E7 M - Solve a conflict in a role-play

aiMOOC

E7 M - Solve a conflict in a role-play

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E7 M - Solve a conflict in a role-play

Mini-Beschreibung: Play an age-appropriate conflict, ask for clarification, explain your position and find a compromise. Zielgruppe: Klasse 7, M-Niveau, Englisch als erste Fremdsprache in Baden-Württemberg.

Start in English: Look at the picture. What might the students be discussing? Think of one possible problem and one fair solution.

Einleitung

In this aiMOOC, you learn how to handle a small everyday conflict in English. You do not need perfect English. Your goal is to listen, react, explain and find a solution.

Learning path: notice → understand → try → use → communicate → feedback → improve → use again.

The main situation is fictional: Mia and Leo are preparing a class presentation. Mia wants to make a short video. Leo wants to make a poster. They only have one lesson left.

Safety: Use fictional names and situations. Do not share private social-media data. Recordings are voluntary and should stay private unless everyone agrees. Do not upload recordings without permission. If you use AI for feedback, check the level and the feedback yourself; AI should not replace your own speaking or writing.

I-can goals

After this course, you can say:

1. I can ask for clarification.
2. I can explain my position with a reason.
3. I can react politely when I disagree.
4. I can suggest a compromise.
5. I can take part in a short role-play with two or three speakers.
6. I can improve my role-play after feedback.

What do you already know?

Try first. Do not translate everything.

Complete orally:

1. I think ...
2. I agree because ...
3. I don't agree because ...
4. Could you explain ...?
5. What if we ...?

Hint: You need a phrase for your opinion, a question, a reason and a possible solution.

Deutsch nur bei Bedarf: Du sollst nicht Wort für Wort übersetzen. Nutze bekannte Wörter, Gestik, Beispiele und Rückfragen.

Media start: notice useful language

Look at the symbols. Which actions help in a conflict?

1. listen
2. think
3. ask
4. check
5. respond

Mini-task: Choose three actions. Explain in one sentence why they help.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Viewing 1 – first try: Watch the BBC Learning English video without stopping. What is the main topic?

Viewing 2 – notice: Write down two ways to disagree politely.

Hint: Listen for phrases that soften disagreement.

German help if needed: Achte auf Formulierungen, die nicht einfach nur „No“ sagen.

Listening and viewing

Use the BBC video again.

Task A – gist: Which statement fits best?

1. The speakers show how to disagree without sounding rude.
2. The speakers explain how to win every argument.
3. The speakers tell a story about school rules.

Task B – details: Note two polite phrases and one reaction phrase.

Task C – use it: Pause the video. Repeat one useful phrase. Then replace the topic with your own school topic.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Viewing challenge: Watch the BBC Learning English video about showing interest. Which reactions could help a conflict stay calm? Collect two.

Reading: a short conflict

Mia: We should make a video. It will be more interesting.

Leo: I'm not sure. A poster is faster, and we only have one lesson left.

Mia: But we have already planned the video.

Leo: What do you mean by “planned”? Have you written the script?

Mia: Not yet. I made a list of ideas.

Leo: Okay, I see your point. But I'm worried about the time.

Mia: Fair enough. What if we make a very short video and one small poster?

Leo: That could work. We can use the poster for the key facts.

Mia: Great. Let's split the jobs.

Reading task: Find:

1. one opinion
2. one reason
3. one clarification question
4. one polite reaction
5. one compromise

Think: At which line does the conflict start to become easier to solve?

Vocabulary in context

Function	Useful English
Give a position	I think ... / In my view ...
Give a reason	... because ... / The problem is ...
Ask	What do you mean by ...? / Could you explain that?
React	I see your point. / Fair enough.
Disagree politely	I'm not sure about that. / I see it differently.
Suggest	What if we ...? / We could ...
Compromise	How about ... and ...? / We can both ...
Finish	So, we agree on ... / Let's do that.

Try: Choose four phrases and say them with the presentation conflict.

Pronunciation and intonation

Goal: be easy to understand, not accent-free.

Say these chunks aloud:

1. Could you explain that? – let your voice rise slightly at the question.
2. I see your point, but ... – stress point and your new idea.
3. What if we ...? – make the suggestion sound open, not angry.
4. So, we agree on ... – slow down at the final decision.

