Research on Practical Leadership Focusing on Body Language：Taking a cue from Jun Imaiʼs workshop practice of improvisation

Abstract

Practical leadership skills are essential for teachers to lead “independent, interactive, and deep learning,” especially the ability to improvise in order to respond immediately to ever-changing situations. In this study, we focused on the improvisational drama technique called “improvisation,” and analyzed the teaching practices of Jun Imai, who has extensive teaching experience, using qualitative research methods. As a result, two noteworthy characteristics emerged: （1）the way of watching to understand through physical empathy, and （2）the creation of an atmosphere to reduce learnersʼsense of anxiety about failure. In Imaiʼs teaching practice, it became clear that not only verbal but also nonverbal approaches were important, and that “physical thinking,” in which students think with their bodies rather than their heads, was emphasized.