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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
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.
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
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
Recommended Reading
Drama and Improvisation by Ken Wilson
The Drama and Theatre Category of Ken Wilson's blog