2 Drama Games and Exercises

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CPD 5 2, MLPSI, KEC 2011.

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Drama games and exercises body to voice to language

All of the games and exercises outlined below are suggested for use in for the modern
language classroom and are meant to be conducted in the target language. For the
descriptive and other language required for each game, refer also to the language specific
sections under Language for Drama Games/Exercises.
Body warm up: action games, mime & Total Physical Response (TPR)

1. Relaxation/TPR

Topic: Body + space
Strand: Communicative Competence
Strand unit/ Language skill: 1. Listening, 2. Listening + Spoken Production
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
The aim of the warm up is to relax everybody, mentally and physically, and reduce
inhibitions. During the warm up the class concentrates. A positive start helps everyone to
get down to work. A warm up can be done with pupils still sitting at their tables but it is
more effective standing up, behind the tables if need be, or ideally in a wider space.
Pupils find a space by stretching their arms out and swinging them to make sure that they
wont hit each other. Initially the teacher leads the warm-up exercises but later on a pupil
who is confident enough with the target language can be invited to lead.
Start warming up by shaking all over (in time to a lively music if possible), rub the hands
together and slap them on different parts of the body. Continue with head movements,
then shoulders, hips,... (refer to the language specific section Language for Drama
Games/Activities for description of movements).

2. Energizer: Running on the spot/TPR or mime

Topic: Body + space
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
Warming up can also be energetic without requiring much space if it involves running on
the spot. This may be done with the accompaniment of fast music but it is not essential. Ask
pupils (in the target language) to start running on the spot, putting a lot of energy into it.
Then, while still running on the spot, they reach out to grab something out of reach. Next,
they are running away, frightened, as in a nightmare, but still on the same spot. Then, they

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keep running on the spot but now they are an exhausted long distance runner...and now,
with a great spurt of energy they run with their knees up...ending with a lap of honour,
waving to the crowd.
Stimulating music pieces to look for: Khachaturians Sabre Dance, Bela Bartock The
Miraculous Mandarin, final scores in Prokofieffs Peter and the Wolf.
(Adapted from 100+ Ideas for Drama, A.Scher & C.Verral)

3. Quick feelings

Topics: Several, incl. Myself & Others, Hobbies, Where I live, Weather, Time & daily
routine,...
Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
You need an open space for this mime game. Mark out a large cross on the floor (with chalk,
skipping ropes, cones, chairs, shoes, ... ). Choose four feelings such as angry, happy, sad
and frightened. Each section formed by the cross represents one of the feelings and is
named accordingly (including appropriate visuals).
Pupils walk in a circle (use of music is possible but not essential).
At a given signal in the target language from the leader (or when the music stops), all pupils
stop at the point they have reached. When the pupils stop, they must act immediately as if
their feeling is that indicated in the section they find themselves in.
Pupils continue until the leader signals that they may walk around again (in target language
or by starting the music again).
Note. In the angry section pupils are not allowed to touch anyone else.
Variations: sections can be used for other categories such as (acting accordingly to)
locations, weathers, hobbies, sports, age, time of the day, actions in the classroom,
characters in a story,...
(Adapted from: Chrissie Poulter, Playing the Game)

4. All manners of walks/TPR or mime

Topic: Body, Myself & Others/Animals/ Weather
Time: 5-10 mins.

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Description:
When sufficient space and time are available, the following activities will also provide a
good warm up in the target language. They can be conducted with or without music. They
can also be used in the context of a PE class.
Walking can involve marching, skipping, running, and all manners of walks and other ways
of moving around. For example: walking
- Moods and feelings: happily, sadly, proudly, lazily,...
- Animal walks: like a duck, a wolf, a little mouse, an elephant, a puppy, a horse,
- Various characters: old man, blind man, toddler, cool dude, clown, Pink Panther,...
- Jumping, walking backwards, running in slow motion, on tippy-toes,
- Different environments: walking through autumn leaves, walking barefoot on shingle, in
the rain, on ice, in a dark cave, up a mountain in the sunshine, in a small room, in a ballroom,
up long long stairs
- Various scenarios: footballers training, dancer tap-dancing, as a person in a hurry, carrying
a heavy bag, carrying a huge fragile vase or a small fragile animal

5. Cross the circle

Topic: Where I live, Weather
Strand: Communicative Competence, (Cultural Awareness)
Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening (instructions)
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
Similar to the above walking warm-up, but with no need for a large space or music.
Everyone sits in a circle. Pupils are each given a number in the target language one, two,
three, four, one, two, three, four, etc. All the number ones stand up and are asked to walk
in a certain way and then sit down on the other side. Then the twos with a different
movement, followed by the threes and then the fours. See examples of possible walks
moving around warm up above. The emphasis here is on walking through a particular
environment: a busy street or a dark lane, a crowd coming out of a match, a pebbled beach,
a high wire in the circus, the moon, ...
Pictures of the scenes referred to can be used (flashcards, IWB) to set up the scene and
assist with comprehension in the target language.

