IMPROVING THROUGH IMPROV-ING Jeanne Gilbert, IU Share Fair, Spring 2015

STARRING YOUR STUDENTS  For beginners - for review – for fun  As a whole class, in pairs, or in groups  The only prop needed is imagination

AND…ACTION! eat read box climb ski surf bowl play hockey play volleyball lift weights ride a horse do martial arts ride a bike go waterskiing scuba dive sew play video games go camping

WHAT TO DO?  Practice or review the present progressive!  In English: “to be” + verb + ing ex. I am playing  This improv activity helps students form the progressive more quickly

SET THE SCENE… The class lines up…

WORDS VS. ACTIONS 1.Student A pretends to be eating. 2.Student B asks, “What are you doing?” 3.Student A replies, “I am reading.” 4.Student B pretends to be reading. 5.A goes to the back of the line, and C comes up.

THE GAME CONTINUES. 6. C asks B, “What are you doing?” 7. B replies, “I am climbing a mountain” while still pretending to read. 8. C begins pretending to climb a mountain. 9. B goes to the back of the line, and D comes up…

BUT HOW DOES IT END?  Go through the whole class once or twice.  Or set a timer.  And now your class has improved through… IMPROV-ing!