Use role-play and drama techniques after reading to deepen understanding through lifelike language use¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article recommends role-play, scenarios and other drama techniques as a way of widening communicative possibilities, whose main interest lies in global use of language in lifelike situations and deeper understanding of reading materials. It reports a classroom example from Unit 8 of Extensive Reading 3 in which four students played the roles of Molly, Bill, Mary and Tim, read the article carefully with great interest, and performed vividly to unanimous applause. It stresses that everyone should be actively involved in suggesting and discussing interpretations, not a display with a few actors and an audience.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Students identify closely with the role or task
• All students are actively involved in suggesting and discussing interpretations, not merely an audience

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• English majors in extensive reading courses

Target Learning Goals¶

• Deep understanding of reading materials
• Global use of language in lifelike situations

Related Strategies¶

• Apply six questioning techniques in whole-class discussion: simplify, moderate, provoke thought, challenge, follow up, and relate to students

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Yonghong Gao. (2008). Implementing Communicative Activities in English Reading Class. English Language Teaching, Vol. 1, No. 1. https://journals.cces.net/index.php/elt