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Video Interview with Ken Wilson

Shelly Terrell interviews @kenwilsonlondon about his book Drama and Improvisation which features over 57 activities to help teachers inspire their students to speak English in a fun way! http://kenwilsonelt.wordpress.com

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Improv Games: Videos

Game 1: Yes And

Instructions:

• Put students into pairs
• One student begins with a sentence and the other student says "Yes and" then adds more information.
• Use a timer to get students speaking for 1 minute or longer.

Game 2: Rumors

Instructions:

• Put students into pairs
• Student A makes up a rumor to tell student B. 
• Student B adds to the rumor then both students giggle.
• Student B then makes up the rumor and student A adds to the rumor.
• Use a timer to get students speaking for 1 minute or longer.

Game 4: Jibberish to English

Instructions:

• You will need a bell or whistle.
  
• Put students into pairs
• Have the pairs make up a scene or give them one. They are choosing a scene they can easily talk about so they may want something simple like going shopping, playing a sport, etc. Or you could have the scene match your lesson topic.
  
• Student A begins by speaking about the topic. Student B rings the bell every 10 seconds or so. When student B rings the bell, student A must speak in Jibberish (a made up language).
  
• Use a timer to get students speaking for 1 minute or longer.

Game 3: Pass the Prop

Instructions:

• You will need an everyday object such as an eraser, a chair, a broom, or other object. You can choose to bring in as many as you want. We will use a broom as an example.
  
• Place students in a circle.
  
• Place 2 students in the center of the circle with the broom.
• Student A decides what to pretend the broom is either than a broom. For example, student A may decide the broom is a spaceship.
• Student A then demonstrates the broom is a spaceship through acting and using dialogue until student B figures this out.
  
• Student B determines the broom is a spaceship and plays along matching the dialogue.
• When a student in the circle imagines the object is something else that student taps student A or B and replaces that student in the skit.

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Resources for Using Drama With Young Learners

Serious Drama With Young Learners by Ania Kozicka on Ken Wilson's blog

Teaching English Vocabulary to Young Learners via Drama (PDF)

-research and activities listed

Drama with Young ELLs

Drama Techniques for Teaching English

Storytelling and Drama by Carol Read

Watching Young Learners at Work: From Practice to Principle by Marisa Constantinides

ESL Children's Drama Games

Puppets in Primary

Several Puppet Making Resources & Scripts

Digital Storytelling- several links and resources

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More Drama Resources

Using Drama and Movement to Enhance English Language Learners' Literacy Development

-amazing background information (8+ pages) on using Drama with English language learners. You will get a solid understanding of the benefits and pedagogical basis for various activities.

40 Drama Resources via Sean Banville

Roleplay Tutorial

Several Drama and Theater Resources via Cybraryman

Animating Stories by Marisa Constantinides

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Recommended Reading

Drama and Improvisation by Ken Wilson

The Drama and Theatre Category of Ken Wilson's blog