Working Conditions - A Government
Investigation
(Johannes Schalück)
Rolecards
Die Rollenkarten können auf verschiedene Art und Weise - je nach Lerngruppe und Lernziel - eingesetzt werden. Im folgenden zwei Vorschläge:
Alternative 1 (5 Gruppen): An Interview
Die Rollenkarten 1 bis 4 "Husband", "Wife", "Son" und "Daughter" werden in Gruppen erarbeitet, ebenso die Rollenkarte 5 "Government Investigators".
Im anschließenden Rollenspiel befragen ein bis zwei "government investigators" die Familie (ein Vertreter pro anderer Gruppe) zu ihren Lebens- und Arbeitsbedingungen.
Die "Zuschauer" bekommen eine Beobachtungsaufgabe, die eine schriftliche Aufgabe (evtl. als Hausaufgabe) nach sich zieht. Beispiele:
- "You are a reporter of the local newspaper. Write a newspaper report
after the interview."
- "Write a dialogue between a government inspector and a factory worker
in which include interesting details from the interview."
- "You are one of the government inspectors. Write a government report
about the working conditions of the family."
- "You are a trade unionist. Make a leaflet about the hard working
conditions of the family in which you ask others to fight the situation."
Alternative 2 (6 - 8 Gruppen): A community debate
Die Rollenkarten 1 bis 8 (es können welche weggelassen werden) werden in Gruppen erarbeitet.
Das anschließende Rollenspiel wird als "Podiumsdiskussion" durchgeführt, das entweder von zwei "government investigators" oder dem/r LeherIn geleitet wird. Bei dieser schwierigen Umsetzung sollte darauf geachtet werden, dass die Vertreter der jeweiligen Gruppe auf die Argumente der anderen reagieren.
Die "Zuschauer" bekommen wie bei Alternative 1 eine Beobachtungsaufgabe.
1
Samuel, age: 38, factory worker, husband of
Mildred, father of Susan and David
> job: works in a cotton factory, works at
the watermill
> a very dirty, very dangerous
> came to the town from far away, with his
family (reason: unemployed)
> the family lives in the cellar of a small
house near the factory, like many others
> broke his arm half a year ago - had to pay
for the doctor, doesn't have money for
medicine, because he is not paid
when he is sick
> he has to pay fines when he is late or comes
to work dirty
You may add other details you know from the
lessons.
2
Mildred, age: 34, worker in a cotton factory,
wife of Samuel, father of Susan and David
> job: works at the spinning mule
> machine is extremly noisy
> has to stand all the time - her back aches
all the time
> working day: 12, sometimes up to 18 hours
a day (!) - extremely tired
> there is no place to eat or to wash in the
factory, she often eats nothing at all
> sometimes strapped with a stick by the overlooker
(still pains after 2 weeks!)
> hardly able to care for the children, two
more children died young (too weak!)
> children have to earn money: the family
needs the wages for rent and food
You may add other details you know from the
lessons.
3
David, age:11, worker in a coalmine, son of
Samuel and Mildred, brother of Susan
> job: to push tubs of coal (tub weighs 300
pounds)
> must use his whole body and his head to
push (- bald place on head!)
> stays undergrond for 10 to12 hours a day
(darkness!)
> always has to hurry - beaten by the coal-diggers
> tunnels aren't big enough - cannot stand
straight
> fears an explosion (gas!), hot and sticky,
also damp
> feels pity for the pit horses, which can·
never leave the pit
You may add other details which you know from
the lessons.
4
Susan, age: 13, worker in a cotton factory,
daughter of Samuel and Mildred, sister of David
> job: works in the machines to clean them
(the machines never stop!)
> often has to cough because of the dirt and
the cotton threads
> has to crawl in the machines 10 hours a
day, sometimes falls asleep in a corner
> often punished with a stick (until she is
bleeding)
> gets less money than an adult - half of
the workers are children
> is not paid when she is hurt in the machine
and cannot work
> feels weak and cannot get her legs straight
You may add other details which you know from
the lessons.
5
Government Investigators
The year is 1832. The government has sent you
into a town in England to ask workers
in the factories about their working and living
conditions.
Depending on your task (ask your teacher!),
work on a) or b).
a) Interview
You have to carry out an interview with a
working family of four people.
Make a list of questions.
Think of where they work, which jobs they
do, the working conditions, child work, fines
and punishment, health, etc.
b) Community debate
You have to lead a debate between citizens
in the town. The topic is: "Working
conditions in the factories and mines". Several
workers (men, women, children) take
part as well as a factory owner and an ordinary
citizen of the town.
Your task is
> to introduce the meeting briefly
> to ask the different people about their
opinions / experiences (note down questions!)
> to tell the people whose turn it is to speak.
Remember that you are in charge of the debate!
6
Richard, owner of a cotton factory, age: 47
> has got the biggest factory in town, employs
most people
> has advertised in newspapers to get unemployed
people from other regions
> provides most families with housing (for
a rent)
> children are more skilful workers than many
adults
> fines and punishment are necessary for the
discipline at work
> doesn't break any laws concerning working
conditions
> pays less to women and children because
they can't work hard
> he can always find people who work for less
money
> situation is worse in other factories
You can add other arguments in favour of the
strict working conditions.
7
Tess, age: 42, worker in a cotton factory
> has worked in another factory before where
conditions were worse
> earns twice as much money as her friends
who works on a farm
> thinks that machines are an improvement:
some work is easier than with a spinning wheel
> has met new friends at the factory
> produced cloth at home when she was a child:
less money, but in the family
> without the cotton factory many families
would die or have to live in the workhouse
You can add other arguments.
8
Ben, age: 51, lives and works as a civil servant
in the town
> the factory is good for the town (employment!)
> because of the Factory a canal and a railway
line have been built
> most cotton products are much cheaper now
(new machines!)
> consumer can buy far more cotton products
than before
> it is natural that children work - it is
not bad for them, they learn a lot
> the reports about terrible working conditions
are just exceptions
> there are too many people in the town -
they can't all work on farms
You can add other arguments.