This post answers the question “Are my role-plays and skits appropriate for your students?” Is the content appropriate? And what about the level of English?
Question about my role-plays for teens
Dear Ms. Vernon, I am writing to inquire about your book ‘ESL Plays and Skits for Teens’. A colleague and I are considering purchasing a copy, but we would appreciate a bit more information to determine whether it would suit our needs.
We are planning to stage short plays with our 5th and 6th grade ESL students (ages 11–12), who are relatively advanced in English for their age. Ideally, we are looking for plays that run approximately 10–15 minutes and can accommodate up to ten students, although we are flexible regarding cast size (for example, plays with 5–6 roles would also work).
Could you please let us know whether the plays in the book generally meet these requirements in terms of length and number of roles? We are also mindful of age appropriateness. After previewing part of the Australia play on Amazon, the binge-drinking anecdote would likely not be suitable for our students. We were wondering whether the other plays might be more appropriate for this age group.
My colleague already has a copy of ‘Fun ESL Role-Plays and Skits for Children’, but we found those skits to be somewhat shorter and linguistically easier than what we are currently looking for.
Role-Plays for Children
Your students are 11 with a good level of English? The role-plays for children are too short and too easy? Then make them more challenging, while still including lower level students, who can keep up and participate at their level. For example, one activity is to use the easier role-plays for children but have students personalize them, by adding extra events. Put students into groups, each with the same skit, give them time to develop it and then perform their version for the others. For example, in the role-play where students talk about going for a walk, they get lost on the way. No one has their phone so they can’t call for help. What happens next…?
Teen Role-Plays and Skits
As for the teen skits, here is the contents page on this link: Full details of role-plays for teens. People I know and things I have seen inspired these role-plays; they are real. In some cases they show the excesses of western society, and as such, they are act as a warning and a lesson in life. I thought that because these skits deal with real life and true issues, it would make them more appealing to teens.
Here’s a more neutral role-play from the book, which inspires teens to be creative, instead of complaining they are bored!
These plays are very much for teens who are “too cool for school”. Unfortunately, some 11-12 year-olds have sometimes already reached that stage ! You could easily take out anecdotes you don’t like. For example, that binge-drinking anecdote could become too much coca-cola. The person then burps so loudly that everyone in the street stops to look at them. What an embarrassement. (Or whatever fits, have the kids add to the skit and create something with it).
You can definitely use plenty with no modifications, and it’s easy to modify where it’s not appropriate. The one on drugs you could use as a warning, or leave out. The Hearts skit is about fancying boys and girls at school (often a major teen preoccupation). Whether your 11s and 12s are there yet, you decide! One role-play has a grungy teenager in a messy room. He or she is addicted to watching series on Netflix and misses out on all the fun (football, activities). You might not think 11-12 is an age for that, but sadly for some kids, it’s already reality. So, some of the skits are to meant to inspire kids to make the right decisions in their life.
Hope that helps !
Kind regards
Shelley Ann Vernon
Teaching English Games
Buy downloads of my role-plays for children PDF and teens PDF. Please buy paperbacks from Amazon.