Education Methods - Role playing

This note is a practical guide to what role playing is and how to do it on trade union courses. 'Role playing' is not just a method of education: it is something you do every day. One minute, you're a parent , seeing the kids off to school. Then you're off to work, and you're a driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Go to the branch meeting and you are a union activist. So in your daily life you take on a number of different roles, and get used to switching between them. Used properly, role plays can help you to run a lively, active, arid effective course. Role playing involves everyone, helps them to develop skills, and gives them practice in applying Information to problems. Because your course is a 'safe' environment where you do not pay a price for making n ml stake, a role play can give people confidence in trying out new ideas. So you could try to get participants to Improve the way they run union meetings; talk to members, management, or journal lets; or work on a negotiating team