Reacting to the Past and Inclusive Learning Environments: Using immersive role-play to foster an inclusive learning environment in a Norwegian second language classroom

Abstract

This thesis investigates to what extent the American immersion pedagogy Reacting to the Past (RTTP) promotes inclusive learning environments in a Norwegian lower secondary classroom. Likewise, it will examine whether RTTP contributes to subject-specific competencies in the English subject. Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and John Hattie’s principles of how visible active learning occurs were relevant when answering the thesis’s research questions.

RTTP is a role-playing game where students must communicate and collaborate to achieve their goals. For this master’s thesis, the researcher adapted the game Red Clay, 1835: Cherokee Removal and the Meaning of Sovereignty, initially designed for higher education, to better suit the framework and proficiency level at a lower secondary school. To gather relevant information about RTTP and its relevance in the Norwegian second language classroom, an intervention applying the method and a case study studying aspects of RTTP were conducted. This dissertation collects data through surveys, interviews, and observations. These methodological approaches aid the researcher in examining whether students enhance their knowledge of the Cherokee Nation and improve their overall English skills through role-play and debate. The intervention took place over the course of four weeks in a 10th-grade class.

In RTTP, the teacher adopts a passive role while students are active participants in their learning process. The findings from the master’s thesis indicate that RTTP, as a teaching strategy, can enhance students’ knowledge of a given subject, contribute to the development of their overall English skills, and foster an inclusive learning environment.