Actions Speak Louder! 21 Skits Related to Hearing Loss Plus Tips for Creating a Dynamic Performance By Sam Trychin, Ph.D. Another book in the Living With Hearing Loss Series 1991, Revised edition, 2003
Table of Contents Introduction...1 Creating scripts for the skits...4 Presenting the skits... 5 Leading discussion following the skit... 7 Procedures to follow when presenting skits... 8 Some suggestions for props... 10 Some final comments... 12 Instructions to the audience are provided following page 12. The script for the first skit follows the instructions to the audience, and the remaining skits follow in sequence. Detailed information about the actors and props needed, questions to ask, and comments received from previous audiences are provided following each skit. ii
Introduction Conveying information by showing people what to do and/or what not to do is an age-old and effective teaching device. The psychological literature is replete with examples of the effectiveness of learning vicariously by observing a model perform an activity. Demonstrating an action immediately conveys information that might otherwise require pages and pages of written instruction. Many of the things we are able to do we learned by observing others performing those actions. Showing people by example what we are trying to get across is a highly efficient and effective way to convey information. Information about the nature of hearing loss, its effects on people, and what can be done to help those who are affected by it is available in books and videotapes. This information about hearing loss is also presented through lectures, discussions, or panel presentations in various locations. One drawback of presenting information in these ways is that the learner is a passive recipient of the information. Another drawback is that the reader or audience member probably does not have opportunity to discuss and apply the information provided to her or his personal experience. A third drawback is that some people do not read well enough to easily extract information from books or from real time captioned (CART) presentations. A major problem with the lecture format is that some people who have the information necessary for conducting such programs have not had the training or experience of doing so and are reluctant to stand up before groups of people to make formal presentations. An alternative method of sharing information, and one that may be less stressful for the presenter, is forming a team of several people to present information and promote discussion through the use of skits or role-plays. Several things are accomplished by presenting information through skits: 1) The information is presented in a concrete, observable form allowing the audience to more easily relate to the issue or problem being portrayed than might be the case if the same information were presented in lecture form. 2) The audience can clearly see the impact of the particular behaviors portrayed on the various people involved. 3) The audience can recognize the kinds of things they may be doing themselves 1
that are not in their own best interest. 4) Opportunity is provided for the audience to identify specifically what is happening in each situation that is causing problems. 5) Opportunity is provided for the audience to provide information about what they have done or would do in the future to prevent or minimize the problem being portrayed. 6) People in the audience are not personally involved in the situations being portrayed, so they can be more objective in observing what is happening. 7) Members of the audience will often suggest skits of their own portraying a variety of problem situations different from those portrayed on the stage. We have had numerous suggestions for additional skits from members of the audience and many of those were acted out on the stage. A major goal of role-playing examples of situations that produce communication problems for people who are hard of hearing and for those who live with them is providing the audience with opportunity to practice: 1. Identifying the specific problems portrayed in the skits, 2. Identifying the specific cause(s) of those problems, and 3. Identifying alternative, effective communication behavior. We also suggest using skits as a way of conveying information and generating discussion in self-help group meetings, classrooms, and group counseling sessions. Have the participants role-play three or four of the prepared skits and then create and act out their own skits based on their personal experience. It is very helpful to have participants role-play actions that they don t believe they are capable of doing. For example, a person may not believe that she can ask her boss to slow down when her boss is talking during a business meeting. Enacting or role-playing the situation, i.e., asking the boss to slow down, can help the person see that she is able to make the request and provide her with opportunity to practice effective ways of phrasing her request. This book is written for people who have had little or no experience in creating 2
or putting on skits, but would like to learn how. This book contains: 1. Examples of things to do and also to avoid doing while presenting the skits, 2. Things to think about when creating new skits, 3. Copies of the scripts of the original skits that were performed at SHHH conventions in several locations, 4. The main point(s) to discuss for each of the included skits, 5. Descriptions of the actors and props needed for each of the skits, 6. Questions to ask the audience for each skit, and 7. Examples of the comments from previous audiences for each skit. The scripts are provided in a form that can easily be made into overheads for visual presentation. 3
Creating Scripts for Skits The best scripts are those that depict the actual experiences of hard of people who are hearing and the hearing people who interact with them. Most of the scripts included in this book are based on someone s actual experience. The focus of the situations presented in this book is on experiences or situations involving communication difficulties. Some are funny, and others not so funny, but, in either case, something can be learned from them when they are presented for discussion. When devising your own scripts for presentation, several points are important to keep in mind. Keep the script brief. The interchange between the people involved should be brief because if it is too long the audience will not be able to follow all of it. The script should have one or more major points. Each script should have a point you want to make about communication, e.g., problems resulting from failure to pay attention, not being able to see the speaker's face, not informing the speaker about one's hearing loss, etc. The script should clearly illustrate the point you want to make. Be sure that other people can clearly see the point you are making even if you have to modify the actual experience somewhat to achieve this. Write down the props you will need. After writing the script, briefly list the props you will need, if any, to help bring life to the skit, e. g., telephone, signs, books, etc. Write down the questions about the skit that you will ask the audience. The questions you pose to the audience following each skit will direct their responses to the issues or points you want to make. Remember that the most important contribution of the skits is to generate discussion. It is better to do fewer skits and have lots of discussion than to do lots of skits with little discussion. 4
Presenting the Skits The major consideration when presenting the skits is ensuring that the audience is able to understand what you are saying and doing. They must be able to hear and/or see what you are presenting. Because it is likely that there will be at least some people who are hard of hearing in the audience, special care must be taken. We strongly recommend that you read the booklet Speak Out that is part of this Living With Hearing Loss series, which describes what to do when making presentations to and/or by hard of hearing people. Some major considerations are as follows: Use a stage or platform. The actors should be on a platform that is high enough for the action to be seen by all members of the audience. Face the audience when speaking. Even when speaking to another actor in the skit, be sure to face the audience; the audience will know to whom you are speaking. Don't be afraid to exaggerate voice and facial expression. It is better to over-act than to under-act in order to get your message across to the audience. Use an overhead projector to present the scripts visually. Just prior to and during the presentation of a skit, project the script onto a screen to allow the audience to read the script. This is especially helpful for those who may be unable to understand what is being said on the stage. Use assistive listening devices. If possible, use an auditory loop or FM system. We use an FM system if there are enough receivers for everyone in the audience. Whenever possible, use a conference microphone that is able to pick up all the actors' voices within approximately twelve feet. That eliminates having to pass microphones around among the various actors, but even the latter can be done effectively with a little practice. Use props. Homemade props (the cornier the better) add a vital humorous element to the presentation. A toy telephone, a sign that reads "telephone rings," or a homemade replica of a kitchen sink add the right touch of lightness and help in getting the audience to relax. 5
Practice The more rehearsals held, the more at ease you will be on the stage in front of an audience. Also, the more familiar you are with a scene, the easier it will be to ad lib a word or line you might forget at a critical moment. In case one of the cast is unable to make a performance, it is easier for someone else to fill in for them if there have been a sufficient number of rehearsals. 6