Role-Playing Healing

Curriculum Area and Level

Learning Area: Learning Languages
Subject: Lea Faka-Tonga (Tongan Language)
Level: NCEA Level 1
Curriculum Strands:

• Communication: Engage in interactions using simple Tongan language.
• Language Knowledge: Understand features of Tongan grammar and structure.
• Cultural Knowledge: Recognise and use Tongan cultural expressions and practices, with a focus on traditional healing.

Lesson Overview

Lesson Number: 8 of 9 in the Tongan Healing Traditions unit
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 14 students
Learning Objective:
Students will participate in role-playing exercises to simulate Tongan healing traditions. Through this, they will develop their conversational skills in Tongan, gain confidence in real-world interactions, and understand the cultural and social significance of traditional healing in Tonga.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up: Quick Vocabulary Recall (10 minutes)

• Objective: Refresh students' memory of key words and phrases related to Tongan healing.
• Activity:
  • Teacher writes key terms (e.g., tupulaga – healer, faito’o – medicine, mālōlō – to rest) on the board.
  • Each student picks a word and explains its meaning to a partner in English.
  • Pairs then use the words in 2-3 sentence exchanges in Tongan.
• Differentiation:
  • Provide word cards with English translations for those who need extra support.
  • Stronger students create full sentences, while beginners match words with pictures.

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2. Mini-Lesson: Understanding the Cultural Context (10 minutes)

• Objective: Ensure students understand the historical and societal importance of traditional healing in Tonga.
• Activity:
  • Teacher presents a short, engaging story about a traditional Tongan healer (in simplified language).
  • Class discussion on when and why Tongans might use traditional healing instead of Western medicine.
  • Students take notes using a provided scaffold (e.g., key points outline).
• Differentiation:
  • Provide an illustrated handout for visual learners.
  • Allow bilingual pairs to discuss in both English and Tongan.

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3. Role-Playing Healing Scenarios (25 minutes)

• Objective: Practise Tongan language skills in real-world healing interactions.
• Activity:
  • Teacher assigns students roles (healer, patient, family member).
  • Pairs or small groups act out scenarios such as:
    • A healer recommending traditional herbal medicine.
    • A patient explaining symptoms to an elder.
    • A family discussing whether to use modern or traditional medicine.
  • Teacher circulates, giving language prompts where necessary.
• Differentiation:
  • Beginners get a script with gaps to fill in.
  • Advanced students create their own dialogues.
  • Visual learners use props (e.g., mock plant remedies).

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4. Reflection and Debrief (10 minutes)

• Objective: Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment.
• Activity:
  • Each student writes two sentences:
    1. One thing they learned about Tongan healing traditions.
    2. One new Tongan phrase or word they used today.
  • Pair-share: Students read their sentences to a partner before submitting them to the teacher.
  • Quick class discussion: How did it feel to communicate in Tongan? What challenges did they face?

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Assessment and Evidence of Learning

✅ Formative: Observation of student participation in role-plays and discussions.
✅ Summative: Written reflection (demonstrates understanding and application of vocabulary).

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Teacher Reflection and Next Steps

• Note which students struggled with pronunciation or forming sentences.
• Adapt the final lesson to reinforce any weak areas before unit completion.
• Collect student reflections to see if any cultural insights particularly resonated.

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Home Connection

• Encourage students to ask a family member about traditional remedies used in their culture.
• Students write down a brief conversation or note what they learned to share in the next lesson.

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Resources Needed

📌 Word/Phrase cards
📌 Simple sentence scaffolds
📌 Tongan cultural story (simplified text)
📌 Props for role-playing (e.g., mock herbal medicines)

This lesson plan integrates real-world application, multimodal learning, and cultural relevance—ensuring both language acquisition and cultural understanding! 🌺