Ocr nationals

Suggested teaching time	3-4 hours	Topic
Drama Focussed Activity Making a radio or television interview of a famous historical figure, celebrity from the past or literary character
Topic outline		Suggested teaching and homework activities		Suggested resources	Points to note
Exploring a range of interviews for different purposes.		Watch clips from a range of interviews Consider how spoof interviews use genuine interviewing techniques for comic purposes. Compare the two interviews with David Tennant – how are their purposes different? How do their audiences differ? What impact do the differing audiences have on the tone of the interview and the questions asked? Discuss the style of the Bashir interview. How does the status of the interviewee effect the questions posed and the way that they are asked?		Looking at a range of interviews for different purposes: For example: Spoof TV-AM Royal Expert – French and Saunders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-8mESIK98Q&feature=related Spoof - Alistair McGowan interviews Jenny Bond http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqbFYnKhVxM Compare to serious interview with royal correspondent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEliHNS3gU8&feature=channel Spoof TV-AM Financial Expert - French and Saunders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCWc3VSkInI&feature=related Compare to genuine GMTV Financial advice interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNZT1hJd10 Radio Interviews: Kirsty Young and David Tennant, Desert Island Discs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRGGFblCPQM Steve Wright and David Tennant on Radio 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnTH06nswx0 Martin Bashir’s interview with Diana, Princess of Wales http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kqIJdWooMM This could be compared to an interviewer who is deliberately disrespectful to the interviewee for entertainment purposes. For example, Mrs Merton or Dame Edna.	This links to the students’ preparation for their Controlled Conditions task for English Language Unit A652 Section B. A2: The study of the spoken language of a particular interviewer. Students will already have studied how to identify the features of interviews and analysed a variety of interviewers’ styles.
Role Play - Student A – interviewer Student B - interviewee		In pairs students will prepare an interview EITHER In the style of one of those that they have studied OR A spoof interview, imitating another interviewer’s style to create comedy.		Transcripts of interviews to help inspire their questions
Research and preparation		Using the transcripts and recordings students should identify the features of their chosen interviewer and how questions are used – whether planned or spontaneous. They should also look at the vocal tone, facial expression and body language of the interviewer, as well as the language used. The pairs should decide the identity of their interviewee: a famous historical figure, celebrity from the past or literary character. The students should work individually on their role as interviewer or interviewee. In their pairs the interviewers hot-seat the interviewees to consolidate their factual knowledge and practise their performance skills as the character. Students should prepare the interview and rehearse it, focusing on developing convincing roles through their use of language, vocal and physical skills.		Video/audio clips of the chosen interviewer Students may be provided with a worksheet grid to identify the features and how they may use them in their own interview. The students should undertake research on their chosen figure to devise appropriate questions. Discuss possible suggestions that link to work completed in other subjects – Queen Victoria, Shakespeare, John Lennon, Henry VIII, Romeo or Juliet, Marilyn Monroe, J F Kennedy etc etc.... The interviewee should prepare a ‘press release’ for their interviewer with details about their life and experiences. The interviewer should prepare a list of questions for the interview.	Ideally the students will need access to a laptop to replay their clips. The criteria for the chosen interviewee should be that they are no longer living, but instantly recognisable. The interviews should not be over-rehearsed as they need to have an element of spontaneity. More preparation should therefore go into the devising of the questions than rehearsing the answers –emphasis should be on improvisation rather than scripting.
Controlled Assessment Task 10-15 minutes		Students perform their interviews to the class.		The interviews should be performed live to the class but could be recorded on DVD or audio as appropriate.

^OCR GCSE English Unit A643: Speaking and listening