Preparing to role play

This page, taken from the tutor version of Law in action: learning through scripted role plays looks at the preparatory steps necessary to conduct successful role play, borne out of experience, with tips on the logistics, from setting up the room to how to organise the session in terms of getting people involved and structuring discussion.

Page navigation: preparing the group | allocating roles | the scripts | making the most of the role plays

There are three key points to make:

1. The more realistic the setting the more likely it is that the role play will work.
2. Keeping to the script maintains control and provides the structure for discussion.
3. Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve helps you to get there.

Before beginning the role play sessions it is important to prepare an action plan. This should include telling the participants how the session will be run, who will do what and which topics you will concentrate on in the ensuing discussion. Space is included in the tutor scripts for you to set out your anticipated learning outcomes and the assessment scheme you intend to use.

If you can use an actual courtroom so much the better. If that option is not available, simply make the room you are using look something like the real thing – our court layout page gives more information, but in essence all that is required is a couple of tables and some chairs. If you want to add a little more authenticity, ask the participants to dress for the part – the magistrates, clerk and lawyers will normally wear suits and the usher a black gown.

Preparing the group

The success of the role play as a teaching and learning tool depends in part on preparation. It is essential that teaching staff understand what it is that they are trying to get out of the sessions and that the participants know what is expected of them and why – see using role play for learning for a description of the notion of measurable learning outcomes. If the session is focusing on the rights of a person to bail, there is not much point spending time on a full blown trial – give careful thought to what the session is meant to achieve.

Some preliminary work is useful before the role play is acted out – a court visit could help. Get the group talking about the courts – some may have direct experience already! Fit this into other activities – seminars at university on criminal procedure or school classes on citizenship.

On the day of the role play tell the participants to arrive at ‘court’ in good time – the defendant and the advocates will be in trouble if they keep the court waiting without good reason. If people take the sessions seriously they will get much more out of it – the better prepared they are and the more realistic the setting, the more focused the participants will be.

Allocating roles

Who does what is a matter for the participants and tutors to decide – remember the old adage that one volunteer is worth more than 10 pressed men (or women)! In any group there are always those keen to take the limelight and those less inclined. If there are shy ones, allocating them the role of wing member (magistrate who is not acting as chair) is often very effective – they can have their say when the magistrates consider outcome, verdict or sentence, but need not necessarily speak in public. The chair of the bench (usually the most senior of the magistrates) has the job of making pronouncements in court, for example sentence. The other less demanding roles, in terms of speaking, are the defendant, probation, press and public. The usher too has relatively little to say.

Profiles of the characters involved, plus nameplates for use in ‘court’, are available. Make sure everyone knows their role and has their script. Get the participants to insert their own names in the scripts – this saves having to make them up. You are much more likely to respond if someone uses your real name.

The scripts

Copies of the student scripts should be handed out to each actor. Each is numbered in accordance with the person’s appearance in the sequence of events. The tutor scripts are identical to the student scripts, except that they contain notes to prompt responses at critical points and to provide information to aid discussion.

The only parts of the fully scripted role plays that are not included are the names (and in the case of the defendants, addresses) of the actors, and some locations. In the semi-scripted role plays the name, gender and address of the defendant is included – this is to enable the outline facts of each case to be given. Feel free to alter the details if you wish. The gender of the chair of magistrates and advocates is also given, but again these can be altered if necessary.

Making the most of the role plays

The mechanics of how the role plays work should now be clear. From our collective experience the following guidance should prove helpful.

• Students at whatever level of study will inevitably feel a little intimidated by role play – this is hardly surprising, as so few of us are ever exposed to interactive learning (let alone a court appearance!). The daily diet in schools, colleges and universities is dominated by teacher-led encounters, often involving dictation and note taking. We are bucking a trend! If there is initial resistance, persevere with humour where possible. Students inevitably warm to the task – believe us!
• The scenarios given in the book are relatively straightforward. Where the semi-scripted scenarios are used, encourage students to keep their contributions as simple as possible – effective learning does not depend on complicated facts. Often the more complex situations lead to fragmented discussion, where the thread can be easily lost. The degree of complexity may of course depend on the outcomes set for the group, but as a principle
  - keep it simple!
• Each role play is likely to produce many points for discussion and comment. Allowing the first role play used to proceed from start to finish without interruption will probably produce the most effective results – students will have the chance to see the whole before talking through the issues. If no one volunteers comments after the first run through, do it again and stop the action where appropriate. One technique used in drama therapy, known as forum theatre, invites the audience to interrupt where they think appropriate – the rub is that they must then assume the role of the person they have stopped. This can work well if everyone is prepared.
• Back up the role play with a court visit either before, after or both.
• Invite professionals from the field to join in the role play.
• Arrange the room used for the role play to look like a courtroom – you need very little to get the right effect (our includes a diagram to help you).
• After one or two role plays, use more experienced staff or students to present one as a demonstration of how it should be done – this is a very effective technique if structured in as a deliberate contrast to what occurred before. It would be particularly useful in the semi-scripted situation, for example showing effective cross examination. During any ensuing discussion tell the group what they said (individual points, for example: “When you made the plea in mitigation you said that the defendant had now secured a job”) and then the consequence of what they said might be. (The court may have heard many times before that a defendant who was unemployed has just found work. Do they believe you? Was this said just to put the defendant in a better light?) Remember that the defence solicitor should base what he or she tells the court on the client’s instructions unless these are known to be untrue. Follow this up with a demonstration of what the lawyer could have done to improve the situation (fHe or she could have asked the defendant to get a letter from the employer confirming the job). This process of review, analysis and replay is very effective as a learning device, and is the formula followed by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), an American organisation that has had great success in improving advocacy skills.
• Use a black/white board or overhead projector to list discussion issues and key points arising in discussion.
• Use the same fact scenarios to follow through a case in different role plays – taking the case from initial hearing to final disposal. This adds considerably to the realism of the case in the eyes of the students.
• A mixture of students in terms of age, experience and level of study can be useful – the students with greater understanding can mentor the others.
• If assessing, consider using performance in the role play as the basis for assessment. This enables the students to carry out the assessed task and the tutor to assess it as it happens. To do this the assessment criteria need to be clear and available at the time.
• Video the role play – it is very instructive for students and tutors to see themselves in action!
• Make the role play fun. Make light of the role allocation. Get the teacher in the dock! Do it well but don’t take it too seriously. Be ready to praise the efforts of others. Be constructive in criticism and show willingness to give regular feedback. Learning should be enjoyable, even if it is hard work.

Last Modified: 4 June 2010