6. TPR and mime
Topic: Body, Colours, Classroom language and School, Time and Daily routine
Time: 10 mins. max

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Description:
Pupils can stay behind their desks for short TPR/mine activities. Pupils physically respond to
instructions given by the teacher in the target language. The teacher may or may not
perform the actions with the pupils. For example: Hold hands with the person next to you.
Shake hands slowly. Shake hands vigorously... release your hands... Wave each other
goodbye... you are very sad to leave each other... you are very happy to leave each
other... This can develop into miming various actions with the teacher: You look at yourself
in the mirror, you smile to yourself, you make a face, you fix your hair... You touch
something blue/red You sleep, you wake up, you put on your trousers,

7. Story mime/TPR

Topic: Depending on story
Time: Depending on story

Description:
A story is told in the target language and mimed by the teacher. Pupils physically follow the
actions, increasingly loosening their bodies. Involve identifying with characters and miming,
meeting other characters, shaking hands etc... as well as different feelings. Use of props is
optional. Example of story - I am going on a bear hunt in the target language.

8. Silent Masks

Topic: Myself and Others
Strand: Communicative Competence (Cultural Awareness)
Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening (instructions)
Time: -

Description:
Mask and movement. When putting on a mask, the body must take on the character of the
mask in a deliberate way. For example, if the mask is a sad clown, the body becomes a
drooping figure. For a devils mask, the body becomes spiky, dynamic and frightening.
Everyone puts on a mask and examines his appearance in a mirror. Divide the class into two
halves. The first half puts on their masks and moves around the room, expressing their
character in a bold, uninhibited way. Music is useful to set the mood. The other half
watches. Pupils may then be invited to move around the room to present their
characterisation individually in the target language. Masks can be worked into dance
dramas, particularly with Carnival masks, bought or made.

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9. Fruit Salad

Topic: Several topics incl. Food & Shops, Body & Clothes, Where I live, Colours, Weather &
Holidays
Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening, Spoken Production
Time: 10 mins.

Description:
Each pupil sits on a chair in a circle and one pupil stays in the middle. When the person in
the middle calls out a word or instruction in the target language, all must leave their seat
and move to another one, but you must not sit on a chair either side of the chair you are
presently sitting on. The pupil left without a chair goes in the middle to call out the criteria
for moving. A variation could have the pupils hopping, skipping, etc. to chairs and these
would also be called out in the target language.
Moving criteria can evolve from:
- Names of three fruits. All fruits being fruit salad.
- Cities/places in the target country(ies). All together being the name of the target
country.
- Change places if you... wear blue/green/..., have blue/brown/... eyes, have a
sister/cat/..., live in..., like/dont like...

10. Live Wire

Topic: Body
Time: 5 mins.

Description:
Ask the class to stand in a circle (in the target language). One pupil stands in the middle of
the circle with his/her eyes closed. All pupils in the circle hold hands to form an unbroken
circle. The leader (teacher first, then different pupils) sends a hand-squeeze around the
circle by squeezing one of the two hands s/he is holding. The hand-squeeze may be passed
to left or right by the pupil receiving it, but each pupil is only allowed one squeeze per go,
since to squeeze both hands causes chaos! The pupil at the centre of the circle is asked to
open her/his eyes and the class asks where is the current? (in the target language). The
pupil in the middle observes pupils in the circle and tries to guess where the
squeeze/current is. Saying (in the target language) Its here, its there or its between
Sam and Joe.
(Adapted from Christine Poulter, Playing the Game)

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11. Knots

Topic: Body
Time: 5-10 mins.

Description:
The class forms a circle and holds hands. Then hands are released now everyone puts a
left hand into the centre to find another, no one should be holding more than one hand.
Then everyone puts a second hand in and again holds someones right hand. Pupils should
avoid taking the hand of the person on their right or left. The group has formed a knot. The
purpose is to untangle the knot by any means possible without letting go of the hands!
Note: This game may be particularly appropriate to use as a trust-building exercise after the
class has drawn up a drama contract.

