ROLE-PLAY AND ROLE-PLAY AND SIMULATIONSSIMULATIONS

Eva Fernández BerriosEva Fernández BerriosJesús Bravo SánchezJesús Bravo Sánchez

Mari Carmen Valero SalesMari Carmen Valero Sales

DEFINITION OF ROLE-PLAYDEFINITION OF ROLE-PLAY

Students play a part (their own or Students play a part (their own or somebody else’s) in a specific situation.somebody else’s) in a specific situation.

Give student information about who they Give student information about who they are, and what they think and feel.are, and what they think and feel.

FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (1)FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (1)

Student(s): Alone, in pairs, groups.Student(s): Alone, in pairs, groups. Short or long.Short or long. Open or tightly controlled.Open or tightly controlled. Defined by teacher/students.Defined by teacher/students. Types of roles:Types of roles:

a)a) Useful for real-world needsUseful for real-world needs

b)b) Roles from TV, newspapers, books…Roles from TV, newspapers, books…

c)c) Fictional roles.Fictional roles.

FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (2)FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (2)

Language already acquired.Language already acquired. Language practice (rather than learning).Language practice (rather than learning). Fluency over accuracy.Fluency over accuracy. It is a low input-high output technique. It is a low input-high output technique.

(The presentation by the teacher is very (The presentation by the teacher is very short).short).

CAN be performed for other students or CAN be performed for other students or recorded in a video (extrovert students).recorded in a video (extrovert students).

SIMULATIONS (1)SIMULATIONS (1)

The students feel they are real participants of The students feel they are real participants of the situation.the situation.

Simulated environment away from the real Simulated environment away from the real world.world.

Simulations must have a structure. The students Simulations must have a structure. The students do not invent anything. They are provided all the do not invent anything. They are provided all the facts.facts.

More complex.More complex. Lengthier.Lengthier. More fixed.More fixed.

SIMULATIONS (2)SIMULATIONS (2)

Less open-ended.Less open-ended. Includes other types of activities:Includes other types of activities:

Analysis of data.Analysis of data. Reading.Reading. Writing.Writing. Discussion of options.Discussion of options.

Students find themselves in a different Students find themselves in a different world.world.

Enriching experience.Enriching experience.

ROLE-PLAY vs. DRAMAROLE-PLAY vs. DRAMA

DramaDrama: they “think like” Mr. Smith. VS. : they “think like” Mr. Smith. VS. Role-playRole-play: they : they areare Mr. Smith. They Mr. Smith. They directly experience the unpredictability of directly experience the unpredictability of language in use.language in use.

Drama: practised, memorized and Drama: practised, memorized and performed for other students.performed for other students.

Role-play: no audience.Role-play: no audience.

ROLE CARDSROLE CARDS

Minimum information for students to Minimum information for students to understand what to do.understand what to do.

Memorised or read.Memorised or read. Structures: already studied or very simple.Structures: already studied or very simple.

ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (1)ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (1)

No over-complex emotional or No over-complex emotional or psychological features (inhibition, acting). psychological features (inhibition, acting). Emotion should arise naturally.Emotion should arise naturally.

• Choose subjects that are safe.Choose subjects that are safe.• Emphasis on “play” rather than “role”.Emphasis on “play” rather than “role”.

Begin with pair work rather than group Begin with pair work rather than group work (less self-conscious).work (less self-conscious).

Short activities until students get used to it.Short activities until students get used to it.

ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (2)ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (2)

Make sure the students have understood Make sure the students have understood the situation and the role cards before you the situation and the role cards before you start.start.

If they use Spanish, start with pair work If they use Spanish, start with pair work and easy and easy information-gapinformation-gap role-plays. role-plays.

Always have a follow-up activity for those Always have a follow-up activity for those who finish soon.who finish soon.

Set a time limit and stick to it.Set a time limit and stick to it.

ROLES OF THE TEACHER (1)ROLES OF THE TEACHER (1) Facilitator:Facilitator:

Students do not know what to say next Students do not know what to say next →→• Leave them on their own.Leave them on their own.• Discrete suggestions without interrupting.Discrete suggestions without interrupting.

Participant:Participant: Help in a hidden way by:Help in a hidden way by:

• Introducing new information for the development of Introducing new information for the development of the role play.the role play.

• Ensure students’ involvement.Ensure students’ involvement. Do not participate too much.Do not participate too much.

ROLES OF THE TEACHER (2)ROLES OF THE TEACHER (2)

Feedback provider:Feedback provider: After the role play.After the role play. 1st: 1st: positivepositive (creativity, originality, correct (creativity, originality, correct

expressions).expressions). 2nd: 2nd: mistakesmistakes::

• Walk round the classroom listening to the students and noting Walk round the classroom listening to the students and noting down the mistakes you would like to deal with.down the mistakes you would like to deal with.

• Asking the students what can be improved.Asking the students what can be improved.• Write them on the blackboard.Write them on the blackboard.

• Remedial exercise prepared before hand.Remedial exercise prepared before hand. About the content and language.About the content and language.

AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (1)AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (1)

Improve speaking skills.Improve speaking skills. Promote interaction.Promote interaction. Practice all language aspects: structures, Practice all language aspects: structures,

vocabulary, pronunciation, …vocabulary, pronunciation, … Train for real specific situations in a safe Train for real specific situations in a safe

context.context. Fun, motivating.Fun, motivating.

AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (2)AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (2) Includes the outside world (vs. Activities based Includes the outside world (vs. Activities based

on tasks).on tasks). Small talk. Small talk.

Expressions to start a conversation.Expressions to start a conversation. Important in social relationshipsImportant in social relationships Missing in traditional teaching.Missing in traditional teaching. E.g.: ‘Beatiful day, isn’t it?’E.g.: ‘Beatiful day, isn’t it?’

‘ ‘Are you enjoying yourself?’Are you enjoying yourself?’ ‘ ‘Have you worked here long?’Have you worked here long?’ ‘ ‘Pretty nice place, huh?’Pretty nice place, huh?’

Help shy students by providing them with a Help shy students by providing them with a mask.mask.

DISADVANTAGESDISADVANTAGES

Time-consuming.Time-consuming. Noise, chaos.Noise, chaos. Use of mother tongue.Use of mother tongue. Difficulty of assuming somebody else’s Difficulty of assuming somebody else’s

personality:personality: Allowed to choose their own roles.Allowed to choose their own roles.

Shyness.Shyness.

PRACTICE ACTIVITIESPRACTICE ACTIVITIES

1.1. Booking in a hotel.Booking in a hotel.

2.2. Picture role-play.Picture role-play.

3.3. The Lost Property Office.The Lost Property Office.

4.4. Igartiburu’s People.Igartiburu’s People.

5.5. Role switching.Role switching.

6.6. Simulation: Supermarket magicSimulation: Supermarket magic

BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY

Harmer, J. 1991. Harmer, J. 1991. The Practice of English The Practice of English Language TeachingLanguage Teaching. London: Longman.. London: Longman.

Ladousse, G.P. 1987. Ladousse, G.P. 1987. Role PlayRole Play. Oxford: Oxford . Oxford: Oxford University Press.University Press.

Ladousse, G.P. 1983. Ladousse, G.P. 1983. Speaking Personally. Speaking Personally. Quizzes and questionnaires for fluency practice.Quizzes and questionnaires for fluency practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Matthews, A. et al. (eds.) 1985. Matthews, A. et al. (eds.) 1985. At the At the ChalkfaceChalkface. Practical Techniques in Language . Practical Techniques in Language Teaching. London: Edward Arnold.Teaching. London: Edward Arnold.