1000_Ideas_and_Activities_for_Language_Teachers

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

996. SEXUAL EQUALITY ROLE PLAY: Role play the following people in a discussion on sexual equality. Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Role A (Woman)

You believe men are the stronger sex. You think they should always be in positions of leadership and power. You think your country will be stronger if men work outside the home and women look after the men and children. You think men are better at voting and women don’t need to vote. You think feminists are not real women.

Role B (Woman)

You are head of a feminist organization in your country. You are a strong, strong woman. You have always beaten men in everything you have done – at school and at work. You are CEO of a multinational corporation. You play rugby. You believe it is essential all women vote to create equality. Women have died for universal suffrage.

Role C (Man)

You believe that because men are physically stronger, it is their role in life to be leaders. You think it is the job of women to have babies and look after their men and children. You think feminists are destroying society – Mothers at work means children are left at home alone.

Role D (Man)

You are a twenty-first century man. You believe with all your heart that women and men are equal. However, you do think it is a man’s and not a woman’s job to vote. You want to be a house husband – stay at home while your partner works. You love housework. You hate sexists – they are self-centered and lazy.

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

After the role play, talk about whether you believed what you were saying in your roles.

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

191

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

997. AID WORKER ROLE PLAY: This role play is to discuss whether or not aid workers are safe enough to be working in the world’s danger zones. Team up with classmates who have the same role as you and develop your ideas and “strategies”.

Role A

You are the perfect aid worker. Your greatest desire in life is to help others. You don’t care if you die helping others. You know governments will never help those who need it most. You fully accept the risks of abduction and do not expect your government or any other agency to intervene to negotiate your release. You have no skills and a big heart.

Role B

You are the boss of an aid agency. You need as many volunteers as you can get to help your work. Training isn’t important. You think that if the workers know the risks, there is no need to waste valuable aid money on bulletproof vests and bodyguards. You hate government officials who sit in their air-conditioned offices all day and tell you to be responsible.

Role C

You are a diplomat who has to do the negotiating and paperwork after an aid worker has been kidnapped. You are appalled by the lack of concern aid agencies have for their workers. You strongly believe all workers on the ground should have bulletproof vests and a bodyguard. You think only UN peacekeepers or local people should do aid work.

Role D

You are the Afghan leader of a local aid team in Afghanistan. You are fed up with the hordes of foreigners that come to your country to “help”. All they do is get in the way. They cannot speak your language and do not know your people. They are paid too much. The aid money should be spent on medicine, salaries for local aid workers and food for the needy.

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

Talk about whether you agreed with what you said in your roles.

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

192

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

998. McDONALD’s ROLE PLAY: This role play is to discuss whether or not McDonald’s ads devoid of any burgers or fries are misleading to children. Team up with classmates who have the same role as you and develop your ideas and “strategies”.

Role A

You are Ronald McDonald. Ever since you started snowboarding, playing soccer and eating strawberries you have become incredibly fit and healthy. You believe kids can eat as much McDonald’s as they want as long as they exercise. Getting on the move is key to children’s health.

Role B

You are an advertising ethics officer working for your government. You believe McDonald’s is guilty of false advertising. You know everyone knows that McDonald’s is unhealthy. You want McDonald’s to end its strawberry and fitness campaign and advertise more honestly about the dangers of cholesterol.

Role C

You are a concerned parent who wants his/her kids to be healthy. You have had enough of McDonald’s gimmicks – the cheap Disney toys that shamelessly lure children into the restaurants, the token attempts at health food (salads) and now snowboarding, sporty Ronald. You want McDonald’s to stop its propaganda for kids. You hate Ronald McDonald. Obesity isn’t a happy condition.

Role D

You are a kid. McDonald’s is your favorite. You think Ronald is cool – he’s always so happy – such a good role model for kids. The burgers are much better than your mum’s / mom’s cooking. The McDonald’s Happy Meals are the best. You think Ronald’s new message of fitness is great. You will definitely become more active – just like Ronald. What a guy!

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

Talk about whether you agreed with what you said in your roles.

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

193

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

999. “WMD IN SPACE” ROLE PLAY: This role play is to discuss whether or not the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space should go ahead. Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Role A

You are the owner of the world’s largest weapons manufacturer. You

desperately need both America and Russia to buy your products. You need your company to be first in space weapons technology. It is the future of

warfare. You are very suspicious of the Russian military adviser.

Role B

You are a top Russian military advisor. The very last thing Russia wants is an

arms race in space. Russia has no money. Russia fears America may rule the

universe and attack nations it dislikes. Russia hates war – millions of Russians died in WWII. You want to stop America.