Tip: Clear key words and pauses are more important than copying one particular accent.

Functional grammar

Use grammar to do something in the conversation.

Suggestions: We could make a short video. / What if we use both ideas?

Reasons: I prefer the poster because it is faster.

Possible result: If we make the video shorter, we can finish today.

Polite position: I think this works better. / I'm not sure about that.

Do not overcomplicate it: Passive voice and reported speech are not needed here.

Optional E-lookout only: You may notice a past perfect form in a later text, for example: “They had planned a video before they changed the idea.” You do not need it for the role-play.

Speaking: build the role-play

Round 1 – try: Work with a partner. Speak for about 60–90 seconds.

Role A: You want a short video because it is creative.

Role B: You want a poster because there is little time.

Your conversation should include:

1. a clear position
2. one reason each
3. one clarification question
4. one polite disagreement
5. one compromise
6. a final agreement

Challenge with three speakers: Add a classmate who asks one neutral question and helps both sides find a solution.

Help ladder

Help 1 – English cue: Start with “I think ... because ...”

Help 2 – phrase bank: Use “What do you mean by ...?”, “I see your point, but ...” and “What if we ...?”

Help 3 – structure: position → question → reason → reaction → suggestion → compromise.

Deutsch nur wenn nötig: Sage zuerst, was du möchtest. Frage nach. Nenne einen Grund. Reagiere auf die andere Person. Schlage dann eine Lösung vor.

Direct feedback

After Round 1, your partner gives quick feedback:

1. Clear? I understood your position.
2. Interactive? You reacted to the other person.
3. Reason? You gave at least one reason.
4. Question? You asked for clarification.
5. Compromise? You helped find a shared solution.

Use one sentence: One thing that worked well was ... One thing to improve is ...

Then do Round 2 for 60–90 seconds. Improve one point only.

Mini-transfer: a new conflict

Choose one new situation:

1. Two students want to use the same tablet for different tasks.
2. Your group cannot agree on music for a class activity.
3. Two teammates want different roles in a project.
4. A friend wants to meet earlier, but you need more time.

Rule: Keep the conflict safe and everyday. Do not use real private conflicts without everyone agreeing.

Speak for about one minute. Reuse at least three useful phrases from this course.

Writing

Write a short message or mini-dialogue of about 80–100 words.

Situation: Your project partner wants to change the plan one day before the presentation.

Include:

1. your position
2. one reason
3. one question
4. one polite disagreement
5. one compromise
6. a clear ending

Self-edit: Underline your reason word, circle your clarification question and put a box around your compromise.

Mediation

Your English-speaking exchange student does not understand this German message:

„Wir haben nur noch eine Stunde. Ich möchte nicht streiten. Können wir beide Ideen kürzer machen und die Aufgaben teilen?“

Do not translate every word. Explain the important meaning in simple English.

Start: “The message says that ...”

Hint: Focus on time, no argument, both ideas and sharing tasks.

Self-check: Can I do it?

I can ...	Not yet	With help	Yes
ask what someone means	□	□	□
explain my opinion with a reason	□	□	□
disagree politely	□	□	□
react to another speaker	□	□	□
suggest a compromise	□	□	□
improve my second role-play after feedback	□	□	□

Next step: If you ticked “with help”, repeat one role-play with the phrase bank. If you ticked “yes” five or six times, try the three-speaker challenge.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which phrase asks for clarification? (Could you explain that?) (!You are wrong.) (!That is impossible.) (!I finished it.)

Which sentence gives a reason? (I prefer the poster because it is faster.) (!Could you say that again?) (!Let's stop talking.) (!What is your name?)

Which phrase is a polite disagreement? (I see your point, but I have another idea.) (!No. Bad idea.) (!You never understand.) (!That is stupid.)

What is the best aim of the role-play? (Find a solution both sides can accept.) (!Win the argument as quickly as possible.) (!Speak without listening.) (!Avoid every question.)

Which phrase makes a suggestion? (What if we make a shorter video?) (!I made it yesterday.) (!What do you mean?) (!I don't know your name.)

What should you do after your partner explains a position? (React to the idea and continue the conversation.) (!Ignore the answer.) (!Change the topic immediately.) (!Repeat your first sentence only.)