Voice (warm up) games

1. Sound circle: Pass the sound/ Pass the onomatopoeia/ Pass the rhythm

Topic: Any topic
Strand: Language Awareness
Strand unit/ Language skill: Spoken Interaction, Listening
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
Pupils preferably make a circle. A sound is passed around from one pupil to another around
the circle, with or without a ball. Sounds can belong to different categories: sound effects
(machines,), various human/animal sounds, alphabet letters particularly the more
difficult letters in the target language alphabet, onomatopoeias (with or without the
accompanying gesture) typical of the target language, voice patterns (several sounds,
particularly those preparing for the more difficult sounds or combination of sounds in the
target language). This develops into passing a rhythm with the different sounds and can
progress to a sequence of sounds helped with different forms of clapping (hands, thighs,).
This game can naturally develop into Pass the word, pass the phrase. See also Language
games.

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2. Animal sounds/Peter and the wolf

Topic: Animals (My family)
Strand: Communicative Competence, Language Awareness
Time: 5 mins.

Description:
Ask the class (in the target language) to stand around the edge of the room, facing the wall,
with their eyes closed. The teacher goes round the circle and lightly taps every person,
saying (in the target language) bird, duck, cat, wolf. Every child will then know what
they are. Keeping their eyes closed, the children then have to make the noise of the animal
(appropriate to the target language, as will have been discovered and practiced before) and
move towards others who are the same animal as themselves. You could do each animal
one at a time or all together. There should eventually be four clusters of each animal. Do the
game again, so that they try a different animal.
Ask each animal group to go into a corner of the room. Select someone to be Peter (name
in the target language) and stand in the centre of the room. Peter calls out any one of the
animal groups. They have to go and touch Peter and then go back to their corner, moving as
their animal and making the sound of their animal.
Language Awareness: animal sounds in the target language
(Adapted from Michael Theodorou, Games, ideas and activities for Primary Drama)

3. Circles Game

Topic: All topics
Strand unit/ Language skill: Spoken Production, Listening
Time: 10 mins.

Description:
Pupils make circles of ten. The people in the circle are numbered 1 to 10. A sound/gesture is
passed around the circle. As the sound/gesture goes around, the leader calls out numbers
from one to ten, where ten is the strongest point and 1 represents the weakest point on the
scale. For example, if a crying sound is sent around, pupil number 1 will make a whimpering
sound whilst the sound produced by pupil ten should be much more exaggerated.
(Adapted from Michael Theodorou, Games, ideas and activities for Primary Drama)

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Language (warm up) games
1. Sound circle: Pass the word/ Pass the sentence

Topic: All topics
Strand: Language Awareness
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
This game is a natural continuation of the Sound Circle game Pass the sound, Pass the
rhythm. Pupils make a circle. They pass around (with or without a ball):
- words or names with emotion (angrily, sadly, in a bored manner, )
- speech inflexions: passing a word or short phrase such as the equivalent of yes, no,
thank you, excuse me, while exploring a variety of modulation, pitch, tone (and dialect)
- echoes: in pairs in the circle: the second person repeats the word or phrase said by the first
one as exactly as possible, including inflexion
- Question and answer mini dialogue, with rhythm also passed around randomly with a ball.

2. Clapping Game

Topic: All topics
Strand: Communicative Competence, Language Awareness, Intercultural Awareness
Time: 5 mins.

Description:
Pupils beat or clap out names or phrases in the target language in rhythmic patterns such
as peoples names or phrases of introduction in the target language.

3. Dialogue chant/rap

Topic: Any topic
Time: 3 mins.

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Description:
This game requires a ball. Pupils preferably stand in a circle. The Leader (teacher or pupil)
starts a chant/rap based on a short sequence (for example a question and answer) which
follows a clear rhythmic pattern such as Comment a va?/a va bien merci! and throws the
ball to someone else in the circle (next to him/her or not), pupil B. Pupil B repeats the short
rhythmic dialogue by himself/herself first. The leader and pupil B then repeat the sequence
together while pupil B throws the ball to pupil C. Pupil C repeats the sequence before the
leader, A, B and C repeat it while C throughs it to D etc... until the whole class has joint in
the chant/rap.

4. Gibberish (mime game)

Topic: Various topics
Strand: Communicative Competence, Cultural Awareness, Language Awareness
Time: 5-10 mins.

