Spotlight

Spotlighting is a useful teaching technique for sharing improvised drama when you have divided the class into smaller groups. When it is time to show their work, ask all the groups to sit on the floor. Explain that you will walk around the room and as you get closer to each group, that group will stand up and show their performance. As you move off towards the next group, they will stop the drama and quietly sit down again so that they can watch other groups.

Why use it?

This is an effective way of controlling the time each group takes to show their work and overcomes the problem groups often have of not knowing how to end an improvisation. The teacher controls the time taken by each group and the order in which they perform. Just like a real spotlight, the technique focuses the attention on one part of the room at a time and makes it clear as to which group is taking its turn.