Cross-Examination

Learners are divided into groups of four.

One member of each group is designated as a cross-examiner.

The cross-examiners leave their groups and stand at the front of the class. The teacher hands each of the groups a pack of information about a different area of the topic.

Examples include:

• Different sources related to an event.
• Different perspectives on an issue.
• Different poems and interpretations from a certain genre.
• Different areas of research.
• Different explanations of an idea.

The cross-examiners split up and go to each group in turn, asking questions to elicit information about the material which has been handed out.

They should make notes as they go. When they have visited all the groups, they return to their original group and share what they have learnt.

Learners then consider the information they have gained and assess what conclusions they can draw from it.

An overarching question can be used to frame the activity. Learners are expected to try to answer this through their cross-examinations and through their subsequent evaluations of the material.

Alternatively, you might like to use the activity at the start of a topic as a way of introducing pupils to a new area of study.

In such cases, you could provide a generic question such as: ‘What might we look at in our next sequence of lessons?’ to frame the activity.

It is likely that there will be a short period of downtime when the cross-examiners are stood at the front of the class and the groups are analysing the material you have distributed.

To keep the cross-examiners focussed, ask them to discuss as a group the sort of questions they might ask.

Encourage them to consider how different types of questions will elicit different types of responses. In addition, you might ask them to identify a clear purpose to direct their questioning.

Develop the activity by giving each group written instructions to inform their interactions with the cross-examiner.

For example, one group might be instructed to only give away certain information if questions of a specific type are asked. This will help to encourage the cross-examiners to think carefully about the questions they are asking.

Roving Reporters

Divide the class into two groups. One group are ‘roving reporters’ and the other group are role-players.

Provide the role-players with character cards detailing what roles they are to play.

It will help if they are given background information to contextualise their character’s behaviour and thoughts.

The roving reporters are given a sheet containing a table, with the names of the different characters written in. There should be a space beside each name. This is where the reporters will write down what they find out.

The activity begins and the reporters mingle with the role-players. It may be that you have sufficient character cards so that each role-player is a different person.

If not, you will have to repeat characters. It does not matter if certain characters are played by a number of learners. The key is to make sure there are a range of characters and that each learner has a role.

The reporters’ job is to speak to each of the characters indicated on their sheet and to elicit as much information from them as possible.

You might like to put a limit on the number of questions they are allowed to ask each person to whom they talk. This will really focus the reporters’ minds and push them to think carefully about what questions they are asking and why.

At the end of the activity, each reporter should pair up with a role-player. It is their job to then share what they have found out.

In turn, the role-player can assess whether the information discovered about their character is accurate or not.

Finally, the pairs can work together to create a news report or article detailing all the information that has been elicited (facts can be checked with the various role-players if necessary).

A great way to use this activity is if you have an event, idea, theory or topic about which several people or groups hold different views.

For example, a case study looking at the placement of a wind farm.

The various groups concerned with this include: environmentalists, conservationists, local residents, local businesses, the energy company, national government, and local government.

This gives a good range, enough so that several learners will be able to take on different character roles.

In addition, there will be lots for the reporters to find out.

The task could culminate with a report being written for an independent tribunal about whether the wind farm should be built in the local area.