1. ROLE-PLAY AND SIMULATIONS Eva Fernández Berrios Jesús Bravo Sánchez Mari Carmen Valero Sales

2. DEFINITION OF ROLE-PLAY  Students play a part (their own or somebody else’s) in a specific situation.  Give student information about who they are, and what they think and feel.

3. FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (1)  Student(s): Alone, in pairs, groups.  Short or long.  Open or tightly controlled.  Defined by teacher/students.  Types of roles: a) Useful for real-world needs b) Roles from TV, newspapers, books… c) Fictional roles.

4. FEATURES OF ROLE-PLAY (2)  Language already acquired.  Language practice (rather than learning).  Fluency over accuracy.  It is a low input-high output technique. (The presentation by the teacher is very short).  CAN be performed for other students or recorded in a video (extrovert students).

5. SIMULATIONS (1)  The students feel they are real participants of the situation.  Simulated environment away from the real world.  Simulations must have a structure. The students do not invent anything. They are provided all the facts.  More complex.  Lengthier.  More fixed.

6. SIMULATIONS (2)  Less open-ended.  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 world.  Enriching experience.

7. ROLE-PLAY vs. DRAMA  Drama: they “think like” Mr. Smith. VS. Role-play: they are Mr. Smith. They directly experience the unpredictability of language in use.  Drama: practised, memorized and performed for other students.  Role-play: no audience.

8. ROLE CARDS  Minimum information for students to understand what to do.  Memorised or read.  Structures: already studied or very simple.

9. ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (1)  No over-complex emotional or psychological features (inhibition, acting). 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 work (less self-conscious).  Short activities until students get used to it.

10. ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (2)  Make sure the students have understood the situation and the role cards before you start.  If they use Spanish, start with pair work and easy information-gap role-plays.  Always have a follow-up activity for those who finish soon.  Set a time limit and stick to it.

11. ROLES OF THE TEACHER (1)  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: Help in a hidden way by: Help in a hidden way by: Introducing new information for the development of the role play.Introducing new information for the development of the role play. Ensure students’ involvement.Ensure students’ involvement. Do not participate too much. Do not participate too much.

12. ROLES OF THE TEACHER (2)  Feedback provider: After the role play. After the role play. 1st: positive (creativity, originality, correct expressions). 1st: positive (creativity, originality, correct expressions). 2nd: mistakes: 2nd: mistakes: Walk round the classroom listening to the students and noting down the mistakes you would like to deal with.Walk round the classroom listening to the students and noting 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.

13. AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (1)  Improve speaking skills.  Promote interaction.  Practice all language aspects: structures, vocabulary, pronunciation, …  Train for real specific situations in a safe context.  Fun, motivating.

14. AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (2)  Includes the outside world (vs. Activities based on tasks).  Small talk. Expressions to start a conversation. Expressions to start a conversation. Important in social relationships Important 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 mask.

15. DISADVANTAGES  Time-consuming.  Noise, chaos.  Use of mother tongue.  Difficulty of assuming somebody else’s personality: Allowed to choose their own roles. Allowed to choose their own roles.  Shyness.

16. PRACTICE ACTIVITIES 1. Booking in a hotel. 2. Picture role-play. 3. The Lost Property Office. 4. Igartiburu’s People. 5. Role switching. 6. Simulation: Supermarket magic

17. BIBLIOGRAPHY  Harmer, J. 1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman.  Ladousse, G.P. 1987. Role Play. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Ladousse, G.P. 1983. Speaking Personally. Quizzes and questionnaires for fluency practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Matthews, A. et al. (eds.) 1985. At the Chalkface. Practical Techniques in Language Teaching. London: Edward Arnold.