Language - arguing, reacting to other people's statements (agreeing, disagreeing, contradicting, criticising, doubting, defending one's position, giving in) Other - cooperation, role taking
Organisation Group work (three to five members) as preparation for 'fishbowl' discussion
Preparation Handout (see Part 2) for each group
Time 20 - 40 minutes
Procedure Step I: The handout is distributed to the groups and the task explained. Each group imagines that they are members of the local council who have to select somebody for the vacant post of social worker at Fairview Estate from the four applications that have been submitted. As a first step the groups decide on their criteria for selection, based on the advertisement and the background information on the handout as well as their own judgement. They then discuss the four applicants and rank them according to their suitability. (10 - 15 minutes)
Step 2: Each group selects a speaker who has to explain and defend the choice of his group. All the group speakers meet in the middle to discuss the applicants. If one of the other members of the group feels that he has some better way of arguing the group's position he may replace the speaker of his group. Unless a consensus has been reached amongst the speakers after a given time (15 minutes) a vote is taken by all the participants.
Variations The activity could be continued with a role play. See Interview for a job.