Abstract:
This set of four lessons will demonstrate how to introduce primary students to improvisation and the ways in which improvisation games and exercises can support the oral communication habits that directly correlate to skilled reading. In a homeroom Language classroom, they are intended to be used at the start of the literacy block to develop oral communication skills. There are many ways to integrate knowledge-building and oral communication skills in oral language routines at the start of the day. The intent of this set of lessons is to provide a basis for regularly using improvisation games for oral communication development in the primary grades. While these lessons are planned for 40-minute increments, once students have a grasp of how to collaborate and improvise together, spending even 10 minutes daily doing an improv exercise can be beneficial for classroom community, drama skills and oral communication skill development. While the lessons contain Grade 2 expectations, the improv exercises themselves are easily adaptable to any grade level.
