Role-playing

Role-plays offer a chance to practise language for a particular situation in a way that better reflects conversation outside of the classroom. They will show the tutor if the learner has internalized the language he and the tutor have been learning together, and they will provide additional vocabulary to work on. Role-plays work more effectively with confident students.

Preparation

• Base the role-play on a topic that is relevant to the learner. This role-play might follow a theme you have been working on. You should already have covered the role-play’s topic, in vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing or dialogues.
• Choose the general context (for example, two people talking about fishing), the roles, the purpose of the conversation (for example, apologizing, explaining), the attitudes of the characters, the personalities of the characters (if the learner has a dramatic flair) and the physical setting. You can make these choices with your learners’ input.
• Write up the above items so they are handy for both of you to use. Some people use index cards for each role, covering the general context and information specific to that role.
• Provide the learner with any information that he will need to handle the role-play. You may need to go over possible new vocabulary, new phrases that might be used, cultural or situational information.
• If your learner is not familiar with this technique, demonstrate it by acting out the two roles. Change places or hats or name tags to show that you are representing two people.
• Give out props if you want to.
• Make sure the learner is familiar with her role before starting.

During the role-play

• Start the role-play yourself for the first time through.
• The learner can ask for help.
• Deal with errors only if it is necessary to keep the role-play going.
• Make mental notes about items that could be the focus of further practice or lessons.
• Repeat the role-play. Switch parts when the learner has practised his first role enough.
• Change some items in the role-play, like the attitude of the characters, to get more mileage out of the role-play.

Follow up

• Compliment the learner on some points of the role-play.
• Talk about the role-play and get the learner’s feedback and questions.
• Make a few suggestions.
• Follow with further practice of language points you noticed that need more work. This could take place now or in another lesson and could include mini-grammar lessons, writing down of parts of the roleplay, and so on.

Handout 12.15