Role-playing in Norwegian EFL classrooms : The pedagogy behind Reacting to the Past meeting the “silent classroom”

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the use of the pedagogy behind Reacting to the Past (RTTP) in Norwegian EFLclassrooms. Thethesisstatement is, “RTTP can transform Norwegian EFL classrooms from silence to engagement.”The researchexamineshow this method can help students develop oral competence, and how it creates a safe, interactive learning environment.The pedagogyis relatively new in Norway but has been around for abouttwentyyears in the United States, where in recent years it has been used throughout the country. RTTP iselaborate games, where students are assigned rolesfor a central historical point in time. In RTTP the studentsrun the classand not the teachers, and students have different views to defend based only on what they would have known at the time. This has created an engaging environment in many college classrooms, and this MA-thesis can verify that this is also possible in Norwegian EFL classes in lower and upper secondary school.Several students enjoyed playingthe game and thought it was,“very fun, innovative and educational,”a combination you do not often hear from students about education. The thesis also found the support that it leads to a safer classroom environment where students feel freer to speak up.The findings were done through interviews with teachers, student surveys and observations in three different classes in lower and upper secondary schools during the Fall of 2018 and Spring of 2019.