Jrgen Kurtz Breaking through the Communicative Cocoon: Guided Improvisation in the Foreign Language Classroom In many foreign

language classes worldwide, learners are being exposed to a surprisingly similar environment of instruction, a communicative cocoon spun by teachers to foster and scaffold target language learning in systematic ways. This cocoon has a relatively simple, structured discursive design. In the research literature, it has been referred to as IRF (Initiation, Response, Follow-up). Unfortunately, when cocooned away from the complex and largely unpredictable language use outside the classroom, many language learners fail to develop into communicatively competent speakers of the target language. In order to more effectively facilitate and enhance students oral proficiency, we need to create and implement SMART (Significant, Meaningful, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-related) communicative scenarios that give learners room to speak spontaneously and freely in the target language. In my video-supported talk, I present and discuss how I have used guided improvisation to promote more spontaneous, flexible, and creative speaking in secondary English as a Foreign Language classes. Since the central theoretical tenets underlying this carefully balanced approach to promoting oral proficiency in instructed learning environments are not language-specific, I suppose that some of my suggestions for orchestrating classroom interaction in less teacher-dominated ways hold equally for the teaching and learning of German as a Foreign Language.