Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the class?

The average time taken is about 45 minutes to an hour.

How many times a week must I attend class?

Once a week. Students doing the Trinty Exam will be given an extra class each week for about 8 weeks before the exam.

What is the ratio of teachers to students?

The maximum ratio we permit is 10 students per teacher per hour. Normally we have a few less students than we could under this ratio.

Are the children separated into groups by age?

Yes. Children are grouped according to school standard.

Where the students are grouped into perform a scene, one must remember that in both real life and in drama, we have people of different ages interacting. However, this applies to physical classes, where they may be grouped with children of different ages when performing activities.

How many batches do you have?

See Other Important Information.

How long is the course?

The course can continue all the way up to a full professional degree with the submission of a thesis. However, we recommend that during school, a student does no further than Grade 5 in the 9th Std. During Junior College or later, one can take up the semi-professional and professional levels if one is really interested and capable.

What happens in class on a daily basis?

In each class the student must do the following:

1. Perform a poem or passage of prose learnt by heart

2. Do an unprepared performance that takes the shape of a reading

3. Learn how to perform a new poem or passage (done every two weeks)

4. In a group, work on a myriad of activities from story writing to script reading to improvisation and even debate. We encourage children to be creative, imaginative and to build their confidence.

Tasks 1 to 3 are all done individually.

Why has my child been asked to repeat work for more than 2 weeks?

If a student is not sufficiently well prepared for class she/he will not derive full benefit. In such a circumstance the teacher may ask for the piece to be continued.

At the audition, what are we looking for?

At the audition, we are looking at the student's voice, basic speech, and potential for performance. We are looking for raw ability, not for a finished or polished performance.

*NOTE: This is for offline classes only.

What books do you recommend?

Books that you choose should be of an appropriate level and contain a fair amount of dialogue. The language should be good. Do not use books where pictures are used to replace certain words. See Reading List.

How will this class help my child?

Your child will benefit in a number of ways from the class:

• • They will gain confidence.

  • Their reading skills will improve, helping with school work.

  • Their ability to communicate clearly will improve.

  • They will be more open and outgoing.

  • Their imagination will be encouraged to expand.

  • They will learn to think creatively and quickly.

When are your holidays?

We take up to 5 days off in the academic year. Our two-week summer break is usually in the last week of April to the first week of May.

We will remain closed if the premises we are using are not available to us for any reason. (For offline classes only.)

Do you have make up classes?

No. Since we work in groups, it is logistically not possible to take in extra children. If you miss a class, it is considered missed. Please do not ask for permission to come to another class – our staff will not allow this under ANY circumstances.

I'm unable to continue the class, can I get a refund?

No. Once fees are paid – we block your seat for the year. If you leave we have no system to admit a new student and the seat will go empty.

When will my child be eligible for the Trinity Exams?

Students are eligible for the Trinity Exam when they are in the 4th Std. onwards and have achieved 75% in the Internal Examination. (See Important Information for more details.)

If my child has done a Trinity Exam elsewhere, does he/she still have to do an internal test in their first year here?

Yes. We will not permit any student to do the Trinity Exam, unless he/she has achieved 75% in our Internal Examination.

How do the Trinity / JSSD Certificates help the children?

Jehangir's School Of Speech And Drama is a well-established institution teaching Speech and Drama in Mumbai city. Hence the JSSD certificate will help your child locally to put on their college applications and in the future on their resume.

The Trinity Guildhall is a very well recognized international examination and a certificate from them is taken very seriously as an add-on to your extracurricular activities for college applications all over the world.

Can I take a break for a year?

Yes. However, we cannot guarantee you the same slot upon return.

If your child had cleared the Internal Test but has taken a break, you may be asked to repeat the Internal as the child has had a year's break from the work.

Do you have to appear from the Initial grade onward?

No. Students who join at an older age may begin from a higher grade. In other words, one will always do an exam that is appropriate for one’s age, regardless of previous experience.

The teacher has asked my child to read out loud, why is that?

This is because the child must practice reading, not only with fluency but with expressions and varying pitch and pace. Also, it allows your child to listen to themselves which is a very important part of reading as they to interest themselves in what they are reading before they can expect interest from an audience.

What is improvisation?

Improvisation is a full performance (using speech and movement) which is completely unprepared and performed with minimal planning.

Should my child be performing the pieces with actions?

Do not try to guide the student in this respect, rely on the teacher's guidance. The general rule is descriptive gestures and actions are not to be used, but natural gesticulation and body language can enhance the performance.

I want to change my timing/day, what is the procedure?

Register your request on the site (Contact Us).

Write a request in the Request Book either at class or at the office. (Offline)