There’s many activities that people call role-plays. However, we’re only concerned here with those that are used to help people practice handling a given social interaction with the aim that they will then be better able to handle it if confronted with it in the real-world. They’re used in a many types of communication skills type programs.
Traditional role-plays don’t make the grade
Most teachers, trainers, and other educators are familiar with what Mark calls traditional role-plays. The problem is that these role-plays have serious flaws and most people know it. These flaws remain despite the fact that many teachers, and many students, enjoy them. (Please note: For convenience, the following uses the terms teachers and students.)
Agent Provocateur Role-Plays are the go
In response to the problems of traditional role-plays, Mark devised Agent Provocateur Role-Plays (APRPs). APRPs don’t have the problems associated with traditional role-plays; they’re more realistic, more rewarding, more engaging and more outcome-focussed, and they produce the results you’re after. In APRPs:
The scenarios are Real-Life Scenarios. They’re gathered straight from the real-world of the students and even checked by them. They are not taken from a book and trotted out time and time again.
The students only take one role and that is themselves. Unlike other role-plays, they don’t waste valuable time acting as someone else; all of their time is spent on skill development. Also, the students don’t have a script that they simply read out. Although they might be provided with a framework and might be helped develop a Personalised Conversation Script, they are not used in the actual role-play. they work harder than in olde-style role-plays but they learn more and they have more fun.
The teacher is actively engaged in the process and provides each student with unexpected obstacles, twists and turns; just like the real world.
Agent Provocateur Role-Plays have been tried and tested
Mark has used APRPs in one form or another for over 30 years. He’s used the technique with a wide variety of groups and a wide variety of topics, and has continually tested and improved it. Mark has used APRPs, for example, with: Primary/Elementary school children (how to tell someone that their behaviour is unacceptable); Secondary/High school students (how to say no to a drink yet maintain prestige among friends and peers, how to refuse a lift with a drunk driver and how to handle a gruelling job interview); College students (how to handle a ‘shout’, ’round’ and other group drinking situations and how to negotiate safe sex); Managers (how to handle and deliver a performance review and how to handle a difficult staff member); Police (how to handle intoxicated people); staff from professional organisations and from the government, private and welfare sector (how to handle difficult customers; and how to gain cooperation from an annoying co-worker).
1. Have Mark present a program that incorporates Agent Provocateur Role-Plays
Delivery 1. Have Mark present one of his own programs
Mark can present one of hos own programs on How to Handle Tough Conversations in which he uses APRPs.
Delivery 2. Have Mark deliver one of your own ‘communication skills’ programs
If you have a program that would benefit from a well conducted, practical and engaging role-play, then you can have Mark deliver your entire program or just a part of it.
Delivery 3. Have Mark assess the skill level of your staff
Mark can use APRPs and assess the level of skill and competence of your staff and identify areas for improvement.
Book Mark.
2. Attend a workshop on Agent Provocateur Role-Plays & Real Life Rehearsals
Workshop 1. Attend a public program.
Learn how to use the teaching technique Real Life Rehearsals & the advanced role-play technique Agent Provocateur Role-Plays. These techniques can then be used to teach any social communication skill you like; right across the curriculum! Register for a public one-day professional learning workshop.
Workshop 2. Organise a workshop for your Professional Association, organisation, school, state, etc.
This could take many forms. It could, for example, be a demonstration lesson or a group of lessons for different students across the school. It could be a special workshop just for teachers. It could be a combination.
Contact Mark.
3. Buy a book on Real Life Rehearsals & Agent Provocateur Role-Plays
Book 1. “Party Without Pain”
Title: “Party Without Pain. The use of Real Life Rehearsals® to help teenagers control their drinking.”
13,000 words. The first part gives a rationale for a skills-based approach and for a the need to look beyond old style or traditional types of role-plays. The second part provides an overview of Real Life Rehearsals. The third part provides the details of each of the 10 steps.
Order form. Have a look at the one-page preface.
Book 2. “How to design and deliver Role-Plays That Work”
This is the draft title of an 70,000 word practical guide that Mark is currently producing. It is scheduled to go on sale in June 2012.
Order form – coming soon. Have a look at the one-page preface – coming soon.