Role Plays
Role Plays
Role Plays
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SIETAR USA 2002<br />
Creating and Using <strong>Role</strong> <strong>Plays</strong> Effectively<br />
Workshop Facilitator: Christopher Deal<br />
Creating Effective <strong>Role</strong> <strong>Plays</strong><br />
1. <strong>Role</strong> plays should be fun<br />
a. Fun role plays are effective learning tools<br />
b. Fun role plays can energize and create a sense of community<br />
c. Suggestions on making fun role plays (see also third page)<br />
1) Include some element of conflict or irony<br />
2) Putting people in artificial awkward situations (these situations are fun<br />
because they’re not real)<br />
3) Include some mystery or an unknown element<br />
2. <strong>Role</strong> play setup (verbal or written) should provide context and objectives or tasks<br />
a. Each player must know:<br />
Who am I<br />
What am I trying to accomplish<br />
b. Each player might also need to know contextual details or constraints<br />
3. <strong>Role</strong> plays should be open-ended—not scripted<br />
a. Participants find their own way, create their own solutions<br />
b. Allowing participants to be creative improves their learning experience<br />
4. Steps in creating new role plays<br />
a. Begin with conceptual framework or behavioral objective<br />
b. Create situation keeping in mind #1 above (make it interesting or funny)<br />
c. Create roles of appropriate culture/ethnicity, positions, and possibly gender<br />
d. Build in a catch or gimmick that makes it challenging and fun<br />
5. Adapt successful role plays: role plays that have proven effective in one situation can<br />
be adapted to and used in new situations<br />
6. Exaggerations are okay: exaggerated behaviors may highlight relevant points<br />
Additional ideas:<br />
7. Consider using multi-part or serial role plays: can be fun and provide opportunity for<br />
role or position reversal<br />
8. If possible, have participants create and do their own role plays<br />
a. Have them create scenarios relevant to them<br />
b. Have them fill in blank slips and then exchange (as we will do in this workshop)<br />
1) Using their own ideas increases involvement/interest<br />
2) Allows for airing of or discussing problems with anonymity<br />
Copyright © Christopher Deal
Using <strong>Role</strong> <strong>Plays</strong> Effectively<br />
1. Sell it!<br />
a. Show enthusiasm<br />
b. Tell of past successes/enjoyment of participants<br />
c. Emphasize benefits<br />
2. Create appropriate atmosphere<br />
a. Fun, safe, light-hearted learning environment<br />
b. Players should be comfortable with each other (if they don’t know each other,<br />
don’t begin your session with a role play)<br />
3. Remove the audience!<br />
a. Divide the participants into two equal-sized groups (three if role plays has<br />
three roles)<br />
b. Everyone does the role play at the same time<br />
c. By removing the audience, you remove much of the pressure and anxiety<br />
4. Model role playing<br />
a. Do an example with a co-trainer or volunteer<br />
b. Don’t be afraid to “ham it up;” this gives participants license to do the same<br />
5. Give time for preparation<br />
a. Often it’s useful to separate the groups so they can prepare in private<br />
For example: count off A, B, A, B, around the entire room, then say “A’s<br />
please come outside with me, B’s please stay inside, I’ll be right back.”<br />
b. Each group discusses their role and possible approaches or specific phrasing<br />
c. Facilitator(s) coaches and assists groups during the preparation process<br />
6. Assign partners<br />
a. Count off participants from 1 to 10 outside and then do the same inside<br />
b. Instruct participants to find the person with the same number<br />
7. Monitor the role play: inconspicuously listen and observe randomly around the room<br />
8. Stop the role play when the energy level peaks<br />
9. Debrief the role play<br />
a. Invite participants to share their experiences<br />
b. Begin with description, then go to interpretation, then to application<br />
c. Ask volunteers to re-create relevant or interesting parts of their role play<br />
d. Bring the discussion back to the objectives of the training session: stress the<br />
relevance of the role play and the practiced behaviors<br />
10. Develop new ways of using role plays and try them<br />
Copyright © Christopher Deal
Ideas for Creating <strong>Role</strong> <strong>Plays</strong><br />
As previously mentioned, creating role plays that are interesting and funny is essential<br />
to their success. However, in my experience it takes practice to learn how to make good<br />
ones. I suggest that while you’re watching comedies (sit-coms or movies), write down<br />
what made specific situations funny. After a few weeks, you’ll have a list that you can<br />
draw from when creating role plays. Here’s a partial list of mine. Please add your own<br />
to it:<br />
misunderstandings in general<br />
mistaken identity<br />
role reversal<br />
position reversals<br />
being forced to eat your own words<br />
sticky situations<br />
one complains/ the other defends<br />
opposite (or just different) objectives<br />
trying to cover up wrong-doing<br />
trying to cover up embarassing facts or situations<br />
ulterior motives<br />
blackmail<br />
one person reluctantly reveals secrets<br />
job interview<br />
news interview<br />
a person’s good side/bad side (angel or devil on each shoulder)<br />
Copyright © Christopher Deal
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