Teaching english to multilevel classes

How to Set Up a Strategic Interaction

No matter what skill range your class represents, here are five simple steps for running a successful strategic interaction in your multilevel class.
Divide your class into two (or more) groups depending on the roles in the role play. Each group plays one role.
Give each side a role. Each role has a specific goal in the role play that the other role is not aware of. (See the examples below.)
Have groups choose a representative to speak in front of the class. More advanced students will usually step up to fill this role, although you can encourage lower-level students to do this and go back to their more experienced group members for advice as often as needed.
Give groups a chance to discuss what their speaker might say during the role play. They can discuss in English—and their first languages if you think that’s a good idea for your class—and they can make notes on specific vocabulary or phrases the speaker might use and how he or she should respond depending on what the other speaker says.
Start the role play. The speaker confers with their group throughout the interaction to decide what to say and how to handle a particular situation. Everyone participates and shares their ideas. Since this happens in the group and not in front of the class, there is less stress and pressure to use perfect grammar and lower-level students can freely share their ideas.
The participants must come to an agreement to end the dialogue.
Spend a few minutes after the dialogue debriefing what speakers said and what compromise they came to in order to end the dialogue.

Examples of Strategic Interactions

Travel Plans with Friends

In this interaction, two friends discuss plans for the weekend.
Language to practice: Travel and tourism vocabulary, requests and discussing hypothetical situations.
Role A, tourist friend: An American friend has lent you his car to travel to New York City for the weekend, but you are unfamiliar with American traffic laws. You would feel far more comfortable if your friend agreed to come with you to NYC. Goal: You must convince your friend to accompany you on your trip.
Role B, local American friend: You agreed to lend your car to an international student who has become a good friend. Unfortunately, your uncle, who is terminally ill, has said he will buy you a new car if you will bring your parents to visit him. (They are unable to drive themselves.) He wants them to come on the same weekend you promised your car to your friend. Goal: Make your friend understand why he or she can no longer borrow your car.
In this role play, the two speakers, upon the advice of their group, will discuss the plans for the weekend. Speaker A might express his or her discomfort at driving alone to New York City. He might hint that he wants his friend to come, or he might try to use guilt to get his friend to accompany him.
Speaker B might talk about his family, especially his parents who are unable to drive. He might talk about how his car is not in good shape. He may or may not choose to be honest with speaker A.
Together the speakers may come to an agreement to go together to New York City another weekend once speaker B has received a new car, or they might agree on something completely different. The outcome depends entirely on the members of your class.
You can write your own strategic interaction for any topic you are studying in class, but here are a couple of additional examples to get you started.