What started with a hunch…

… became a curiosity and then a career. After realizing that Improv techniques could provide a breakthrough to my students learning Italian at Ithaca College, I started developing activities. The feedback was great, students progressed and truly enjoyed the learning process. But to understand why these positive outcomes were happening, I needed to study.

I enrolled in the PhD program with a clear idea for a dissertation: Understanding and empirically validating how Improv techniques improve language learning. In my dissertation, I applied and tailored Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, theories of play and self-efficacy to the mechanics of Improv. My findings show that improvisation creates a virtuous interplay and allows students to attain language self-efficacy. Students believe they can communicate and be successful in the target language, and indeed they are! Furthermore, the use of Improv techniques creates a collaborative and fun learning environment. Collaboration allows students to experience successful communication through the assistance of their classmates. Moreover, students share in their classmates’ achievements, making the classroom a supportive and empathetic community of learners.

While I continue to actively publish (see below). I distilled the theory, along with a number of practical Improv activities that you can readily use in your class in my book: IMPROV Your way to second language acquisition. It is available on Amazon.