Questions / instructions: In this activity you will be working together in pairs to do role plays. Role plays are when you act out situations that may or may not be true for you or someone else.

Pair up the children so that A1 pairs with A2 for the first role play. For the second role play, A1 pairs with A3. The remaining two students will form the other pair each time.

We will change the pairs for the second role play.

Each pair will choose one "situation card". The card gives the two characters you will play, and the situation they are in. You will have up to 5 minutes to talk about the situation and to practise your role play. Then each pair will do their play while the others watch. The others will try to guess who the characters are and what the situation is.

You are to use words and actions to show the situation. Don't use furniture or equipment as props. Try to make the situation as real as you can.

ROLE PLAY 1. Pick a card then spend up to 5 minutes planning and practising your role play.

Direct children to where they will practise. They should be positioned so that they won't easily see and hear what the other pair is doing. Remind them, if they have forgotten, that the other pair will be trying to guess what their situation is and who they are playing.

After practice time bring the pairs together to do their role plays. Choose a pair to begin.
Now [student names] will begin by doing their role play. Remember [other two students] you will be trying to guess who they are playing and what the situation is. Wait until they have finished their role play before you speak.

When the role play is over:
Who do you think they were playing? What was the situation? Let's have a look at the card to see what it says.

Get other two students to do their role play.
Who do you think they were playing? What was the situation? Let's have a look at the card and find out what it says.

ROLE PLAY 2.

Change pairs for role play 2.
Pick another card. You have 5 minutes to plan and practise your role play.

After 5 minutes bring the pairs together to do their role play. Choose a pair to begin. Repeat instructions as for role play 1.

Words and actions appropriate to the role

strong
moderate
weak

Clarity of message

strong
moderate
weak

Flow of interaction with partner

strong
moderate
weak

Speech clarity

strong
moderate
weak

Overall effectiveness in communicating message

very high
quite high
moderate
low

YEAR 4 ROLEPLAY CARDS

Shop keeper and child. A child is talking to a shop keeper in a pet shop. The child badly wants a pet tiger, but the shop keeper keeps on telling about other pets that would be better.

TV host and child actor. The child, who is a famous actor, is being interviewed by a television host. They are both talking about really interesting things.

Two older children. The older children are looking after baby. Baby has knocked over the bottle of milk. There is milk all over the place. The two children are talking about it.

Parent and child. The child is upset because a friend at school has been mean. The child doesn't want to go back to school. The parent is talking to the child about the problem.

Principal and child The child had to go to talk with the principal. The child and the principal are talking about something very important.

Grandparent and child. The child and a grandparent are spending all day Saturday together. They are talking about the things they want to do. They don't always agree with each other.

YEAR 8 ROLEPLAY CARDS

Shop assistant and adult customer. Shop assistant and customer are talking while shop owner adds up the price of the 6 things the customer has bought.

Interviewer (eg Paul Holmes) and brilliant child violin player. Child is only 9 years old. They have just given a concert to 50,000 people.

Older child and baby. Older child is looking after baby. Baby has knocked over a bowl of flowers. There is water and flowers on the floor.

Parent and child. Child is upset because their best friend has been mean. They don't want to go back to school.

Rugby player and coach. Coach is talking with player about training programme.