8.5.2
Oral activities
Oral activities
- Role play: especially useful
if the aim is to explore or develop specific viewpoints on a topic;
very flexible and can be used with all levels of proficiency.
- Drama: not always easy
to set up and very dependent on the particular group and their willingness
to participate; good as a follow-up to a narrative text with, or better
without, substantial dialogue; not everyone's cup of tea.
- Simulation: a development
of role-play which is especially useful in bringing to life a text dealing
with a controversial issue. For example, with the text mentioned above
on the setting up of a nuclear reprocessing plant, roles could be allocated
to various members of the class to represent the views of people who
are affected by the plans and are attending a local consultative meeting
with a government environment minister, a Green MP, local residents,
unemployed people keen for new jobs, parents of young children, etc.
This is an effective way to involve most of the class.
- Debate/discussion: either a formal debate with a Chair and appointed speakers and a participating audience, or an informal discussion in small groups, with subsequent reporting back to the whole class. This has the advantage of allowing students to express their own views rather than having to represent those of others in a role-play or simulation. It can often become independent of the text and therefore proves very challenging for students, but it is an excellent exercise for developing a range of linguistic functions (making suggestions, disagreeing, providing evidence, refuting, denying, etc). For example, with a text discussing performance-related pay in nursing, group members could argue from one of the following viewpoints: a nurse, a trades union representative, a patient, a doctor, a hospital administrator, a politician. Setting debates in the context of a TV show can add a touch of colour, excitement and humour to proceedings, especially if it is possible to video the exchange.
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