Improv, or improvisational theatre, is a type of theatre where scenes are created and performed in the moment. Players create characters, settings, dialogue, and narrative with each breath, which results in real moments being created on stage. These performers rehearse the ability to authentically respond to any situation that presents itself. They spend a lot of time doing exercises and theatre techniques that are kinesthetic, focused, and fun. There are two types of improv. Short form is more focused on small games and was made popular by the television show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Long form emphasizes storytelling and scene work. As a student of long form improv and as an ESL instructor, I’ve been manipulating these improv activities for my speaking and listening courses. I’ve found them to be quite useful and would love to share a few of them.

Usage

In our spoken English program at The Ohio State University, our goal is to prepare our international graduate teaching assistants to be prepared for anything they may face in front of their classrooms. One of the biggest challenges we face in our program is creating authentic speaking opportunities that are engaging and numerous. Most international teaching assistants (ITAs) have an incredible amount of language inside them, and improv is a great vehicle for different scenarios and opportunities. By the end of an improv unit, students will be able to take a one-word suggestion from the audience, give a monologue inspired from that suggestion, and perform several small scenes inspired from that monologue. I’ve seen intensive courses reach full scene level in 3 to 6 weeks, depending on proficiency and intensity.

The process that gets students from a suggestion to a scene involves a myriad of methods and techniques that transform the language classroom into an acting and writing studio. It is important to create a safe space where students can be comfortable with mistakes, be silly, and push themselves in language use. It should be stressed that students be respectful in the language and choices they make, because anything can happen in improv. The teacher acts like a coach and/or director that corrects and leads students through the exercises.

Activities

Crazy 8s

This a great warm-up that gets the blood flowing, connects language with the body, and lowers affective filters.

• Students stand up
• In unison, students count up to 8 and shake their right hand with each count. Then repeat with their left hand, then their right foot (kicking it in the air while balancing on the left), and finally with their left foot.
• The next round, students repeat the exercise but only count to 7. Then students repeat the exercise, counting up to the next lowest number, all the way down to 1. The lower numbers are fun because they are usually quicker and louder.
• Encourage students to shout these numbers and try to perform them in unison.

Yes, And

In this activity, students learn the golden improv rule of “Yes, and” where they must accept the choices that other students make in order to drive the story forward.

• In this exercise, students are in pairs and tell a story together one line at a time.
• Student 1 says the first line of a random scene (e.g., “I cooked you dinner.”)
• Student 2 rephrases the last line and adds to it. (“You cooked me dinner, and you ate too much pizza.”)
• Student 1 rephrases and adds (“I ate too much pizza, and you called the hospital.”)
• Student 2 rephrases and adds (“I called the hospital, and they sent a helicopter”)
• Continue the activity for about 5 minutes and ask students to summarize it for you at the end.
• Remind students not to use questions or commands.
• Variations
• Tell a story using the past tense
• Focus on using more dialogue “he said/she said”
• Write down the lines, edit them, and read aloud.

Three-Line Scene

“Three-Line Scene” is great because students have to react to different contexts. They also recognize the amount of information that can be delivered in one line through word choice, intonation, and emotion. This activity provides a lot of coaching opportunities to examine these small scenes.

• Students are in groups of two.
• Instructor gives a one-word suggestion, and students write a three-line scene. From those lines, students must be able to establish the setting, characters, and relationship.
  
• Suggestion: Shoe
• Student 1: “Coach! My shoelace broke, and I need a timeout.”
• Student 2: “You’re always looking for excuses. Keep playing.”
• Student 1: “I can’t play soccer with only one shoe, Dad!

• After three lines, have students perform these lines in front of class and discuss the setting, characters, and relationship.
• When students get the hang of it, make them create these three lines on the spot instead of writing them down and see how long the scenes can go.

The most common feedback I’ve received from students is that improv activities have helped improve their conversational abilities and rate of fluency. Before using these activities, I saw students basically thinking in their home language and then painstakingly translating what they wished to say into English. These activities let students react with language authentically rather than translate. Due to the often comedic response of these activities, students often have the goal to make each other laugh. This goal adds another layer of context to their assignment and an increased level of motivation to do these activities. In a final comment, these activities can generate many teachable moments; take time to address some of them.