So I was looking at the different activities (MCM 106-109) and I got to thinking, always a problem, I know. Anyway, discussion, speech, conversation even role play all make sense. However, I have a problem with role play. We all talk about it as if it were authentic speech, but it's not. In role plays there are two possible ways they can go: prewritten, or made-up on the spot. A pre-written one is not going to promote the thinking that is needed to produce spontaneous speech and often the phrases are stilted and no-one would talk the way the participants do. The other version is so full of pressure, not only does the student have to "perform" but they don't have the script...is this too much pressure? I know that I LOVE to act, but I HATE to role play.
For the record, I do see the value of pre-written scripts when working on certain speech acts etc, I just find them awkwardly written...even when I'm the author.
I also thought about the taped dialogue journals. I could see them being done as pod-casts. However, I do not see me ever making use of them in my classes.
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2 comments:
I always HATED pre-written scripts in French class. We never had them in Spanish, but my Parisian French teacher sure loved them.
Good points made about role plays, Thea. I wonder if it's possible to make bulletted notes for semi-spontaneous role plays, so that it's not stilted but the learners still have some support/scaffolding.
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