DIY role-play in the Classoom: Mini Role-plays
The federal Parliament is well known for lively Question Times (Fact Sheet 39 Question Time) and lengthy legislative debates (Fact Sheet 36 Passing a Bill). In reality, chamber activities are organised around timetables that include many other important opportunities for members and senators to publicly raise issues of national, electoral and personal importance.
The Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) has developed a series of short role-plays based on these opportunities to speak about important issues. Mini role-plays can be easily implemented in the classroom to:
- solve problems through debate and negotiation
- practice public speaking skills
- encourage civic awareness.
This page provides brief instructions on how to run short format role-plays in the classroom that raise issues without necessarily requiring an immediate solution. PEO mini role-plays are designed to be enjoyed completely off-the-cuff and with little preparation. The people in the federal Parliament see these events as opportunities to raise the profile of issues that may not be getting attention in the news or that may not be the focus of legislative consideration. This is your goal too—to ensure that in your classroom (or your ‘parliament’) issues of all types can be raised for the benefit of everyone present.
On this page:
- Choosing a topic
- 90 Second Statements in the classroom
- Grievance Debate in the classroom
- MPI in the classroom
- Adjournment Debate in the classroom
- More role-play in the classroom ideas
Choosing a topic
Create a display board titled ‘Important Matters’ in a permanent display area in your classroom. Encourage students to:
- design the board
- contribute matters that are really important (good and bad)
- classify topics by subject matter (e.g. environment, education, transport) or category (e.g. school, community, world) or parliamentary process (e.g. grievance, adjournment, MPI).
- change the board regularly.
90 Second Statements in the classroom
What are 90 Second Statements?
90 Second Statements are delivered in the House of Representatives by members who are not ministers or parliamentary secretaries. Members may make statements on any topic of concern to them. This 15 minute period each week is lively and varied. Although 90 seconds seems a very short time, it’s surprising how much can be said. The range of subjects raised is enormous, from international tragedies to complaints about petrol prices in a town or congratulations on sporting achievements.
Preparing a 90 Second Statements role-play
- Set aside 10 minutes for the 90 second statements role-play.
- Give students 1 minute to think about an item of news they want to share with others. The news can be positive or negative.
- Encourage students to think about how best to deliver their news in the short speaking time allowed.
Running a 90 Second Statements role-play
- Nominate a student to be the Speaker and to manage the 90 Second Statements, including calling students to speak. Students are referred to as the Member for ____________ (first name).
- Ask the Speaker to begin the debate by saying ‘it is time for 90 Second Statements’.
- Allow students to take turns speaking for up to 90 seconds starting with ‘I am pleased to have the opportunity to share this news … ‘.
- Encourage students to speak clearly and with an interesting voice, to sequence their ideas and to finish in time!
- Encourage students who are not speaking to listen well and to respond appropriately to the statements.
- The Speaker concludes the session saying ‘the time for 90 Second Statements is over.’
Grievance Debate in the classroom
What is a Grievance Debate?
Grievance Debates are part of the business of the House of Representatives in which members have 10 minutes each to discuss complaints from constituents. Ministers are allowed to participate but rarely do.
Preparing for a Grievance Debate role-play
- Set aside 15 minutes for students to engage in a grievance debate role-play.
- Give students 5 minutes to prepare a statement which expresses a complaint, criticism, gripe, grumble or moan! This could be a statement of injustice or wrong-doing.
- Encourage students to think about how to make a strong start and finish and how to avoid appearing to just whinge.
Running a Grievance Debate role-play
- Nominate a student to be the Speaker and to manage the grievance debate including calling students to speak. Students are referred to as the Member for _________ (first name).
- Ask the Speaker to begin the debate by saying ‘It is time for grievances to be heard’.
- Allow students to speak about their grievance for up to 2 minutes starting with ‘My grievance is…’
- Allow students to briefly respond to the grievance for up to 30 seconds.
- Encourage students to speak without notes and to think about making positive suggestions and solutions to the problem.
- Encourage students who are not speaking to listen well and to respond appropriately to the statements.
- The Speaker concludes the grievance debate by saying: ‘The time for hearing grievances is over’.
MPI in the classroom
What is an MPI?
Matters of Public Importance (MPI) occur in the Senate and the House of Representatives as an opportunity for members of parliament to draw attention to a specific topical issue. MPIs are often proposed by the opposition and may be critical of how the government has handled a matter. Individuals may speak for approximately 10 minutes but with permission of the chamber may speak for longer.
Preparing an MPI role-play
- Set aside 20 minutes for the MPI role-play.
- Give students 5 minutes to prepare a brief statement that draws attention to a specific topical issue or that is critical of how an important matter has been handled.
- Encourage students to avoid making personal remarks and to focus on explaining how the matter should be managed in the future.
Running an MPI role-play
- Nominate a student to be the Speaker or President and to manage the MPI including calling students to speak. Students are referred to as the Member for/ Senator ___________ (first name).
- Ask the Speaker/President to begin the debate by saying ‘it is time for Matters of Public Importance to begin’.
- Allow students to take turns speaking for up to 2 minutes starting with ‘I rise today to speak about the following important matter … ’
- Encourage students to speak with conviction, to speak without notes and to think about standing well, breathing well and speaking clearly.
- Encourage students who are not speaking to listen well and to respond appropriately to the MPI statements.
- The Speaker/President concludes the MPI debate by saying ‘the time for Matters of Public Importance is over.’
Adjournment Debate in the classroom
What is an Adjournment Debate?
Adjournment Debates occur in both the House of Representatives and the Senate before the end of each sitting day. This debate is the last chance of the day for members or senators to raise matters of individual or constituent concern.
Preparing for an Adjournment Debate role-play
- Set aside 15 minutes for the Adjournment Debate role-play.
- As a whole class select a single significant issue. The issue could be of importance to a particular individual or could be of importance to a lot of people.
- Encourage students to think about how to help others understand why this issue is important and how to support statements of opinion with fact.
Running an Adjournment Debate role-play
- Nominate a student to be the Speaker or President and to manage the Adjournment Debate including calling students to speak. Students are referred to as the Member for/ Senator ___________ (first name).
- Ask the Speaker/President to begin the debate by saying ‘it is time for the Adjournment Debate to begin’.
- Allow students to speak about the issue for up to 2 minutes starting with ‘I rise today to speak on behalf of … ’
- Allow students to briefly respond to the statement for up to 30 seconds.
- Encourage students to speak without notes and to stay focused on the topic of debate.
- Encourage students who are not speaking to listen well and to respond appropriately to the debate.
- The Speaker/President concludes the Adjournment Debate saying ‘the time for the Adjournment Debate is over.’
More information
House
of Representatives Infosheet: A Typical Sitting Day
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/infosheets/is02.pdf
House
of Representative Infosheet: Opportunities for Private Members
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/infosheets/is06.pdf
More role-play in the classroom ideas
Check out the rest of the Teachers section for loads of parliamentary role-play information. DIY Role-play in the Classroom explains how to run parliamentary role-plays in the classroom in step-by-step detail, while Role-play Toolkit is jam-packed with role-play resources and do-it-yourself accessories including scripts, room seating plans, bill suggestions, bill writing templates and instructions to make your own parliamentary props and gowns.
If this information does not answer all of your questions about how to run a mini role-play in the classroom, please contact the PEO by phone, fax or email.
Ph: 02 6277 3147 or 02 6277 3508
Fax: 02 6277 5775
Email: info@peo.gov.au