This activity is a role play that allows students to take control, decide how the story will develop, and use their imagination. It can be used with a range of levels as students drive the content, but they will have to think on their feet and use the language in real time as they can’t prepare for what is going to happen.

Author
Stuart Wiffin

The activity is very suitable for learners who are confident and who would like a chance to try out their English in a 'real' situation, but it can equally be used with a less confident group of learners given the right support.

Preparation

No preparation is required.

Procedure

  • In open class ask students to imagine they are going on a dream holiday and ask for suggestions for a destination.
  • Establish they are at this destination now, on holiday. Ask them to suggest what they have been doing during their stay, who they are with and how the holiday has been going. 
  • Either ask for volunteers or select two confident speakers and ask them to come to the front of the class. Clear desks to give them plenty of space. Ask your two volunteers for their (role play) names and write these on the board. Then ask them the name of the hotel they are staying in and the room number. Write these on the board as they will be needed later! Tell them they have returned to their room to find that their passports are no longer in the drawer where they left them. Encourage them to actively search for the passports but don’t allow them to find them. Then ask them to say what they would do next.
  • When they give you an idea e.g. call the reception, indicate that they have to choose another student in the class to be the receptionist. The three students then play out the scene and decide what they’ll do next e.g. call the manager, the police etc. The student then chooses someone else in the class to be the next character and the first three students include the next student in the role play. 
  • The students soon get the idea and more and more characters are called e.g. the cleaner, a witness (guest in next room), a journalist etc.  As the role play develops the teacher is there to help manage decisions and guide students when they have difficulties, but in general the important decisions are left up to the students.
  • While the role play is going the teacher makes a note of language errors and also notes down language and phrases that are missing or wrong in terms of polite communication.  This could be, for example, phrases such as: I’m sorry to disturb you but... Or Would you mind telling me... Or any other language the teacher feels might help the communication go more smoothly.
  • Once the role play has come to a natural end the teacher can go through the language on the board and practise any pronunciation points with the students.
Language Level

Comments

Submitted by Nigo Kim on Sun, 10/16/2022 - 10:40

Dear Mr. Wiffin, I, Nigora Kholdarova, want to thank you for this creative activity that has a potential to engage all students in smaller classes. It is a lesson-saver for most teachers when they don't have time or simply forget to prepare an activity for a class; or when a teacher simply wants to recharge his/her students when they are tired or sleepy.
        However, it may be uncomfortable for shy students who panic in front of the public, especially if we(a teacher and other students) prevent them from finding their passports for a long period of time. The game may never end, so I want to ask when should a teacher understand that it is high time to allow the students find their passports?
         The next problem I see is when the teacher tells the mistakes to the role players who might become uncomfortable if they have made more mistakes than other students, or even demotivated to play the next time. Yet, anonymous feedback would work quite well since the teacher will address the student who made a mistake, but would rather say  "Someone said ....., but it actually has to be ....". I liked the part with suggestions about suitable (polite) phrases; it can enhance learners' vocabulary.
I do not think this activity is exclusively for B2 level learners; it can be adjusted to B1, and even C1 students too. The situation and the setting could be changed too, for instance, one of the 2 students could be killed and other one is the first suspect so he/she will need a lawer and a detective to find the murderer, there could also be other players too(cleaner, manager, guard, etc.)

Submitted by Nigo Kim on Sun, 10/16/2022 - 08:33

Dear Mr. Wiffin, I, Nigora Kholdarova, want to thank you for this creative activity that has a potential to engage all students in smaller classes. It is a lesson-saver for most teachers when they don't have time or simply forget to prepare an activity for a class; or when a teacher simply wants to recharge his/her students when they are tired or sleepy.
However, it may be uncomfortable for shy students who panic in front of the public, especially if we(a teacher and other students) prevent them from finding their passports for a long period of time. The game may never end, so I want to ask when should a teacher understand that it is high time to allow the students find their passports?
The next problem I see is when the teacher tells the mistakes to the role players who might become uncomfortable if they have made more mistakes than other students, or even demotivated to play the next time. Yet, anonymous feedback would work quite well since the teacher will address the student who made a mistake, but would rather say "Someone said ....., but it actually has to be ....". I liked the part with suggestions about suitable (polite) phrases; it can enhance learners' vocabulary.
I do not think this activity is exclusively for B2 level learners; it can be adjusted to B1, and even C1 students too. The situation and the setting could be changed too, for instance, one of the 2 students could be killed and other one is the first suspect so he/she will need a lawer and a detective to find the murderer, there could also be other players too(cleaner, manager, guard, etc.)

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