Life in the Square - 12 Role-Plays CD-ROM

Subject: Citizenship, English and Special Needs
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 11-14
Order Number: 5311

This material has been designed to help students develop their oral skills, and is particularly aimed at secondary school students in years 8/9, or students whose first language is not English. It aims to provide stimulating, lively material, building confidence and verbal dexterity for both native speakers and bi-lingual pupils with limited English acquisition.

The role-plays are all centred on one location, with core characters who all live or work there – much like a television ‘soap opera’. These characters form the basis of each role-play, although guest characters are introduced as appropriate on the basis of their specialist knowledge or involvement in particular scenarios. Over time pupils will become familiar with the personalities, their views and standpoints, and be able to bring their own interpretation to the roles.

Additional exercises and projects follow each role-play although the use of these is not essential. Teachers will have the flexibility of using them at the start of the unit in order to develop the necessary vocabulary for the role-play, or after as a consolidation exercise, according to the nature and ability of the class they are teaching.

This material would complement the English syllabus, Speaking and Listening at 11-14 years as it explores areas involving arguing, persuading, advising and the use of different registers. The material also encompasses the Citizenship syllabus for age 11-14: Democracy and Justice, and Rights and Responsibilities.

No additional resources are required although some are suggested at the beginning of each unit.

Once purchased, the CD can be freely copied and networked throughout the school.