Lesson plan using Dvolver

This is an sample task to show how teachers can use Dvolver to make short dialogues and use them in the classroom for students to make up a dialogue of their own. 

Context

In this class, students are 14-15 years old in a public junior school in China. Their mother tongue is Mandarin Chinese. This is a speaking class and the topic for this class is 12 zodiac signs.

Role play situation

Situation A

You are an Aries man. You are due to get married next month. Last Saturday you went to a party (without your fiancée) and met another beautiful girl. You fell in love with her immediately and, as a result, you no longer feel you can go through with the marriage. You decide to phone up your fiancée to try to explain in as nice a way as possible why the marriage is off. You may tell the truth that you fell in love with another girl, or you may tell a lie, make up an excuse. But remember you are Aries, and you are likely to be self-centered and hot tempered.

Situation B

You are a Virgo woman. You are due to get married next month and are really excited about it. You are sitting at home one evening when the phone rings. It is your fiancé. You are glad he has phoned because you want to discuss whether or not to invite some of the people you work with to the wedding. Remember you are a picky, indecisive perfectionist. 

Task Design

Pre-task

• The teacher give instructions to students about how to do the role play.
• The teacher offers students with an example using the Dvolver. The teacher could provide an opening dialogue  between the two characters, which is displayed above.

Task circle

• The teacher asks students to discuss and make their own dialogue.
• The teacher observes students' discussion and scaffold students when they are in need of help.
• Students in pairs, present their final dialogue to the rest of the class. (If students have computers, they can make their own short cartoon movie using Dvolver and present while their are doing the role play.)

Post task

• The teacher gives students feedback of their role play performance.
• The teacher explains some language focus to the students.