Some thoughts and practical ideas for using role play in the language classroom. If you'd like free, video presentation of this, go to www.elt-training.com

1. Using role-play for
language learning

2. Why use
role-play?

3. Can help rehearse
real life situations

4. Practise in a ‘safe’
environment

5. Can be…
…engaging
…enjoyable
…memorable

6. May lower a learner’s
affective filter…

7. ..and build confidence

8. Could
be
yourself
Or
someone
else

10. What can
roleplay
teach?

11. Fluency or accuracy?

12. Good for:
Functional
language
But also vocabulary practice
and grammar practice

13. ‘Authentic
situations

14. Potentially
authentic
situations

15. Fantasy
situations

16. Choose subject with care

17. Some
practical
examples

18. Starting from a dialogue

19. SK: Hello, what can I get you?
C: I’m not sure – which cheese is the
nicest?
SK: They’re all nice, but this one is my
favourite – would you like to try a bit?
C: Yes, please…. Oh yes, it’s really tasty.
How much is it?
SK: That piece is £2.56. Shall I wrap it up?
C: That’s great. Thanks.

20. SK: Hello, what can I get you?
C: I’m not sure – which cheese is the
nicest?
SK: They’re all nice, but this one is my
favourite – would you like to try a bit?
C: Yes, please…. Oh yes, it’s really tasty.
How much is it?
SK: That piece is £2.56. Shall I wrap it up?
C: That’s great. Thanks.

21. Starting from a
situation

22. Student A:
You are going to London for a job interview next week
and you can’t afford a hotel. An old friend lives there
and you haven’t seen them for years - call your friend
and ask if you can stay the night.
Student B:
The person who calls you is someone you haven’t seen
for 10 years and you haven’t kept in touch because you
didn’t like them very much. You live in a very small flat in
London and you hate having visitors but you are a very
polite person.

23. To use role
cards?..or not?
If you do....keep them
simple..
..or they can
be distracting..

24. Visual aids
Realia

25. A task to
complete
can help

26. Don’t forget to
input useful
language

29. Parents
Teenagers
Is there any chance of –ing
Would you mind if I –ed
I’d be really careful…
I don't think that’s a great idea.
I’d like to but….
If you borrowed it, you’d probably….

30. Parents

31. Error Correction
If you would borrow the car, you
would crash!
Please let me to borrow it!
You will accident.

32. Note that it’s
important to:
Give time for preparation
Input language
Make opportunities for repetition
And give feedback

33. ‘Real play (Scrivener’)
pp222
Scrivener: ‘Real Play’

34. Who are the two people?
Where are you?
What are you talking about?
Why are you talking?
What happened just before this?
Is any other information important?
What are some points that will come up
in the discussion?
What would be a good result?
Scrivener ‘Learning teaching’

35. Other ideas…

36. Golden
rules
for
role
play

37. Golden
rules
for
role
play
Believe they will work!
Give a model.. and/or
Give preparation time
A specific task to complete
Language input
Repetition
Feedback

38. A useful book

39. Have fun!

40. Thank you!
jo.gakonga@elt-training.com