How Improv Helps Students Learn Social Cues
I was totally unaware of how many social cues and clues I was missing until I started studying improv.
So how did improv change all that for me? And most importantly, how can improv improve the quality of your students’ awareness of social clues?
They learn to pay attention.
Improv games and exercises are entertaining enough to capture your students’ interest and… Here’s the magic bonus: the games require our kids to focus and respond on the fly to what others are saying and doing. You pay attention like a runner at the block waiting for the air horn. Every part of you is listening on purpose, looking on purpose, and at the same time tuned into the responsive impulses that arise.
Students love learning the games and exercises. Sure, they prefer some games over others, but basically all of improv is fun and funny. Why? Because life is funny and improv helps us to get present in the moment and observe ourselves and others in real time.
We play a lot of improv games in our signature program, SocialEyes Together. I want to make improv accessible to as many students as possible which is why I created the free eBook “3 Fun and Simple Games to Teach Relationship Skills to Socially Challenged Students.” Anyone can play these games with students!