Description:
Before the session, prepare some index cards, at least twice as many as there are pupils in
the class, each with one simple sentence in the target language written on it. These
sentences will be connected to the last topic covered in class or any topic covered so far,
such as: my name is , what is your name?, I live in, I am 12 years old, its hot/cold,
its raining/snowing, I am hungry/thirsty, I am Irish , I have a headache, where is the
railway station?, I would like a ham sandwich,
Pupils sit in a semi-circle. One student volunteers to go to the front and glances at the top
card in the pile. The pupil's job is to communicate the precise meaning of the sentence as
efficiently as possible without the use of spoken language. The pupil must imagine that he
or she is a stranger in a new country and does not speak a word of the language. The game
is designed to get pupils thinking about what it must be like for someone who does not
speak the language in a foreign country.
Pupils raise their hands and try to guess the meaning of the sentence.
Cultural Awareness/Language Awareness: this game gives the opportunity for a discussion
and critical thinking (in the mother tongue) about language, the role of body language in
communication and cultural differences and similarities in this regard. In particular, if it
takes longer for a pupil to convey the meaning of a sentence, a discussion about what might
have been a more efficient way of conveying the meaning can be a useful complement to
the miming game.
(Adapted from Matt Buchanan in Creative Drama Lesson in www.childdrama.com)

5. Guess the emotion...

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Topic: Various topics depending on poem/rhyme or tongue twister
Strand: Communicative Competence, Language Awareness, Cultural Awareness
Time: 10-15 mins.

Description:

Choose a short poem/rhyme or tongue twister which all pupils already know or learn and
practice thoroughly, line by line or section by section until they are quite comfortable with
it.
Divide the class into small groups (of 3-4) and give each group an emotion card, i.e. a visual
representing for example: happy/sad, frightened, disgusted, angry, in a hurry,.. without
showing them to the rest of the class.
Each group practices the poem/rhyme/tongue twister with the inflexions corresponding to
their allocated emotion card. Each group is then invited to present the piece conveying the
emotion as best they can so that the rest of the class can guess the emotion.

6. Just words

Topic: Myself and others
Strand: Communicative Competence, Intercultural Awareness
Time: 10 mins.

Description:
The class is divided into groups of up to 5. All the groups are given a set of 4 key words/
short phrases which are well known to the class (such as: hello, excuse-me, please,
thank-you, my name is..., listen,...). The words are the same for all the groups.
Pupils are asked to come up with a short role play/sketch (1-2 minutes) in the course of
which they have to use the 4 words.
They are free to come up with the setting, characters and scenario that they wish.
They can use as little or as much language as they wish as long as they use the 4 given
words/phrases in a meaningful way and any other language that they also know.

7. Smileys

Time: 5-10 mins.

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Description:
Teacher holds up different smileys and pupils say hello/goodbye using the emotion
shown gradually introduce different emotions and vocabulary.

8. Emotions chart

Time: 10 mins.

Description:
Make a chart with various emotions/characteristics represented by visuals or written in the
target language. Pupils look at the chart and say Hello! in different voices. Start with
happy, then sad etc.

Ask questions like:
How many times did you say Hello!?
What did you discover about the pronunciation?
Are you going to remember that word?
Try the exercise again. This time, say My name is.. in a happy voice, then a sad voice,
then an angry voice and so on.

9. Quick finger puppets

Topic: Various topics, incl. Myself and Others, My Hobbies, My Family, Where I live
Time: 5 mins.

Description:
Pupils use their two index fingers as finger puppets characters who communicate in the
target language (or possibly in both the target language and the mother tongue). They may
also want to draw simple little faces on their two fingers for greater effect.
Pupils first practice the simple dialogues individually, one finger talking to the other one.
They then turn around to the pupil next to them or move to another pupil to engage in a
similar dialogue with new partner finger puppets.
HAPPY SAD ANGRY SINGING SURPRISED
SLEEPY IN LOVE BIG, LIKE AN ELEPHANT SMALL, LIKE A MOUSE LIKE A CAT
VERY QUIET VERY QUICK VERY SLOW VERY OLD VERY FAR AWAY

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This can be used to practice any short dialogue (greetings, talking about oneself).
It is also used for the actions of the two little birds exchange which exists in several of the
target languages (see links in the Websites and Resources document).

10. Juicy Julia

Strand: Communicative Competence, Language Awareness,
Time: 5 mins.

Description:
Pupils form a circle. The first pupil says My name is Julia and I am juicy (name and
adjective), the next pupil continues the sequence and so on. This can be done alphabetically
and pupils can name something the person likes in place of the adjective, or indeed anything
starting with the same letter.

