National Teaching and Learning
Change Programme
Improving teaching and learning in Adult Learning

Video transcript

Tutor:

Ich habe hier Charakterkarten für euch. Ja, so das heißt ihr existiert nicht mehr. Andrew existiert nicht mehr, Anne existiert nicht mehr, ihr seid neue Personen. So ich möchte gern.

Voiceover:

The tutor assigns the more complex roles of detective and assistant to the more confident learners in the class.

Tutor:

Und ich möchte gern, dass Davidé, ist unser Detektiv und Anna ist seine Assistentin.

Voiceover:

In this class the learners move around asking each other questions.

Female learner 1:

Ich bin nur Besucherin. Ich komme aus Graz.

Female learner 2:

Aus Graz?

Female learner 1:

Ja. Ich bin hier im Urlaub mit meinem Mann.

Female learner 2:

Ah.

Tutor:

The advantage of using role play is they can all go into different characters though there may be talk a bit more, they have a bit more fantasy, they're not so inhibited probably, hopefully, and the other advantage is that everybody can talk to each other so - because it's a level 4 class but they're all on different levels - we have some people there quite good, they are almost fluent, and we have some people who aren't so good, they've just joined the class so they could all ask questions according to their own level and reply according to their own level.

Male learner 1:

So, Sie haben nichts bemerkt, bemerkt?

Male learner 2:

Nein, nein nichts, nein …

Male learner 1:

Waren schon Gemälde gestohlen in diesem Museum?

Male learner 2:

Ich denke nicht, nein …

Tutor:

I was just basically an observer while they were asking questions to each other and discussing. I didn't want to interfere, I was just listening and making notes of the grammar mistakes, the vocabulary mistakes they made.

Female learner 3:

Und wohin gehst du? Also was würdest du denn besuchen?

Female learner 4:

Eh, ich würde, ich eh.., ich fahre in die moderne Ausstellung und ich würde in die alte Ausstellung …

Voiceover:

At the end of the role-play the tutor goes over the mistakes that were made and shows learners how to correct them.

Tutor:

…'n paar kleine grammatikalische Fehler. Was ist denn hier falsch, wenn ich sage: "Wo waren Sie wenn das Bild gestohlen wurde"?

Voiceover:

This is part of an on-going process of formative assessment. When she plans further sessions she will take account of each learner's requirements. Finally the learners are invited to explain who they think stole the painting.

Tutor:

Was habt ihr für Vermutungen?

Female learner 4:

Georg Feller.

Tutor:

Georg Feller?

Female learner 4:

Ja.

Tutor:

Wer ist denn Georg Feller. Kannst du Georg Feller ein bisschen beschreiben, wie er ausschaut?

Female learner 4:

Eh, äh er arbeit, eh, ins, in dem Mu…Museum.

Male learner 1:

Es gibt nur eine Person, die Vorstrafen hat … Und das ist Joachim

.

Learner:

I thought that the mystery game in which people take on different roles was really helpful because then people don't feel that they're confined to themselves so that they have to give personal information and then they just think up vocabulary that they might know or try new things and don't really feel inhibited about saying certain things.

Voiceover:

The tutor will now go on and plan a range of activities directly related to the aspects of language where learners need to improve their skills and in doing so she will take account of each individual learner's needs.