Why Use Improvisation?
In improvisation, students do not necessarily know what comes next. The scene is created as they go. Participants must pay attention to their partners in order to react appropriately. This forces them to listen carefully, to speak clearly, and to use language in an authentic (i.e., unplanned) way.
Improvisation is a great way to get students communicating as they would outside of the classroom. Outside of the classroom, students must be able to speak and act without preparing (planning what to say, looking in the dictionary, writing words, etc.). Improvisation gives students the skills and confidence to be successful when communicating outside of the classroom. Because language outside the classroom is generally unplanned, students should practice speaking in unplanned language situations. They should practice taking risks in language. Improvisation is a great way to do this.
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