ROLE-PLAY AND

SIMULATIONS
Eva Fernndez Berrios
Jess Bravo Snchez
Mari Carmen Valero Sales

DEFINITION OF ROLE-PLAY
Students play a part (their own or

somebody elses) in a specific situation.

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

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)
b)
c)

Useful for real-world needs

Roles from TV, newspapers, books
Fictional roles.

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).

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.

SIMULATIONS (2)
Less

open-ended.
Includes other types of activities:

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

Students

find themselves in a different

world.
Enriching experience.

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.

ROLE CARDS
Minimum

information for students to

understand what to do.
Memorised or read.
Structures: already studied or very simple.

ROLE-PLAY: HOW TO (1)

No over-complex emotional or

psychological features (inhibition, acting).

Emotion should arise naturally.
Choose subjects that are safe.
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.

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.

ROLES OF THE TEACHER (1)

Facilitator:

Students do not know what to say next

Leave them on their own.
Discrete suggestions without interrupting.

Participant:

Help in a hidden way by:

Introducing new information for the development of
the role play.
Ensure students involvement.

Do not participate too much.

ROLES OF THE TEACHER (2)

Feedback provider:

After the role play.

1st: positive (creativity, originality, correct
expressions).
2nd: mistakes:
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.
Write them on the blackboard.
Remedial exercise prepared before hand.

About the content and language.

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.

AIMS AND ADVANTAGES (2)

Includes the outside world (vs. Activities based on

tasks).
Small talk.

Expressions to start a conversation.

Important in social relationships
Missing in traditional teaching.
E.g.: Beatiful day, isnt it?
Are you enjoying yourself?
Have you worked here long?
Pretty nice place, huh?

Help shy students by providing them with a mask.

DISADVANTAGES
Time-consuming.
Noise, chaos.
Use of mother tongue.
Difficulty of assuming somebody elses

personality:

Allowed to choose their own roles.

Shyness.

PRACTICE ACTIVITIES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Booking in a hotel.
Picture role-play.
The Lost Property Office.
Igartiburus People.
Role switching.
Simulation: Supermarket magic

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.