Which ending shows an agreement? (So, we agree on a short video and a small poster.) (!I still won't listen.) (!This is your problem.) (!We have no plan.)

What matters most in pronunciation here? (Being clear enough to understand.) (!Copying one perfect accent.) (!Speaking as fast as possible.) (!Using very long words.)

What should you do before using German help? (Try the English task and use the hints.) (!Translate every sentence immediately.) (!Skip the English input.) (!Ask for a full translation first.)

What should AI feedback do in this course? (Support your checking without replacing your own work.) (!Write the whole role-play for you.) (!Upload your recording automatically.) (!Decide your final text without you.)

Memory

clarification	ask what someone means
position	explain what you think
reason	explain why
reaction	respond to another speaker
suggestion	offer a possible next step
compromise	find a solution for both sides

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Could you explain that?	clarification
I think the poster is better.	position
because we only have one lesson	reason
I see your point.	reaction
What if we use both ideas?	compromise

Kreuzworträtsel

compromise	What do you call a solution both sides can accept?
clarify	Which verb means to make an idea clearer?
listen	What should you do before you react?
reason	What explains why you hold a position?
agree	Which verb means to share the same decision?
suggest	Which verb means to offer an idea for action?

Lückentext

Vervollständige den Text.

In a conflict, first to the other person.

Then ask for if something is not clear.

Explain your own in a short sentence.

Give one clear for your idea.

When you disagree, stay .

A useful next step is to make a .

A fair solution can be a .

After feedback, repeat the role-play and one point.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

1. Phrase card: Create a small card with four useful English phrases for asking, reacting, suggesting and agreeing.
2. Mini dialogue: Write six lines for Mia and Leo and add one compromise.
3. Intonation practice: Read three useful phrases aloud and mark the words you want to stress.
4. Picture prompt: Use a classroom picture and invent one safe, fictional conflict in two sentences.

Standard

1. Role-play round two: Perform a 60–90 second role-play, collect partner feedback and repeat it with one improvement.
2. Conflict message: Write an 80–100 word message that explains a position and suggests a fair solution.
3. Question challenge: Create five useful clarification questions for school situations and test them with a partner.
4. Mediation task: Explain a short German conflict message in simple English without translating every word.

Schwer

1. Three-speaker role-play: Add a neutral third speaker who asks questions but does not decide for the others.
2. Compare solutions: Invent two possible compromises and explain which needs each solution meets without ranking people.
3. Video reflection: Watch one embedded BBC Learning English clip again and note how voice, pauses and wording make disagreement sound more polite.
4. Transfer scenario: Create a new school conflict, perform it once without notes, collect feedback and perform an improved version.

Lernkontrolle

1. New situation: You and a partner disagree about how to divide a project. Start the conversation, ask one question, explain your position and reach a compromise.
2. Reaction task: A partner gives you a reason you did not expect. Respond without repeating your prepared sentence and continue naturally.
3. Repair strategy: You do not understand one word during the role-play. Show two ways to keep the conversation going without switching immediately to German.
4. Feedback improvement: Perform the same role-play twice. After Round 1, choose one feedback point and show a clear improvement in Round 2.
5. Mediation transfer: Explain the key meaning of a short German disagreement to an English-speaking student. Keep the important intention and omit unnecessary details.
6. Writing transfer: Write a short message that turns an unhelpful sentence such as “Your idea is bad” into a polite disagreement plus a useful next step.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, show that you can:

1. take part in a short conflict role-play instead of only reading prepared lines
2. ask at least one relevant clarification question
3. explain your position with at least one reason
4. react politely to another speaker
5. suggest or negotiate a workable compromise
6. use understandable pronunciation and suitable intonation
7. use feedback to improve a second attempt
8. keep recordings private unless everyone involved has agreed to sharing

OERs zum Thema

Freie Medien im Kurs: Die verwendeten Bilder stammen aus Wikimedia Commons. Die YouTube-Videos werden nur über den offiziellen Player eingebettet und nicht kopiert oder neu hochgeladen.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

E7 M - Solve a conflict in a role-play Speaking Listening and viewing Reading Writing Mediation Vocabulary Pronunciation Conflict resolution Role-play

Folgekurs: E7 M - Give feedback and improve a conversation