International Consultants & Managers

Using role-play for

language learning

Lynn Suico
Why use
role-play?
Can help rehearse
real life situations
Practise in a ‘safe’
environment
Can be…
…engaging
…enjoyable
…memorable
May lower a learner’s
affective filter…
..and build confidence
 Could Or
be someone
yourself else
What can
roleplay
teach?
Fluency or accuracy?
Good for:
Functional
language
But also vocabulary practice
and grammar practice
Authentic
‘

situations
Potentially
authentic
situations
Fantasy
situations
Choose subject with care
 Some
practical
examples
Starting from a dialogue
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.
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.
Starting from a
situation
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.
To use role
..or not?
cards?
If..keep
you do..
them
..or they can
simple..
be distracting..
Visual aids
Realia
A task to
complete
can help
Don’t forget to
input useful
language
 Teenagers
Is there any chance of –ing
Would you mind if I –ed

I’d be really careful…

Parents
I don't think that’s a great idea.
I’d like to but….

If you borrowed it, you’d probably….

Parents
Error Correction

If you would borrow the car, you

would crash!

Please let me to borrow it!

You will accident.

Note that it’s
important to:
Give time for preparation
Input language
Make opportunities for repetition
And give feedback
Scrivener: ‘Real Play’
‘Real play (Scrivener’)
pp222
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’
Other ideas…
Golden
rules
for
role
play
Golden Believe they will work!
rules Give a model.. and/or
Give preparation time
for A specific task to complete
role Language input
play Repetition
Feedback
A useful book
Have fun!
Thank you!
jo.gakonga@elt-training.com