improv activities for advanced learners
These advanced improv activities challenge students to think critically, respond spontaneously, and use nuanced language.
Expert Panel
How It Works:
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Students form a panel of “experts” on a random topic (e.g., climate change, ancient history).
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Teacher can prepare random cue cards for this or focus on reviewing something from class.
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The audience asks questions, and each panel member contributes one sentence to the answer, building on the previous response.
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The goal is to provide coherent, in-depth answers collaboratively.
Language Adaptations
Pre-teach or review expressions for agreement, elaboration, and polite disagreement (e.g., “I’d like to add to that...” or “Another perspective is...”).
To support learners during the activity, make these expressions easily accessible by projecting them on a slide, writing them on the board, or providing a handout they can refer to throughout.
Gibberish translator
How It Works:
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One student speaks in "gibberish" (nonsense sounds)
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Another student acts as the translator, interpreting the gibberish into coherent sentences.
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A third student (optional) asks follow-up questions, which the "gibberish speaker" answers in gibberish and the translator continues interpreting.
Language Adaptations
Focus on practicing paraphrasing and interpretation skills.
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Pre-teach paraphrasing target phrases like “What they’re trying to say is…” or “In other words...”
Using thematic contexts makes the activity more engaging and gives students practical vocabulary to practice.
- Everyday Scenarios: These themes focus on common interactions and are great for building real-world communication skills:
- Giving Directions: The gibberish speaker describes how to get somewhere, and the translator interprets step-by-step.
- Doctor’s Appointment: The gibberish speaker explains symptoms, while the translator interprets for the “patient.”
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Genre-Specific Scenarios: These work especially well if the class has been practicing a particular genre or topic:
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News Broadcast: The gibberish speaker is a reporter, and the translator “deciphers” breaking news using formal phrases.
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Speech: The gibberish speaker is delivering a motivational or persuasive speech, and the translator captures the essence of their message.
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Review or Summary: The gibberish speaker is summarizing a book, movie, or research article, and the translator rephrases the key points.
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Creative Scenarios: Use imaginative contexts to encourage creativity:
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Cooking Show: The gibberish speaker is a chef explaining a recipe, and the translator interprets the steps and ingredients.
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Tour Guide: The gibberish speaker describes landmarks, while the translator interprets for tourists.
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One minute speech
How It Works:
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Each student draws a random topic from a hat or container.
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Students deliver a one-minute speech on the topic with minimal or no preparation time.
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The speech doesn’t have to be factual—the focus is on speaking confidently and creatively, even when you’re unsure of all the details.
Language Adaptations
Reinforce speech structure: This activity can helo students practice organizing their thoughts and structuring a speech or story with:
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A Clear Beginning: Engage the audience with an opening statement, such as a question, an anecdote, or a bold claim.
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A Strong Middle: Provide examples, reasons, or elaborations to support the topic.
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A Memorable Ending: Wrap up with a summary, reflective comment, or call to action.
Display this structure visually on the board, a slide, or a handout for students to refer to during the activity.
Pre-Teach Key Phrases:
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Beginning: “Today I’d like to talk about…,” “Let’s start with…”
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Middle: “For instance…,” “One important reason is…,” “On the other hand…”
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Ending: “To sum up…,” “In conclusion…,” “That’s why I think…”
How to make it harder
Add a FAQ Section
After the speech, the audience can ask 2–3 follow-up questions based on what the student said.
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Examples:
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“You said your favorite place to travel is the beach. What’s your favorite beach activity?”
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“You mentioned that technology is changing education. Can you explain how?”
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“If you could choose a different topic, what would it be, and why?”
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Encourage students to respond confidently, even if they have to make up an answer. Remind them that this is about practicing fluency, not accuracy.