Techniques for conducting classes with a group – 2

Role-playing games are always improvisation, and they cannot be something frozen, once and for all approved by the stereotype of the actions of “heroes” in specific situations. For different groups, the same role-playing game can be conducted in different ways, shifting the emphasis on certain moments of the production, depending on the needs of the audience and the situation. Over time, role-playing games can be developed, complicate their content, make changes, look for new, more modern forms of presenting and consolidating specific specific information.

The scenario of the game, as a rule, is as follows.

You or someone offers a specific game: some of the guys beat some situation, the rest carefully observe its course, and at the end they discuss what they saw and express their opinion about this or that moment. At the same time, the leader of the game identifies for himself the most successful phrases, gestures, plot twists, as well as someone’s difficulties in trying to express their attitude to the issue, erroneous judgments, distortions of firmly established facts and probable reasons for this. At the end, ask questions: “How did you like it?”, “What feelings did you experience while being in the image of your hero?”

It is necessary to note a very important and interesting feature: playing a role, we can learn more about our character, behavior, habits. Another, no less useful side of role-playing is playing out the situations that the scouts will have to face in the upcoming event. It is important not to overdo it in the role of one of the characters: for this you need to quickly remove the “actors” from their “heroes” and not allow the same guys to play the same type of roles several times, so as not to remain forever a “character” in the eyes of friends.

Immediately after the end of the game, all “actors” must remove their make-up, paraphernalia and symbols that characterize their “hero” – this moment should not be underestimated. Very many scout organizations participate or practice programs and projects for the prevention of drug addiction, AIDS, and alcoholism. In the implementation of such programs, which are currently of paramount importance in almost all countries of the world, the techniques that we have described are most actively used. Often, illustration is used in this case, namely through:

Drawings and photographs

They are used in different ways, both in work with the scout group itself and in the implementation of the social projects mentioned above. Enter drawings and photographs into various memory games to illustrate the various topics that will be developed in your group. Illustrations can be cut from newspapers and magazines, or drawn by yourself. It is very important that they meet the following criteria:

• reflected the local flavor – in clothes, hairstyle, etc.;

• carried a clearly traceable thought in order to avoid their ambiguous interpretation;

• are large enough to hang on a wall or board.

Sometimes it is useful to pre-test drawings and photographs with several people belonging to the social groups for which the project is intended.

Video footage

Video materials are a useful and beloved tool, but getting to know them should not turn into an ordinary viewing of an educational film. If a group of young people is left face to face with the video and there is no time to discuss the issues that have arisen (and they will definitely arise), then such an activity will be ineffective: the audience will quickly forget the main facts given in the film. The choice of video for the lesson is very important. Educational films, which provide mostly factual material, can be watched with periodic breaks to answer questions that arise. It is better to show a feature film from beginning to end, and only after that to discuss it. Such films usually have a stronger impact on the audience. The leader of the lesson, which uses video films, must necessarily preview this film, think over the answers to possible questions.

Folklore

Proverbs and sayings – for centuries, aptly and vividly reflect various aspects of the daily life of people from different countries, being passed down from generation to generation. In a short, concise form, proverbs and sayings make it easier to remember certain facts, and sometimes they teach worldly wisdom. Think about how best to use folklore in programs for the formation of children’s spiritual values, it can be included in conversations, stories, posters, tables, role-playing games, plays, scripts, educational films, etc. Fables, fairy tales, legends, tales – oral folk art is a traditional way of transmitting information and discussing problems, which gives good results if the national and cultural characteristics of the population are taken into account, and does not require special costs. If your group has developed a scenario for role-playing games, plays, conversations, puppet shows, then it is desirable to include elements of fables, fairy tales, etc. in their content.