This document provides guidance on using drama activities to supplement language and content instruction for students of all levels. It describes several drama activities that can help students improve fluency, confidence, and interpersonal skills. Some activities involve partners finding things in common, throwing an invisible ball, acting as trees and birds, and creating instant stories. The document discusses benefits for both teachers and students, such as addressing different learning styles, collaboration, and enjoyment. It provides tips for how teachers can start incorporating these activities, such as focusing on specific skills and connecting activities to curriculum.

1. DRAMA ACTIVITIES REVITALIZE LESSONS FOR ALL LEVELS
TESOL 2010
Boston, Massachusetts
March 25, 2010
MEG MORRIS & JUDY NAYOUNG KIM
morrisedu@comcast.net
ocholic@gmail.com
The activities we do today and those on the handout can be used
to supplement regular language or content instruction, and can also be used
as a foundation for doing drama performance, readers’ theater, or process drama.

2. ACTIVITIES
The following activities can help your students improve fluency, speak with confidence, and
develop interpersonal skills.
Something in Common
With a partner, find three things you have in common. Then two pairs of partners find one thing all
have in common, then four pairs— find a movie or book that all know. Ask the last large groups to
report on what movie or book they found in common.
Variations: You can ask the two-pairs group to find something in common about family, each of the
last large groups to find something in common that the other large group can’t match.
Space Ball
Stand in a circle. “Show” the ball (invisible) to the players; how big is it? how heavy? Practice
throwing the ball to each other. Then throw the ball to a player while saying your own name.
Continue throwing until everyone has caught and thrown the ball at least once.
Many Variations; here are four: 1. Name a category (e.g. food) and everyone says a word in that
category (e.g. bread, milk, etc.) as they throw the ball. 2. Each player says a word or phrase
meaning “yes” in English,( e.g. absolutely, uh-huh), then each person says a word meaning “yes”
in another language.3. Catch ball saying thrower’s name, throw ball saying own name. 4. Use balls
of different sizes.
I’m a Tree
Stand in a circle. One person goes to the center of the circle, spreads arms like branches, and says,
"I'm a tree." Any other person approaches the tree and says "I'm a bird," or any word relating to a
tree, and assumes appropriate position in relation to the tree. A third person enters and says" I'm a
picnic," or any word relating to either or both of the others, assumes an appropriate position. The
tree says, "I'll take the bird,” and those two return to the circle. The third person repeats "I'm a
picnic," and a second and third person enter as before, "picnic" takes one and they return to the
circle, etc. Continue playing until each person has taken a center position at least once. (Besides
common nouns, abstract nouns, such as “happiness” can be used.)
Instant Story
This can be done in a large circle so all participate. Give a paper with the following
8 phrases on it to each student: Once upon a time there was . . .; And every day . . .; Until one day . .
.; Because of that . . .; Because of that . . .; Until finally . . .; Ever since that day . . .; The moral of
the story is . . . If the circle is large, add more “Because of that” sentences or finish a story and start
another. Or it can be done in groups of three to eight, who will later read/tell their stories to the
larger group.
Encourage the students to include reincorporation in the story once or twice; this makes it
very satisfying. That is, repeat some item or event that occurred in the early stages in later stages.
The story develops naturally, but you will notice that: 1.Once upon a time there was . .
.establishes who and where, and can also add a desire. 2. And every day . . .the character(s) is set in
a routine. 3. Until one day . . . the routine is interrupted. 4. Because of that . . . there are
consequences. 5.Because of that . . . more consequences, like a domino effect—repeat as needed.
6. Until one day. . . a fundamental change happens. 7. Ever since that day . .. a new stasis is created.
8. The moral of the story is. . . a “universal truth,” let this be ordinary.
Extension: Students can write and/or illustrate their stories.

3. Mirrors
Partners face each other and imagine a mirror is between them. One is the actor, the other is the
reflector. Actor begins moving, reflector reflects. (Actor can just move spontaneously, or do any
activity that might take place in front of a mirror.) After about a minute, director calls “freeze.”
Actors and reflectors freeze, director calls, “Reverse roles.” After some practice, an observer is
designated to leave the room, and when he returns he tries to guess who is the actor and who is the
reflector in several of the pairs. If actors and reflectors are doing their parts well, an observer should
not be able to tell which is which.
Expert/Interview/Arms
One player is an expert and one is an interviewer. They sit in chairs facing the audience. The expert
puts his arms behind his back. The third player sits behind the expert, more or less hidden, and puts
his arms around the expert so that his hands appear to belong to the expert. When the interviewer
asks questions, the expert answers confidently, using appropriate gestures.
Yearbook Tableau
Ask a group of students to stand facing the audience. Then tell them they represent a yearbook
picture of students who have won prizes in their major subjects. On a signal, all freeze into the
photo position, with the positions indicating their individual subjects as much as possible. One by
one each steps out and extemporaneously speaks a few sentences, telling their name, their major
subject, and why they won the prize.
● Content-related variation: Direct students to recreate a scene, or a series of scenes, from a recent
history or science lesson. After students freeze into a photo position, each steps out and tells his
character’s part in the event.
● Sample tableaux for beginning adult learners: After reading “A Day Off” in First Class Reader,
direct students to create scenes for riding a bike and walking in the park, reading a book, dancing,
etc. Other stories in this book are also suitable for tableaux.
Back to Back
Direct two players to stand and observe each other for about one minute.
Then have them turn around, back to back. 1. Partner A describes what partner B is wearing. Partner
B then asks three questions concerning any information A has not mentioned, e.g. other items, color
of those mentioned, etc., and partner A
answers as much as possible. 2. Partner B then describes what partner A is wearing, partner A asks
questions. 3. They turn around and observe and talk about what they did not see.
Repeat with sets of other partners.
Can conclude with a “fashion show” with one partner announcing what their “model” is wearing.
To find out more about using these or other theater training activities, contact Meg Morris
Meg Morris
P.O. Box 1801
Los Altos, CA 94023
650-967-7570
morrisedu@comcast.net

4. Some Language Skills Practiced in these and other basic activities:
Listening
Observing
Integrating speech and action
Concentrating
Imitating
Clear speaking
Expanding vocabulary
Spontaneous speech
Imagining
Interpersonal Skills
Make mistakes and welcome them.
Accept all offers.
Be present in the moment.
Make your partner(s) look good.
Go for the obvious, be average.
Cooperate by neither leading nor following.
Be cheerful.
Make sense, not comedy.
Benefits for Teachers:
see students’ improved achievement
see that students are motivated
address the whole person
enhance language and content
lessons
can use in multilevel classes
can use many variations of activities
require little or no resources
Benefits for Students:
experience a safe environment
have real reasons to communicate
use all learning styles
use active physical and mental
processes
have opportunities for collaboration
are involved in constructing meaning
enjoy variety and a sense of
expectancy
HOW TO START
1. Find activities you’re comfortable with; start with small steps.
2. In each activity, focus on 2 or 3 target skills.
3. Connect the activity with your curriculum. Schedule it before, within, or at the end of a lesson.
4. Use the plan and structure within an activity to create a safe environment for the students.
5. Introduce each activity carefully, with modeling.
6. Note students’ success with the targeted skills.
7. Allow time for student feedback at the end of each activity.
8. Try activities more than once.