S. Rose

English 680 Writing Program Administration

Spring 2002

 

Guidelines for Generating, Designing, and Enacting a

Situated Performance Activity

 

1.      Identify some issues that might be the focus of a situated performance activity.

 

 

2.      Choose a focus issue and generate some ideas for possible scenarios in which this issue might arise.

 

3.      Choose a scenario and identify the main positions (characters/roles).

 

4.      Select participants for various positions, clarify the focal issue, and organize the space for the performance activity.

 

5.      Set a time limit and begin to play out the situation.

 

6.      Stop action for discussion if necessary

 

7.      At end of performance, discuss with participants—

 

  1. What did you see that you hadn’t seen before?

 

1)      What points were clarified?

2)      What points were made more complex?

 

  1. In what ways did your assigned position determine your actions? What choices were you aware of making in that position?
  2. What else would you like to discuss?
  3. Is there any part of the performance you’d like to replay?

 

8.      Prepare and turn-in a short (250-400 words) debriefing statement in which you reflect on the benefits of the SPA and discuss possible changes in the procedures for future SPAs.

 

 

What questions do you have about this assignment?

 

For additional help with this assignment, see

Rose, Shirley K, and Margaret J. Finders.  "Learning from Experience: Using Situated Performances in Writing Teacher Development." WPA: Writing Program Administration 22.1/2 (Fall/Winter 1998): 33-52.