1. Missteps and Misunderstandings: A Semi-Improvised Role Play Robin Reeves, Spring 2015

2. General information  Student population: Intermediate Spanish  Activity length: 20-25 minutes  Activity Goals  Actively use new communicative vocabulary related to pardoning or excusing oneself and asking for clarification  Review and practice active grammar: formal and informal commands  Review formal/informal distinction when addressing others  Use active grammar and vocabulary in spontaneous conversation

3. Step 1: Present new communicative phrases*  Para pedir perdón – To excuse oneself*  Disculpa/Discúlpame (familiar)  Disculpe/Discúlpeme (formal) Excuse me  Disculpen/Discúlpenme (plural)  Perdón/Perdóname (familiar)  Perdóneme (formal) Pardon  Perdónenme (plural)  Con permiso With your permission, excuse me  Preguntas generales – General questions  Which phrases could you use when talking to a friend? A professor? A group of students?  Based on what you know about the command forms, what is the infinitive of the verbs used? 2-3 minutes*¡Anda! Intermedio, 3rd Custom Ed. for IU, pg. 102

4.  Para pedir clarificación – To ask for clarification  ¿Cómo? -- What?  Repite/Repita, por favor. -- Repeat, please.  ¿Qué dijiste/dijo?-- What did you say?  ¿Qué quiere decir …? -- What does … mean?  ¿Qué significa …?-- What does … mean?  Preguntas generales -- General questions  Which phrases are formal? Which are informal?  Which phrases can you use if you don’t understand a specific word?  Which phrases can you use if you don’t understand what someone said? 2-3 minutes Step 1: Present new communicative phrases* *¡Anda! Intermedio, 3rd Custom Ed. for IU, pg. 102

5. Step 2: Instructions  ¡Conversemos! Malos pasos y malentendidos  You will work individually and in groups of 2  You will be assigned a role: “Student A” or “Student B”  You will receive 2 situations and will have 5 minutes to generate ideas for both. This will be done individually and you may write your ideas down.  You should plan to speak at least 4 lines per situation  Use commands where indicated  You should use informal or formal phrases and commands appropriately given the context of each situation 2-3 minutes

6. Step 3: Individual Prep – Situation 1 Student A Student B  You are walking in a crowded shopping mall when you accidentally step on the foot of an elderly person who was sitting on a bench. Respond appropriately to his/her reaction and excuse yourself profusely.  You are an elderly person sitting on a bench in a crowded shopping mall when a careless young person steps on your foot. They try to excuse themselves, but you are angry and demand that they be more careful next time. -Use 3 commands 5-7 minutes

7. Step 3: Individual Prep – Situation 2 Student A Student B  You overhear a friend talking about exercise and falsely assume that he/she is trying to lose weight. You offer some suggestions on how to lose weight, which offends your friend. Respond to what they say as politely as possible and try to excuse your misunderstanding. -Use 3 commands  A friend overhears you speak about exercise and falsely assumes you want to lose weight. You become offended and want to know exactly what your friend is talking about. You ask several questions for clarification before deciding if you will forgive the misunderstanding. 5-7 minutes

8. Step 4: ¡Conversemos!  You will now act out the situations with your partner, responding to what they say as you would in conversation.  You should NOT read directly from your paper!  ¡Adelante! 3-5 minutes

9. Step 5: Wrap-up  As a quick wrap-up…  Ask which verb forms and phrase variations (formal/informal) did students use in each situation, and why. Review grammar/pragmatics.  One or two groups could enact a situation for the class.  The instructor could ask groups to decide who was the better actor of the two and explain why.  The instructor could ask if anyone has been in a similar situation and to explain a little about it. 2-3 minutes

10. Suggestions and Expansion  Further scaffolding for for students…  Project instructions with helpful images before class  Show a video clip of a similar verbal exchange to begin activity  Include a word bank to assist students in gathering ideas and to enrich their dialogue  Provide easy access to grammar reference materials (page #s, written on board or on handouts)

11.  To expand the activity…  Role play in rounds, switching partners each time. Student A would pair with another Student B each time, and vice versa.  For a longer class, a new set of situations could be presented to the groups and the activity could be repeated.  Each group could receive different sets of situations. After the paired activity the groups could act them out for the class and students could comment on what happened or vote for the best role-play. Suggestions and Expansion

12. Questions/Comments/Suggestions