On Wednesday, February 26th 2025, I had the opportunity to attend an Introduction to Theatre of the Oppressed (ToO) Training at King’s College London. Facilitated by Becky and Kasia from English for Action (EfA), the session brought together EfA staff, colleagues from Citizens UK, and even a participant who traveled from up north. The aim was to explore how Theatre of the Oppressed techniques can be used in ESOL classrooms to foster language learning, build confidence, and inspire social action.
We started off the session by “breaking and making the space” moving away from the traditional set up of a classroom to create as much space as possible by moving tables and chairs to one side of the classroom.
I was particularly honoured to be asked by Becky to guest facilitate and kick off the training with the “Occupy the Space” activity. This exercise, which encourages participants to move freely and break traditional classroom hierarchies, set the tone for the rest of the session—creating an open, participatory environment where learning happens through movement, interaction, and collective exploration.
Why Theatre? A Tool for Language and Empowerment
Traditional ESOL teaching often focuses on structured dialogues and grammar, but these approaches don’t always prepare learners for the real-world social and political challenges they face in the UK. Theatre of the Oppressed shifts the focus by using body language, improvisation, and storytelling to explore power dynamics and practice ways of responding to difficult situations.
During the training, we engaged with Image Theatre, also known as Body Image, where participants created frozen images representing real-life struggles. This technique allows learners to express ideas physically before finding the words to describe them—a particularly useful approach for those who lack confidence in their English skills.
In connection with the above, we explored Forum Theatre, a method where participants act out a problematic scenario and the audience (or spect-actors, as Boal called them) step in to suggest and try out solutions. This turns theatre into a “rehearsal for reality”, giving ESOL learners the chance to practice language and activism at the same time.
Key Moments: Challenging Resistance to Action
One of the most thought-provoking parts of the training was when we split into two groups to create frozen images (or body images) depicting barriers to social action. My group acted out a group of ESOL students unwilling to engage in social action with their students, while the other group portrayed a student struggling to participate due to childcare barriers.
Each group had to guess what the other’s frozen image represented, sparking an insightful discussion about the real-life challenges both learners and educators face when trying to take action in their communities. This exercise highlighted that resistance to change isn’t always external—it can also come from within our own ranks. What we all found challenging was to not validate the other group’s guesses while we were in our frozen frames, this certainly made us all laugh as it was so tempting while Kasia and Becky had to remind us not to speak!
Applying This in EfA Classes
The training reinforced how Theatre of the Oppressed can make ESOL classes more dynamic, inclusive, and politically engaged. Activities like Occupy the Space, Mirror Exercises, and Forum Theatre help learners develop confidence, experiment with new language, and prepare for real-life challenges—whether that’s dealing with an unfair landlord, employer, navigating public services, or advocating for their rights.
For ESOL practitioners, integrating theatre techniques doesn’t require a radical overhaul—small changes, like incorporating movement-based warm-ups or role-playing common struggles, can make a huge difference. The key is to create a classroom environment where learners don’t just study English but actively use it to shape their lives and communities.
This training also made me reflect on how instrumental my GCSE drama days were in shaping my confidence—especially during the often turbulent years of secondary school. Those exercises, much like the ones we explored in the session, provided a safe space to experiment with language, expression, and identity. Drama allowed me to try on different voices, tones, and ways of being, helping me navigate both the classroom and the wider world. Seeing the same techniques used to support ESOL learners reaffirmed just how powerful theatre can be—not just for language acquisition, but for building confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
I left the training feeling inspired and excited to bring these ideas into my own
teaching practice.
To book a ticket for our next training workshop visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-participatory-theatre-for-esol-tickets-1321088153229?aff=oddtdtcreator or email becky@efalondon.org.
