Change

This activity might be suitable for a short activity just before the class see the play (up until the*) and followed up straight after. If working through the whole activity, a hall space or cleared classroom is preferable and the session is likely to take at least an hour.

•  Read the opening of the play (above) Ask for two volunteers to stand as if on top of the hill, looking down at their new school. Allow some time for the rest of  the class to look at them and to think about who they might be and why they are coming to a new school. What might they be feeling and why?
• Now ask volunteers to come up and take the place of each of the children, introduce themselves and talk about their situation and feelings. Keep asking for more volunteers until a number of scenarios have been covered. *
• At this stage, teachers may want to introduce Riva and Andrea and talk about their circumstances (see the synopsis of the play in the pack) or may wish to let the class see the play first and then carry on with the activity. A hall space or cleared classroom is preferable for this activity.
• Ask the two original children to retake their places while the class think about their actual situation. Either repeat as in the previous activity with children coming up and speaking their thoughts or place a number of thought bubbles in front of the two children and ask others to come and write what they might be thinking and hold them up for the class to see. Working in silence for a couple of minutes if possible on this activity will increase the impact of the situation.
• Now ask all the pupils to find a space, as if on top of the hill. They are about to walk towards the school on their first day. What one thought will they have? As they begin to walk, pupils should show how they are feeling and then begin to say their thoughts – this may be just one word such as “scared” or “worried” or
  a sentence such as “I won’t understand anybody”.
• After a while, ask the children to stop and to open the classroom door - what do they see, hear etc? Does it seem strange? Do they see friendly faces? Is anything familiar?
• In role as the teacher, ask the children to sit down in their places. Once they have done this, begin to give instructions in gibberish, looking cross that they are not following instructions and repeating them. Stop after a while and ask in English why they are not following your instructions. How did it feel not to understand?
• Divide the group into half and ask Group 1 to come with you. Group 2 should put on a marker such as a band and go to part of the hall where they cannot hear you talking to the other group. Divide group 1 again and tell group a that they are to going to go and talk to the others in a kind way but group b are going to ask questions in a hostile way – where have they come from, what happened to them, why don’t they understand English, why do they have different clothes etc.
• The class is instructed to “go out into the playground” and to walk around. Group 1 engage Group 2 in conversation.
• Bring the whole class back together to discuss the whole experience. What was bad about the day? Was anything better than expected? Who helped/didn’t help? What or who could have made the day go better
• Look at the end of the play:

Does the class think that nothing has changed from the beginning of the play? Look at the design section to talk about the circular nature of the play and whether the director and designer believe that it is a complete circle. Is the play optimistic about Andrea and Riva’s future?

Follow up activities:

•  In role as Andrea or Riva, write a letter to a friend back home, describing your first day at school.

• Produce a booklet with suggestions for welcoming new students and how they can be helped to settle into the school. What would the school logo be in the front which suggests that the school welcomes everyone?

• Look at the following quotes from the play which reflect Andrea and Riva’s experiences of their first weeks in a new country:

Quote 1

Quote 2

What are Riva and Andrea’s experiences of school and life in Britain? What do you think you would do to help them settle in and feel better about their new life?