Components of TESOL Role Plays

Abstract

本文旨在探討英語教學即席劇之構造。作者仔細觀察上千個角色扮演活動，找出所有的即席劇，據以探討英語教學即席劇之要素(語言情境、角色扮演、即席互 動)，並提出即席劇兩個可取捨之部分(備用辭語、基本知識)。作者衣此將即席劇描述為在假想的情境中扮演真實或虛擬角色之一種練習活動，活動中必須彼此做 出語言與非語言的才席互動行為。之後作者將此一描述與現有文獻中之相關定義作一簡單之對照與討論，並將英語教學即席劇與其他類型之角色扮演活動做一簡要之 區分，最後確認英語教學即席劇是皙為接近實際語言行為的一種課堂活動。

This article investigates the components of TESOL role plays. Based on a review of more than 1,000 role-playing activities, this paper delineates three basic elements of a role play (namely, the situation, impersonation, and improvisation) as well as its two optional features (spare expressions and improvisation) as well as its two optional features (spare expressions and working knowledge). Role plays are thus characterized by the author as exercises in which participants impersonate characters of real or fictitious people from which they have to improvise verbal and nonverbal behavior toward the other character(s) in a make-believe situation. This characterization is then compared with several existing definitions of role play. In addition, a distinction is made between role play and other types of role-playing activities. Finally the author recognizes the role play as nearly equal to the actual language behavior in the real world.