Viola spolin theater games for the classroom

The audience suggests who and where two players are, and, a third player calls out new emotions which they must incorporate. After the audience assigns each player an animal, the players must explore the animal physically, verbally, then interact with each other as animals, and finally bring the animals up into human forms with attitudes and traits intact.

Here the focus is on focus. Players do a scene in which dialogue can only occur when some form of physical contact is made. In much the same manner that a foreign film appears on late night TV, two players take a film genre and a relationship and do a scene from a movie, while two other players dub in their voices live.

A player is sent out of earshot and upon his return must interact with fellow players until he is aware of the famous or occupational identity the audience has chosen for him. Who am I? One player orates in gibberish. The other interprets in English. This program allowed me to play with not only the teachers, but the students as well as their parents and the staff of the school. This led to a full integration where the games and exercises could be shared by the entire school.

The results were profoundly satisfying. The teachers learned how to introduce the games into the curriculum, the students got the benefit of playing with their teachers and myself. Teacher Workshops. An added workshop was given to the custodial staff of the school with very surprising results.

Like waiters, butlers and other support staff, NOT being seen is considered an asset. The staff was reluctant to participate. One man tried to back out by saying he had a headache and was too tired.

Check the timetable, look at their smartphones, etc. Try to get the students to infuse banal actions with the mannerisms of a particular job and have the observers guess what the job is. Have students face each other in a conversation. Have them mirror the actions and expression of their partner. Keep the conversation going.

A single student, speaking gibberish, has to persuade or sell to other members of the class. The other members of the class have to figure out what the student is trying to do.

Try to minimise gestures that would give the product or service away. Instead try to focus on tone and expression. Improv is a life skill.

Teaching our students to think on their feet and speak without too much planning, but still in a careful and controlled way, is so useful, and not easy. Teaching them to do it in a language which is not their own is demanding but so rewarding when they become master of it. It helps in our EFL class on so many levels, but how much is it going to help our students in their future lives and particularly in their future careers to know that whenever they are in a tight spot and maybe lost for words, they can think about the improv skills learnt in their EFL classroom?

Philip is the founder of EFL Magazine. He has been a cinema manager, a chef, a sales executive and an English teacher. He is one of the founders of EdYOUfest. Sign up to get on the list.

When I go to California Teams of 10 — 12 players in a circle. Resist the urge to direct, rather let the student act it for themselves. Idioms A player leaves the room. Others can join when they feel they know. Or bluff. What do I do for a living? Mirroring Have students face each other in a conversation. Gibberish A single student, speaking gibberish, has to persuade or sell to other members of the class. This could be varied to be a teacher of a subject or skill, working one-on-one or in a group.

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