Improv ‘n Ink
Overcoming “I Don’t Know What to Write!”:
A Scaffolded Approach to Developing Writing Fluency Using Improvisation A teacher’s guide for ages nine-adult
Do you know a student in grades 4—12 who refuses to write or doesn’t write enough? Students who do not write a long enough writing sample makes teaching writing or assessing content knowledge difficult if not impossible. Further complicating this situation is the fact that the student’s reluctance to write may be rooted in either social emotional or literacy deficits, and the teacher often doesn’t know if either of these issues is present. Improv ‘n Ink will help your student increase the length of their writing so you can teach writing.
Improv ‘n Ink! Overcoming “I Don’t Know What to Write!” is based on a program offered since 2000 and supported by the research article “Improv and Ink: Increasing Individual Writing Fluency with Collaborative Improv,” published in The International Journal of Education and the Arts. Whether you have students who are occasionally reluctant to write, don’t write enough or just won’t pick up a pen, the sequence of games in this book serves as a quick and effective intervention, simultaneous developing both the social-emotional and literacy skills important to writing fluency.
“Improv ‘n Ink is an important brain friendly method of teaching writing skills to all students in a most interesting, nonthreatening and effective way.”
Mr. Frank Gargiulo, Superintendent,
Hudson County Schools of Technology, NJ
A Fast, Effective & Friendly Approach
In as few as five lessons, this sequence of improv games and improv writing activities helps students to address social-emotional and literacy deficits that may be impeding their ability to put their thought on paper. With students increasing the length of their writing with coherence and flow, teachers can proceed to teach the writing process or assess content knowledge.
With its 1 to 3-minute game structures and inherent ability to reach and engage students of diverse educational needs, learning modalities, generations and backgrounds, improv is a valuable instructional intervention fitting easily into the already content packed classroom.
Games are easy to facilitate and play. The only performance skill required is that students speak loud enough to be heard. Movement in place is optional and no physical contact is required.
All games and writing activities can be done with as few as three students.
Layout of Improv ‘n Ink
- Grounded in research, Part 1 helps teachers understand improv’s impact on wring fluency and learning. With this understanding they are better prepared to successfully facilitate the games and articulate to others how and why the Improv ‘n Ink sequence works.
- Detailed instructions for each game and activity are given in Part 2, so that individuals with no experience facilitating or participating in improv can feel confident and comfortable. Each game included overview, example, new terms, directions, coaching and notes, rubrics, and how to integrate with classroom practices and content.
Recommended For
- Students: Age 9 to adult
- Teachers of: language arts, special needs, gifted and talented, home schools, academic or vocational course where students are required to write, after school/summer programs.
- Use as an inclusive and dynamic way to teach narrative writing.
- Other skills simultaneously develop include
- Literacy: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing…
- Social-Emotional: Collaborative, Self-esteem, Confidence, Trust…
- And more: Creativity, Adaptability, Spontaneity, Innovation, Self-regulation…
