Introduction
- 1. INTRODUCTION<br />Role play is a methodology that can be used to develop many subjects such as literature, social studies, some aspects of science and mathematics, and of course to teach English as a Foreign Language. Role play is one of the best ways to extend students skills like inventiveness, problem-solving, self-consciousness, and working in cooperation with other people (teams). It has been increased to many and diverse forms to teach students from the primary levels of the elementary school to the higher ranks in training executive people. Our objective in the present project is to be centered in developing activities and exercises to apply role play in children of elementary school.<br />We can define the word Role as the way a person acts in a prearranged position and circumstances. Role playing as a teaching methodology is the conscious acting out and discussion of the role in a group. In the classroom a problem situation is briefly acted out so that the individual student can identify with the characters. The complexity of the role situations must be minimized in using the method with children. But if we keep it simple for their limited attention spans, role playing can be used even in teaching students who did not get an elementary school level. Role-playing can be beneficial for children in a variety of ways. Through role-playing, children can learn about difficult or sensitive subjects. This teaching strategy enforces empathy, cooperation and negotiation skills. It helps children identify with others in different situations. The creative play can teach them to see the world through other perspectives and develop good social skills.<br />We can affirm that Role Play is a methodology which allows students in an EFL classroom to have the opportunity of developing a situation making mistakes, but they do it in a non-menacing environment. It is because they test and look for solutions for many realistic problems. It also permits the creation of an environment and sense of cooperation and community within class participants. <br />Role playing clearly encourages effective interpersonal relations and social transactions among participants. In order to develop a successful role play activity, the participants must accept the responsibilities of their roles and functions, and do the best they can in the situation in which they find themselves. To fulfill their role responsibilities, students must relate to others in the role play, making use of effective social skills.<br />CONCLUSIONS<br />The major goal we looked for in the present project was to explain how role play is used in teaching interpersonal development and the four basic skills in English to children in elementary school. We focused especially in how role play can improve students’ transactional and interpersonal ability of speaking. Based on the investigated sources and the compiled information, we conclude that:<br />Developing role plays to teach speaking in elementary school may result very helpful to improve students the mentioned skill. Most of students in an elementary classroom can finish the academic year speaking English in an acceptable fluency and misplacing nervousness at the time of act out in front of the class.<br />Using role play situations in elementary school EFL classrooms, the students’ achievement in speaking can improve significantly. More than 50% of students in the classroom will improve their pronunciation after applying role play activities and exercises in class.<br />Students feel that role play technique is fun and interesting because it allows them to discover a new character to develop in each role play session. They feel motivated to speak and involve in English conversations. Students take pleasure in learning English as a foreign language using role play technique.<br />On the other hand, some problems were found at the time of applying role play technique to improve speaking skill. One of the major problems is that this technique is not interesting for all students in a determined EFL classroom and this produces nervousness and mistakes in pronouncing some words in a small percentage of students. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS<br />Role play is a different technique of teaching in the classroom, especially in teaching interpersonal conversations. Based on this investigated project, there are some suggestions for learners and English teachers:<br />Role play is a good way for students to improve their ability in speaking. Using role play as a technique helps the teacher as well as the students and gives much time to the students to be active in class.<br />Exaggeration is good. Encourage students to exaggerate their actions, opinions and movements. Exaggeration helps students immerse themselves in the role.<br />Using role play in teaching and learning process is very important and would be successful if the situations are based on the students’ interests. Teachers need to encourage, and reinforce students all the time and build their confidence.<br />Role play provides opportunities for students to practice everyday language use through social communicative style and information communicative style.<br />We expect that this final project would bring new views for all the readers and English teachers. Hopefully, there would be other advantages of using role play as a technique in teaching learning process, and in the other aspect of language skills.<br />