The Language Teacher
05 - 2001
Role-Play Scriptwriting and Integration of Language Skills
James W. Porcaro
Toyama University of International Studies
QUICK GUIDE
Key Words: Script writing, Role-play, Public speaking
Learner English Level: Low Intermediate and up
Learner Maturity Level: College to Adult
Preparation Time: Minimal
Activity Time: About three 90-minute class sessions
Introduction
What would James Dean and Leonardo DiCaprio have to say to each other about being movie idols in their generations? Princess Masako and Princess Diana on their stations in their countries? Sugihara Chiune and Anne Frank on the holocaust? Such intriguing encounters have been created from students' imaginations in role-play scriptwriting.
While primarily a writing exercise, role-play scriptwriting provides an opportunity to integrate with it the other basic language skills of reading, speaking, and listening in EFL instruction. It may be included in the syllabus of a writing course or those of oral communication, public speaking, or general English courses as well. The writing task itself and the follow-up presentations are adaptable to a wide range of language proficiencies among students -- perhaps best from low-intermediate level and up -- and work well in multi-level classes.
Concept and Organization
The initial thought process may be approached in various ways. I direct students to think of some subjects which they have an interest in and some knowledge of, then to determine two well-known personages, living or deceased, related to the subject and the specific content on that subject which the two people might discuss. I have found that two figures work best in these dialog scripts. As an example I might tell students of my interest in Japanese literature. From that subject I might choose as literary figures the Nobel Prize-winning Kawabata Yasunari and the popular contemporary writer Yoshimoto Banana. For the dialog script which I would write, I would have them discuss and compare some aspects of their own work and comment on Japanese literature in general.
Students are instructed that the two figures in their scripts must talk on a subject related to their lives and work. It would not be acceptable that Kawabata and Yoshimoto, for example, talk about the current rise of youth violence in Japan. Each personage must make remarks appropriate for him or her. Thus students must have some knowledge of and interest in the figures they choose.
Most students choose people from popular entertainment -- in music, movies, sports, and other fields. Some choose historical figures or contemporary political figures. It is particularly interesting when the people are from different eras. I prescribe that they be real people; however, it is certainly possible and potentially quite creative to use fictional characters, including even animated characters. Yet, I have found that in the latter case, scripts tend to be rather trite and immature.
Scripts may range in nature from serious to comical, with the personages sharing, comparing, or differing in their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The task may involve some research on the personages, though I prefer with such a relatively short piece of work that students write solely from their acquired knowledge of the people. Furthermore, research in fact is too often mere copying and can actually stifle creativity in this case.
Writing
The writing of the scripts can be assigned as a joint construction for pairs of students or done individually by each member of the class. In my experience, individual writing has worked better. However, with a process approach to the writing task, initially students benefit much by working in pairs or small groups, in English, brainstorming and developing ideas for their individual scripts. Whether the writing is a joint construction by pairs or individual work, students proceed to outline the points to be made by each figure in the script. Usually the assigned length of the script is a minimum of 300 words. It does not include greetings or small talk between the figures. It gets right to the points students have chosen for them to address. It is presumed to be a chunk of an extended conversation between the figures.
A draft of the dialog script can be submitted directly to the teacher or first reviewed by a partner or in small groups for peer feedback. While peer reviewing of drafts can sometimes be problematic, with this task pair partners have a vested interest in each others' scripts, as each will ultimately take one of the roles in both scripts when they are presented to the class. Role-play presentations provide an audience for each student's writing. The teacher at some point then will review and comment on the drafts with directions for students to write their final copies.
Presentation
If written as a joint construction, the pairs then prepare for the presentation of the script to the class. If written individually, the peer review pairs read each other's final script and then work together on the presentation of both. Each student, of course, reads the dialog of one of the two personages. In their public speaking practice they focus on pronunciation, fluency, pace, vocal clarity, expression, and so on. When presenting to the class, students can first give a brief biographical introduction to the figures in their scripts. Listening practice is gained by all in the class with the presentations. To ensure their active listening, students rate each performance using a simple evaluation form that refers to content, delivery, and effect. The teacher later can readily summarize the evaluations and provide feedback to each of the presenters. All this invests the entire class in each piece of work.
Conclusion
With a class size of 20 students, the unit of work could take a total of about three 90-minute classes -- one for the initial brainstorming group work, at least part of another for peer review of drafts, at least part of another for pairs to practice together their script presentations, and finally one class for the role-play presentations themselves.
This lesson has always been well received by students. It provides an opportunity for thoughtful expression and exercise of imagination; it effectively integrates all the basic language skills; it involves participation by all members of the class and is quite informative and entertaining. Oh, my, what the princesses had to say!
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