Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 14 Instructional Methods 321 Skits Skits are learner-centered simulations that involve students in acting out stories. They are mini-plays based on scripts written by the teacher or students. Students play the various parts. Skits actively involve students in learning. Performing a skit involves auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learning. Students speak, listen, perform, and watch the skit. Adding costumes and props helps make situations more real, increasing student involvement. Interacting with the content provides more understanding than simply reading or watching media. Skits are adaptable to different ages, subject areas, and educational objectives. For example, a first grade teacher might develop a simple skit to help young students learn addition and subtraction. After arranging chairs to represent seats in a bus, the teacher could use a simple story line about people getting on and off the imaginary bus to help students practice the concepts of addition and subtraction. Older children might write and per- form skits about the Revolutionary War. The process of writing requires review of prior learning and additional research. What additional skills would students build through editing the script, gathering props and cos- tumes, and practicing and presenting the skit? Role-Playing Although similar to a skit, role-playing is also a learner-centered simulation that involves students in acting out a role but without a script. The teacher clearly describes a situation that includes an issue or problem. Students act out the role of the people in the situation, basing their actions and conversa- tions on how the person they represent would likely react. Playing their roles, students work through the situation or solve the problem. After the role- play ends, students discuss what happened. They explore why the various characters acted as they did and how the people playing the parts felt in those roles. The teacher helps summarize how the experience relates to the instructional objective. Teachers can use role-playing situations for a variety of purposes. It can help students under- stand feelings and behavior. For example, it could be useful as young children learn about the danger of interacting with strangers. The teacher might create a simulated situation in which a child can role-play an interaction with a stranger, without risks. Role-plays can provide practice. In a French class, students could take various roles, simulat- ing buying tickets and boarding a train in France while using the French vocabulary terms they have just learned. Teachers can also use role-playing to check and strengthen students’ understanding of information. For example, a teacher might have students represent the positions of various nations on a topic of disagreement. Follow-up discussions could focus both on understanding points of view and reactions to conflict (Figure 14.13). Django/E+/Getty Images Figure 14.13 Role-playing helps students work through situations or solve problems.