11. Presentation circle

Strand: Communicative Competence,
Time: 5 to 10 mins.

Description:
A pupil starts by saying My name is X, and I am well/ very well with appropriate miming.
The next person must repeat and add: His name is and he is, My name is and I am... In a
big class it could be done in smaller circles.

12. Crossing

Topic: All topics
Time: 10- 15 mins.

Description:
Get pupils to sit or stand in a circle. Divide the group into As and Bs. As ask the question and
Bs answer. Get pupils to identify their partners. Play music and when the music stops no

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more than one pair must remain in the circle area. At first pupils should merely cross the
circle area and acknowledge each other. Then new conditions are introduced:
As ask a question to which the the answer is yes e.g. Is your name Mary? Or As ask a
question to which the answer is no e.g. Are you 14 years old?
Bs must reply with the correct answer.
When players meet they are characters meeting each other. The following characters might
meet: two friends meeting after a long time; two friends, one doesnt remember the other;
two friend, one cant hear very well.

13. Walk and Greet

Topic: All topics
Strand: Language Awareness, Intercultural Awareness
Time: 5-10 mins.

Description:
Get pupils to walk around the classroom to music, when the music stops pupils must
acknowledge one another e.g. shake hands, air kiss, say goodbye, remove some fluff from
each other. Extension - Get them to repeat this but this time with their eyes closed. An
extension of activity can involve the pupils pretending to be a foreigner in Ireland: Tell the
children to speak in English but with the accent of the target language. Invite the children to
become as Italian/Spanish/German/French as possible. This allows children to experiment
with intonation, accent and gesture even before they have the necessary language.

14. Who is it?

Topic: Myself and others, My family
Strand: Communicative competence, Intercultural Awareness
Strand unit/ Language skill: Spoken interaction, Listening
Time: 10 - 20 mins.

Description:
A pupil describes a well-known person in the target language and other pupils must guess
who it is e.g. He is thirty years old, he lives in Cork, he plays football, he has a dog...

15. The snake game

Topic: Where I live

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Strand unit/ Language skill: Spoken Interaction, Listening, Reading
Time: 10 15 mins.

Description:
Prepare cards with names of countries and places . One student has a secret card with a
snake on it. Students move around the room trying to find the person from the country and
place named in their card. When they find their partner they stand in a corner. The person
with the snake cannot ask questions. If somebody asks them he/she must reply I am a
snake in target language and the other pupil must sit down.

16. Paul Jones

Topic: All topics
Time: 10-15 mins.

Description:
Pupils form one large circle. The teacher counts the pupils A, B, A, B, etc.There must be
two groups of equal numbers. As form an inner circle and Bs and outer circle. Pupils in each
circle hold hands with the inner circle facing toward the outer circle. Teacher explains and
demonstrates the language that has to be practiced. When the music starts each circle must
start to move in opposite directions. When the music stops both circles stop and each pupil
practices the agreed language with the pupil facing him/her. Teacher instructs one circle to
start asking questions first.

17. Two truths and a lie

Topic: All topics
Strand: Communicative Competence,
Strand unit/ Language skill: Spoken Interaction, Listening, Writing
Time: 15 -20 mins.

Description:
Pupils write down two truths about themselves and the topic being explored and a lie. Then
introduce the three "facts" to the rest of the group who tries to guess which one is a lie.

18. Truth and Lies

Topic: All topics

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Time: 20 mins.

Description:
The class divides into pairs. In each pair, one is the questioner and the other the answerer.
Have some identity profiles prepared for the class the answerer takes on this identity it
is possible to use characters from well known stories so pupils can use prior knowledge. The
questioner asks questions in rapid succession. The answerer must answer the questions,
alternating between true answers and lies - must not hesitate or laugh. If the answerer
hesitates or laughs, or if he/she fails to alternate between truth and lies, he/she is "out" and
the partners reverse roles.

19. Sellotape Game

Topic: Myself and others, My family
Time: 15 mins.

Description:
Prepare some labels these could be names, feelings, professions and attach them to the
foreheads of the pupils. Pick a scene start the role play. The participants should not
indicate to each other what they observe but rather treat people according to their label.
Pupils should discover what their label is through reactions of others. Once discovered they
can play along with their typecasting or against it!

Drama techniques used to enhance role plays: Action-Cut-Sound sequence or
Picture-Action-Sound sequence

1. Emotions corners/circles + Cut + Sound

Topic:
Time: 10-15 mins.

