role--play

 What is role-play?

I would like it to be clear from the outset what I mean by role-play.
Let us look at the words themselves. When student assume a ‘role’ they play apart (either their own or somebody else’s) in a specific situation. ‘Play’ means that the role is taken on in a safe environment in which student are as invented and playful as possible. A group of student carrying out a successful role play in classroom has much in common with a group of children playing school, doctors and nurses or star wars both are experimenting with their knowledge of the real world and developing their ability of interact with other people. in this situation there are no spectators and the occasional eavesdropper (apparent or a teacher) may not even be noticed. None of the risks of communication and behavior in the real world are present. The activity enjoyable and does not threaten the student’s (or the children’s) personality. This playing in role will build up self-confidence rather than damage it.
I prefer this description of role-play in the language classroom to any precis definition,
As it demonstrates clearly the kind of activity that I include, and that I do not include, under this heading. But it doesn’t fit many other activities that go by this name, such as the therapeutic role-plays of the improvisations that are acted out for the rest of the class and which belong to the realm of drama. I do not mean problem-solving case studies in which students are asked to ‘think like ‘ Mr. Smith or Ms Brown. In a role-play they are Mr. Smith or Ms Brown. In this way they have direct experience of the unpredictable nature of language in use.

It is probably neither possible, nor very profitable, to make fine distinctions between role-play and simulations. Clearly however, simulations are complex, length, and relatively inflexible events.
They will always include an element of role-play, though other types of activity such as analysis of data, discussion of option, etc.
Are also involved. Role-play, on the other hand, can be a quite simple and brief technique to organize. It is also highly flexible, leaving much more scope for the exercises of individual variations, initiative and imagination. Whereas role-play is included in simulation, it is not by any means confined to them.


 Why use role-play?

The special reasons for using role-play:

1- A very wide variety of experiences can be brought into the classroom through role-play. The range of functions and structures, and the areas of vocabulary that can be introduced, go far beyond the limits of other pair or group activities, such as conservation, communication games, or humanistic exercises. Through role-play we can train our students in speaking skills in any situation.

2- Role play puts students in situations in which they are required use and develop those phatic forms of language which are so necessary in oiling the works of social relationships, but which are so often neglected by our language teaching syllabuses.

3- Some people are teaching English to prepare for specific roles in their lives: people who are going to work or travel in an international context. It is helpful for these students to have tried out and experimented with the language they will require in the friendly and safe environment of classroom. For these students, role-play is a very useful dress rehearsal for real life.


4- Role-play helps many shy students by providing them with a mask. Some more articent members of a group may have a great deal of difficulty participating in conversations about themselves, and in other activities based on their direct experience.

5- Perhaps the most important reason for using role-play is that it is fun. Once students understand what is expected of them, they thoroughly enjoy letting their imagination rip. Although not appear to be any scientific evidence that enjoyment automatically leads to better learning most language teacher would probably agree that in the case of the vast majority of normal people this is surely so.






Finally, role-play is one whole gamut of communicative techniques, which develops fluency in language students, which promotes interaction in the classroom, and which increases motivation.
Role play is perhaps the most flexible technique in the range, and teachers how have it at there finger – tips are able to meet a n infinite variety of needs with suitable and effective role play exercises.




 Points to remember when setting up a role-play:

No teacher likes an unruly classroom, and role-play, like any other pair or grub work activity can lead to chaos if not properly organized.
Here are some hints for classroom management to avoid this:
1- Distinguish between noise and chaos. Noise is only a problem if the teacher next door complains.

2- Being with pair work rather than group work.


3- Keep the activity short until students get used to it.


4- Make sure your role-play can be used with different numbers of students. It is no going into classroom with an excellent role play for nine students, which will not work with seven, only to find that two students are off sick.

5- Make sure the student have understood the situation and what is on the role cords before you start.


6- If your class contains a captive audience, such as school – children and you have done everything you can to motivate them, do not worry too much about the one or two pairs or groups which are not participating in the activity, unless they are disturbing the other pupils.

7- Do not use a role-play that is too difficult or too emotionally loaded until your students are used to this activity. If you do, students will probably break into there native language.


8- If your students break into their native language anyway, setup the task more progressively.

9- Always have a follow – up activity up your sleeve for the groups that finish thee role-play before the others.


10- Sit strict time limit and make every attempt to stick to it.
 Objectives :

It may not always be possible to define objectives clearly, and in many cases what is learnt may differ from the original intention of the organizer. However, the tutor must at least be aware of the dangers of going into role-play without having thought of the relationship of the session the student will be able to, or in problem terms.
If the letter approach is used it leads naturally to a consideration of the broad scenario.


 Types of role-play :


1- describe
In this category the role-play is being used as a means of communication to describe a situation which can be more graphically illustrated by means of dramatization than by pure verbal description.

2-demonstrate
There is considerable similarity between this category and the previous one, but the intention there is top give a demonstration, which may be copied by the student.

3-practice
The previous two uses of role-play are relatively rare. This kind is many common typical situations are where a young person is practicing social skills; students are trying their hand at using foreign language in practical context.


4- reflect
The different between this category and the previous one is more one of intent than action.

5-sensitize
If there is a close relationship between practicing and reflecting upon one’s actions so is there a relationship between introspection about one’s action and awareness of one’s feelings and emotions during a role – play.

6- create / express
This category has been included for the sake of completeness.















 advantages of role – play :

1- Enables student to express hidden feelings.

2- Enables student to discuss private issues and problems.

3- Enables student to empathize with others and
Understand their motivation.

4- Gives practice in various types of behavior.

5- Portrays generalized social problems and dynamics
Of group interaction, formal and informal.

6- Gives life and immediacy to academic disruptive
Martial (history, English, economics, geography).

7- Provides opportunity for none – articulate student.

8- Motivational and effective because it involves activity.
9- Provide rapid feedback for both student and tutor.

10- Is student – centered and addresses itself to the needs and concerns of the trainee; the group can control content and pace.

11- closes gap between training and real life situations.

12- change attitudes.
13- permits training in the control feelings and emotions.

 Disadvantages of role play:

1- Tutor loses control over what is learnt and the order in which it is learnt.
2- Simplifications can mislead.
3- Uses a large amount of time.
4- Uses other resources – people, space, special items.
5- Depends on the quality of tutor and student.
6- Impact may trigger off withdrawal or defense symptoms.
7- May be seen as too entertaining or frivolous.
8- May dominate learning to the exclusion of solid theory and facts.
9- May depend on what students or ready know.