A form of game or performance where participants assume and interpret the roles of characters in a given situation. Roleplay can be a powerful tool for facilitating discussions between people who speak different languages. This exercise will be most effective if you choose situations that are relevant to participants’ lived experiences, but this does not mean they have to be realistic, you can be creative. Roleplay can also be used as a learning or training technique to simulate real situations or practise specific skills (negotiating with an authority figure, asserting one’s rights).
You will need
No support is necessary.
Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour
Step-by-step:
1. Select Roles: Assign roles to each participant based on a scenario or topic of discussion. Make sure each role requires interaction and communication with other roles.
2. Language Support: Provide language support as needed. If some participants are not fluent in the language being used for the discussion, allow them to use translation tools, interpreters, or speak in their native language while others translate.
3. Clear Instructions: Clearly explain the scenario, objectives, and roles to all participants. Emphasise that the goal is effective communication and understanding, rather than perfect language proficiency.
4. Encourage Interaction: Encourage participants to immerse themselves in their roles and interact with others as if they were in the scenario. This helps create a realistic and engaging environment.
5. Feedback and Support: Provide feedback and support throughout the roleplay process. Offer guidance on language usage, communication strategies, and cultural nuances to help participants navigate language barriers more effectively.
6. Facilitate Reflection: After the roleplay, facilitate a reflection session where participants discuss their experiences, challenges, and insights. Encourage them to share how they overcame language barriers and communicated effectively.
Tip
Repeat roleplay activities regularly to give participants more opportunities to practise communicating across language barriers. With each session, they will become more comfortable and proficient in the activity.
You could also use roleplay as an opportunity for language exchange. Pair participants who speak different languages and encourage them to help each other improve their language skills during the roleplay.
For a class of students:
1. Prepare the class with a brief introduction to the game: what we are going to do, why, what the purpose is.
2. Choose a topic coming from the group / relevance for the group
2. Identify the key roles of our scene, for example:
– The employer and the job seeker;
– An assistant and …
– Supermarket clerk and customer
– Market vendor and customer
– Doctor and patient
– Union representative and workers
– Etc.
3. Try to enact the action, initially simulating the role of the employer.
4. Try to enact the action, distributing the roles among the people in the class. Depending on the situation, it can be simulated with a different number of people.