Description:

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1. This sequence starts as a mime activity such as Quick Feelings (see Body warm ups, no. 3)
or emotion corners (in the four corners of the room) or using hula-hoops (or chalk circles) to
provide more than four emotions options.
Each corner or circle is matched with an emotion represented on a card (visual and/or
word). Pupils walk around according to directions given by the leader or as music plays. At
the signal they stop on the spot and start acting out the emotion linked to the location they
find themselves in.
2. The leader then says cut! in the target language and pupils hold the position they are in.
3. The last part of the sequence is Sound! (in the target language). Pupils are first asked to
turn towards someone else (in their section/circle or in another one) and interact with
him/her while holding the emotion they have been acting out. Possible interactions:
greeting an old friend, introducing themselves to a team mate

2. Seats (Action/Cut/Sound)

Topic: Several topics including Food & Shops (restaurant) and Hobbies
Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening, Spoken Interaction
Time: 15 mins.

Description:
1. Chairs (as many chairs as pupils) are placed randomly in an open space. Each pupil
chooses a chair, sitting separately from each other, and explores different ways of
sitting on it, forwards, backwards, on the edge, comfortably. The teacher then asks
questions about different types of seats, locations and associated feelings (in the
target language): Is this seat in your bedroom? In the kitchen? In a classroom? In a
stadium? You are now on your favorite seat. How do you feel in this seat?
2. Pupils are asked to move into twos in their chairs and to decide (silently) where they
are sitting from among a number of chosen locations presented on flashcards/IWB.
Classroom? Stadium? Coach? Restaurant? Waiting room at the doctors, Each pair
(simultaneously) mimes the position they find themselves in in the chosen location.
When the teacher says Action pupils bring the mime to life (in silence). When the
teacher says Cut, the rest of the class is invited to guess the location of the different
pairs.
3. Next, pairs are asked to form groups of four by pairing up again and to silently
choose one common situation which they mime together. When the teacher says
Cut all pupils hold the position they are in until the teacher says Sound. Pupils
then add the sound-track to their short scene.

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This sequence is a good preparation for role plays taking place in one or the other
location. It will be followed by small groups and then the whole class recapping on the
type of language which will typically be used in the given situation. The IWB can help
visualise those key phrases during the revision phase. No written language will howver
be used as a prop during the role play itself.

3. Pick a bag

Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening, Spoken Interaction
Time: 3-5 mins.

Description:
It is useful to have a number of bags as part of your basic equipment: a shopping bag, a
hand bag, a school bag, a brief-case, a hand-bag, shoulder-bag, even a suitcase.
In the target language ask pupils to stand or sit in a circle. Ask pupils to pick a bag and take
their character from the kind of bag it is. For example: the school bag for a lively young
child, the shopping bag for the hard-working preoccupied-looking house-wife...
First see characters individually and use as a guessing game where the class guess what
character is being mimed. As the class may not necessarily know the language needed, find
out from each pupil what character they are miming and list the characters in writing on the
board/IWB.
Then couple the characters in suitable pairs at a specific location, such as the bus stop,
outside the school, in the queue outside the cinema, in the zoo, on the ferry, at the airport,
... and ask them to mime the encounter. This then works as guessing game where the rest of
the class are asked to guess the location. A choice of locations on flashcards is posted up on
the board.
This sequence of miming exercises is very useful as a preliminary activity for the
introduction of short dialogues and potentially in developing into full blown role plays.
The bags can be replaced by other props, this game then becomes: Pick a chair/hat/a
ball/glasses/any prop.

5. Masks dialogues

Strand unit/ Language skill: Listening (instructions), Spoken Interaction
Time: -

Description:
(See description for Masks in first section above.)

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Pupils select a mask character a neutral mask, a clown, an alien, an old woman, a baby,
Bart Simpson, Donald Duck, Frankenstein . They examine themselves in a mirror, exploring
the effect of various mimes and movements. Individually, they sit on a chair according to
where they imagine themselves. They walk according to different locations and situations.
Next two characters meet. Once pupils are comfortable with their mask, voice and
movements, two characters can meet and interact accordingly: Bart and an old woman, or
Bart and Frankenstein They first mime their encounter. They are then ask for the sound
track to their conversation. They introduce themselves in the target language in an
appropriate voice.
Masks, voice and movements have to work together. Note however that with full mask,
ones voice cannot be heard properly and two pupils may need to work together, one
wearing the mask, the other being his/her voice.

2 Drama Games and Exercises

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