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The role-based interview is primarily an
accuracy-based speaking and listening activity in which ESL students adopt the role of a
person in a newspaper article. They then answer questions posed by other students in the
role of interviewers in a simulated press conference. Reading and discussion are involved
in the preparatory stages and the activity lends itself readily to incorporating a writing
task. It is best suited to an intermediate or higher level class but may be adapted for
use at a slightly more elementary level.
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Dealing successfully with authentic material is
generally motivating for second language learners. In this activity they experience the
satisfaction of drawing out real information to discover the details of an interesting,
and usually, amusing story.
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Look for short human interest type articles of
about 100 words. You can scour your dailies and occasionally find something suitable but
the tabloids are often a richer source. The Weekly World News , published in the
U.S.A. and distributed throughout the world, carries feature articles distinguished more
for their creative journalistic license than their veracity. But its focus on the
sensational and bizarre makes interesting reading and it provides suitably short articles
gleaned from around the world. Like most tabloids, its language is less formal and more
idiomatic than that of the dailies.
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Some examples of articles I have used are the
fast-food diner in London who found a diamond in his hamburger; the cow that fell through
the roof of a house in Camaroon; the scuba diver in Peru who was caught by a fisherman;
the driverless car in America that circled a busy intersection in reverse for two hours;
the heart attack victim in Switzerland who was dragged three blocks to hospital by his pet
dachshund; the golfer in Wales whose tee shot struck a sheep which then carried the ball
wedged under its tail and dropped it 30 metres closer to the hole. There are also a
variety of articles involving violence and death. Deference however, to cultural and
individual sensitivity may preclude the use of such material.
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There are various procedures. The simplest one,
which can best be used in a small class, is to give a copy of an article to one
student-perhaps a day or two before the class activity-to read and assimilate the
information. Then thoroughly brief the student on his/her role and what sort of questions
to expect. This is particularly important if you are introducing the role-based interview
as a new activity. It is strongly recommended to model yourself as the interviewee the
first time.
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Introduce the student interviewee in his/her
assumed role with just enough information to prompt "What happened." type
questions that will draw the story out. For example: "This is Peter Croke. Mr. Croke
had a stroke of luck while playing golf recently."
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Sheepish golfer has unlikely tail
A British golfer couldn't believe his luck when his tee shot wedged
under the tail of a sheep which then wandered 30m closer to the hole and dropped the ball.
Teacher Peter Croke went on to win the match at the Southerndown Golf
Club near Porthcawl in Wales.
"The sheep looked mildly surprised by the whole thing but we were
in hysterics," he said. "The sheep walked off toward the 17th hole and then
seemed to shake the ball free like laying an egg." -ReuterWaikato
Times, June 3, 1995 |
The interviewers may need some prompting in order to draw out the details of the event and
other information in the text. Some biographical details are usually included:
nationality, age, and occupation. "How did you feel when." type questions should
also be encouraged to elicit characters' reactions. The interviewee should answer all
questions, inventing answers when the information is not provided in the text. Interesting
variations for the interview are to have more than one interviewee where the article has
more than one protagonist, or to assign the interviewee the role of an animal in the
story.
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I usually have the interviewers write notes
during the interview and write their own reports after the interview. If this is done in
class time it often provokes further questions for clarification.
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After the writing is completed and corrected,
students are presented with copies of the original text and the interviewee fields
questions on vocabulary. The initial briefing makes it clear that this is his/her
responsibility. However, s/he may need some assistance, especially with idioms. My
interviewee for the golfing story was a Japanese golf enthusiast. Normally a very reserved
student, he became quite expansive when he had to explain the meanings of golfing terms.
While dealing with the vocabulary, we discussed the two puns in the headline and the
"stroke of luck" from my introductory comment and the practice of punning
generally.
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The primary focus throughout these activities is
on meaning. Now that the meaning of the original text is clearly established, the students
may profitably be exposed to a study of selected grammatical and other structural features
of the text. Particular phrases and sentences can be highlighted and discussed as they
relate to whatever structural syllabus is being followed. You may also ask the students to
spot grammatical errors in the original text.
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The interview procedure may be varied to
accommodate larger classes, lower ability levels, or to maximise student speaking time.
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A class of, say, 12 students can be provided
with four different texts. Groups of three can discuss the same text so that each student
becomes familiar with the content. The students then form three groups of four with the
four different texts represented in each group. Each student takes a turn at being
interviewed and three turns at interviewing.
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Interviews may also be conducted as paired
activities using two texts for a class of any size. The task sheets (Appendix 1 and 2 )
illustrate this arrangement and the use of more directed interview instructions, given
that a number of interviews cannot be monitored simultaneously. This format is also more
suited to lower level classes. Students can first work in groups with the same text as
previously to discuss content, check answers, and formulate questions for their
interviewer role, and the teacher can more readily assist at this preparatory stage.
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The role-based interview is a versatile activity
best suited to a small class but may be used in a class of any size. It employs readily
available, intrinsically interesting authentic material. The different stages practice all
four generic language skills but the core activity focuses on speaking and listening. It
demands accuracy to bridge successfully the information gap and it provides ESL students
with a relatively enjoyable means of practising accurate communication skills.
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Hero pooch drags dying man
3 blocks
BERN, Switzerland - A heroic weenie dog clamped her jaws on her dying master's coat
collar and dragged the 158 pound man three blocks to the hospital where doctors saved his
life!
Bruno Schild, 51, was walking with his dog in the early hours when he
keeled over from a heart attack.
Schild, who remained conscious throughout the ordeal, said there was no
one around at that hour. His dachshund, Greta, amazingly managed to drag him to the
emergency room three blocks away.
Weekly World News, November 29, 1994 |
You are Bruno Schild.
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Student B will interview you.
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what kind of dog you have,
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anything else s/he wants to know about you.
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After Student B has interviewed you, you will
interview Student B.
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Student B is Oskar Keysell.
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Mr. Keysell recently found a diamond.
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Find out:where he found the diamond,
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what he did when he found it,
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anything else you want to know about him.
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Write a report on the incident.
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You will interview Student A.
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Student A is Bruno Schild.
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Mr. Schild's dog recently saved his life.
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what happened to Mr. Schild,
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where Mr. Schild is from,
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anything else you want to know about him.
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Write a report on the incident.
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After you have interviewed Student A, s/he
will interview you.
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You are now Oskar Keysell in the following
article.
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Man finds diamond in hamburger
LONDON - A man bit into a hamburger at a fast- food joint and found
a $1,500 diamond in it - so the befuddled manager of the restaurant apologized and gave
him a free burger!
None of the workers at the restaurant were wearing jewelry, so lucky
Oskar Keysell, 31, got to keep the valuable stone along with the extra burger.
Weekly World News February 14, 1995 |
Student A will ask:
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where you found the diamond.
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what you did when you found it.
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anything else s/he wants to know about you.
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John
Carstensen teaches EFL in the International Department of Tairawhiti Polytechnic
in Gisborne, New Zealand. |
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