Get Ready for the Final Project - Worksheet 2

Profiles and Viewpoints

1. Flesh out your character and build your viewpoint. You can do the following activities individually or with a partner.
Prepare the viewpoint you are going to defend and build your arguments according to your role and your social status. You may want to choose from the profiles and viewpoints below, but you can also create your own. 
a. Social and professional status. According to each participant's social or professional status, identify what their viewpoints and arguments are going to be.
The real estate agent: ...
The long-time resident: ...
The city council member: ...
The landlord or landlady: ...
The anti-gentrification activist: ...
The moderator: ...
b. Viewpoints. Using what you wrote in activity a., choose the expressions you will be using.
Has mixed feelings: 
I am not sure ... - I am ambivalent about ... - It is hard to say if ... - there is no easy solution - I really don't know whether ... - I haven't quite made up my mind about ... - I understand your point but don't you think that we can also say that ...? - You have a point there but ...
Is strongly opposed:
I disagree with you on this topic - I couldn't disagree more as ... - It is absolutely outrageous that ... should ... - How can you say that ...? - I strongly believe that ... - It is obvious that ... - It is clear that ... - My position is that ... - We must stop + V-ing - We can't let this go on ... -
Is very much in favour:
That is an excellent idea - I'm more than enthusiastic about ... - There's no other solution than + V-ing ... - How can we ... if we don't ...? - If we ..., it will be an opportunity to ... - I strongly believe that ...
c. Remember you can also define each participant's personality. Here are a few suggestions but you can also choose your own:
Always disagrees with what other people say - always tries to find common ground with the other participants - thinks he/she is always right - is very shy and does not know how to present a viewpoint - is very hesitant in the way he/she speaks - is sometimes rude and violent in the way he/she addressed other people.

2. Role-play. Get into groups of six (all the participants + moderator) and role-play the roundtable.
a. Rehearse as many times as necessary until the discussion flows freely.
b. Perform in front of the class.