Improv and Theater in the

Chinese Classroom

Robin HarveyNYU DCLT Chinese Educators Symposium

November 4, 2016

Families!

• Each table is a ‘type’ of family• Next table calls out the type• Table acts out the type of family

Here We Come!

• Divide into two groups: each group agrees on a place and a “trade” (job) along with actions describing it

• Stand in two lines facing each other• Group 1: Here we come!

Group 2: Where ya from?• Group 1: (place)• Group 2: What’s your trade?• Group 1: MIME your ‘trade’ until group 2 guesses it• Repeat!

What are you doing?

• Stand in a circle• S1 acts out an activity• Student on right asks: “What are you doing?”• S1 names an activity they are NOT doing• Student on right does the activity S1 named• Continue around circle

Riding the Bus

Board the busYou are an emotion: ‘Be’ that emotion and explain WHY you are Everyone on the bus must be that emotion and tell whyBecome the emotion of the next person boarding Reverse as everyone leaves the bus

I have a gift for you

• Form two lines facing each other• Give a gift to the person opposite you (I have a

gift for you..)• Recipient asks: What is it?• Giver tells what the gift is.• Receiver accepts the gift with an appropriate

response• Move to the end of the other line• Continue until everyone has received a gift

I like clams

• Form a circle• One person in center• “I like clams because….”• Give as many reasons, even outlandish, as

possible• Outsider can tap center person to move into

middle and tell why they like clams

Guess what happened today!

Yes and ….

• Name one thing • You learned today• OR You like about what you learned today, • OR About why it will work in the FL classroom• OR About how you will adapt it for your

classroom• OR anything else about this presentation

Why do these work in FL teaching?

• Interpersonal• Real life• Active, movement-

based• Creative• Joyful, overcomes

shyness

• Practices vocabulary, structures

• Ties to previous learning

• And m ore …..

Resources Theater games: http

://plays.about.com/od/actvities/fl/Here-We-Come-Group-Energizer-Theatre-Game.htm

Improv Games for the Language Classroom http://www.slideshare.net/ShellTerrell/improv-games-for-the-language-classroom/15