Role C

You are a top American military adviser. The need for America to rule the heavens is obvious. America must continue to be the world’s peacekeeper.

The only way to do this in future is from space. All future wars would be over quickly using space weapons.

Role D

You are an anti-war campaigner. You detest greedy weapons companies. You

think Russia and America should destroy their WMD immediately. You believe America and Russia are aggressors. Persuade everyone the money is better

spent on reducing poverty, which will in turn make the world safer.

Role E

You are an alien from outer space. You strongly object to Earth people messing up your environment with their satellites, space stations and

rockets. You cannot accept the idea of more junk. WMD are a no-no. Tell the Earthlings to stay out of space.

Change roles and repeat the role play.

After the role play(s), talk about whether you believe the arguments you gave while in your role? Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

194

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

1000. ENERGY ROLE PLAY: The world must decide on just one resource for the future. There are four choices for the resource. A $10 billion contract goes to the winner of the role play.

Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Role A – Oil

You believe oil will never, ever, ever run out. There are many more oil reserves to find. New technology will make oil last longer. It will be too expensive for the world to switch to other energy sources. You believe solar, wave and nuclear power are not viable sources of energy. Think of reasons why.

Role B – Solar energy

The sun will never disappear. Technology can tap the Sun’s tremendous energy and convert it into clean, environmentally friendly and cheap power. Isolated communities can use it. It is the obvious energy of the future. You believe oil, and wave and nuclear power are not viable sources of energy. Think of reasons why.

Role C – Wave power

The oceans’ waves are an endless source of energy. Wave power can be channeled 24 hours a day. There is no damage to the environment. Most of the world’s countries can become self-sufficient using wave power. You believe oil, and solar and nuclear power are not viable sources of energy. Think of reasons why.

Role D – Nuclear power

Your technology is the most cost-efficient of all sources of energy. It is safer than ever. It produces amazing amounts of energy. It causes little environmental damage. It is very cheap. You believe oil, and solar and wave power are not viable sources of energy. Think of reasons why.

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays. Discuss which of the energy sources you believe is the most viable for the future. Decide which team wins the $10 billion.

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

195

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

NEWS DETAILS

How do you get your news? Where do you read, watch or listen to what’s happening in the world?

Ask your partner the following question:

Do you ever read, watch or listen to the news [ LOCATION ]?

Every time your partner answers “yes”, ask at least five more questions. Ask about the tiny details.

In bed

Eating breakfast

Going to work / school

At work / school

In a bookstore

In an Internet cafe

During your lunch period

In the toilet

In the bath

In the evening

Change partners and share and compare what you heard from your first partner. How many of your news gathering habits are similar?

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

196

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

NEWS FUNCTIONS 1

Why do you read, watch or listen to the news?

Write a value of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree)in the middle column for each of the reasons in the left column.

In pairs / groups, share and compare your values. Ask each other to explain in full, with examples, exactly why you chose your scores.

Change partners and report what you heard from your first partners. Are there any similarities between different students’ answers?

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

197

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

NEWS FUNCTIONS 2

Why do you read, watch, listen to the news? Brainstorm reasons and write them in the column on the left.

Write a value of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree) in the middle column for each of the reasons in the left column.

In pairs / groups, share and compare your values. Ask each other to explain in full, with examples, exactly why you chose your scores.

Change partners and report what you heard from your first partners. Are there any similarities between different students’ answers?

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

198

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

WHAT KIND OF NEWS?

What kind of news stories do you choose to read, watch or listen to first and why?

Write a value of 1 (never read, watch, listen to) to 10 (always read, watch, listen to) in the middle column for each of the categories in the left column.

In pairs / groups, share and compare your values. Ask each other to explain in full, with examples, exactly why you chose your scores.

Change partners and report what you heard from your first partners. Are there any similarities between different students’ answers?

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

199

1000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers – Sean Banville

NEWS STRATEGIES

Put one of these words in the right hand column in the table below: always usually sometimes occasionally never

Talk to your partner(s) about your answers.

1.Do you look at, read or listen to the news every day?

2.Do you use a vocabulary notebook?

3.Do you watch, read, listen to the news in your own language first?

4.Do you use own background knowledge of the subject?

5.Do you look at, read or listen to the same news item many times?

6.Do you try and get the gist of the news and then build up greater understanding?

7.Do you watch, read or listen to the news in English first and then do the same in your own language?

8.Do you read the news and translate everything with a dictionary?

9.Do you try to understand but then give up after two minutes?

© www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com. 2005.

http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

200