looking towards a bay. The clouds are very low over the opposite shore.

Two men sitting behind piles of books in front of an old shelf full of glass objects. One of them has a guitar.

Highly recommended

My trip was a real success in every way. The week in Dublin was a small adventure where I relaxed, met new people, saw interesting places and, above all, got new perspectives and enthusiasm for my work. I really recommend taking part in an Erasmus+ course!