Teach english new edition r

Example 2: role-play (intermediate to upper intermediate)
Many teachers ask students to become involved in 
simulations 
and 
role-plays. 
In 
simulations, students act as if they were in a real-life situation. We can ask them to simulate 
a check-in encounter at an airport, for example, or a job interview, or a presentation to a 
conference. Role-plays simulate the real world in the same kind of way, but the students are 
given particular roles - they are told who they are and often what they think about a certain 
subject. They have to speak and act from their new character’s point of view.
The following role-play sets up a dram atic situation and then gives the participants 
role-cards 
which tell them how they feel and what they want to achieve.
The teacher presents the class with the following situation:
Last night the W olverhampton Trophy was stolen from the W olverhampton Football Club 
Headquarters at around 9.30 in the evening. The police have brought in a youth for 
questioning; they believe this youth stole the trophy.
The suspect is being interviewed by two police officers. The suspect’s lawyer is also 
present. But because the suspect is not yet eighteen, a parent is also present.
W hen the teacher is sure the students understand the situation (including, for example, the 
meaning o f ‘trophy’), the class is divided into five groups: suspect, police officer 
1
, police 
officer 2, lawyer and parent. Each m em ber of the group is given the role-card for the part 
they are to play. The role-cards are as follows:
The suspect
• You are seventeen and a half years old.
• You did steal the trophy, of course, but you don’t think the police have any proof.
• You want to know where the police got their inform ation. When they ask you what 
you were doing last night, you’ll say you were with a friend.
• You enjoy being sitly when the police ask you questions. You get angry when the 
lawyer tries to stop you doing this.