USING SIMULATIONS IN COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING - buletin aca.doc

USING SIMULATIONS SIMULATIONS IN COMMUNICAT COMMUNI CATIVE IVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING Teacher 1st Degree Isabela-Anda DRAGOMIR  The Main Foreign Language Centre of the Land Forces Headuarters! "ibiu! Ro#ania i$adrago#ir%&ahoo'co# TA (r)ndu*a-Oana +IC,L"C, .hD /+icolae (0lcescu Land Forces Acade#&! "ibiu! Ro#ania  branducos#a%&ahoo'co# ABSTRACT Throughout the years, preparing the individuals for a demanding life and provid providing ing the societ societyy with with social socially ly and intell intellect ectual ually ly mature mature citizens have been one of the most important missions of schooling.  Assuming this noble mission, educators have sought ways to fulfill the indi indivi vidu dual al’’s need need of being being prof profic icie ient nt enou enough gh to cope cope with with the the challenges of the world. In order to achieve this end, through the behaviorist reign, the learner has been regarded as a passive member  of the classro classroom om which which is shaped shaped by the holy dominance dominance of the omnipotent instructor. But things have turned to a new dimension –  the the teac teache herr is no long longer er the the sage sage on the the stag stage! e! but but the the silen silent  t  oversee overseerr in the bac". bac". #odern #odern method methodolo ology gy fosters fosters a shift shift from from teacher$c teacher$center entered ed to student$cen student$centere tered d and even student$gene student$generated  rated  approach approaches, es, leaving enough space for maneuver maneuver to the individual  learner and laying emphasis on the power of self$instruction and  responsibility for learning. The greatest emphasis of the instructional  act should be placed placed on the students’ students’ e%plo e%plorati ration on of their their own attitudes and values. The practical part of this article will e%plore in detail the theoretical and the empirical dimensions of one of the most  important basic active learning activities – simulations.

Keywords: simulaio!s" #lassroom #lassroom $ra#i#e" %u!#io!al E!&lis'" $ro(lem sol)i!& *+ INTR INTRO, O,UC UCTI TION ON One of the fore#ost res2onsibilities of language teachers is to create and i#2le#ent s2ea3ing #ethods that actuall& build oral language 2roficienc&' To do this! #an& researchers and 2ractitioners ali3e ha4e suggested the 2o5er of si#ulations to trans2ose the nor#al classroo# into an authentic setting 5here language s3ills can be 2racticed in #ore realistic conditions' A si#ulation tas3 is gi4en and 2artici2ants are reuired to resol4e a 2roble# of  so#e so#e 3ind 3ind usin using g thei theirr o5n o5n life life e62e e62eri rien ence ce and and chara charact cter er'' "i#u "i#ula latio tions ns #i#i #i#icc real real life life situations as closel& as 2ossible' "i#ulations can be 4er& co#2le6! and are used 5idel& in #anage#ent training! for  e6a#2le! e6a#2le! in 5hich a 5hole conference conference #ight be si#ulated' si#ulated' Ho5e4er! Ho5e4er! the& can be used 4er& successfull& in the FL7"L classroo#! in a #uch si#2ler for#! and 5e ha4e found the# 4er& effecti4e' The& are e6citing! 2ro4ocati4e and 2roducti4e' In our o2inion! si#ulations are #uch #ore effecti4e than role-2la&s! es2eciall& at Inter#ediate le4el and abo4e' Thus said! 5e

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can antici2ate that si#ulations do ha4e to be carefull& 2lanned! and follo5 on fro# language and s3ills 5or3 5hich 2re2are the e4ent' -+ THEORETICAL A..ROACHES The #ost co##on 4ie5 of si#ulations is that the& 2ro4ide a 5a& of creating a rich co##unicati4e en4iron#ent 8a re2resentation of realit&9 5here students acti4el& beco#e a  2art of so#e real-5orld s&ste#s and function acc ording to 2redeter#ined roles as #e#bers of  that grou2' More i#2ortant! ho5e4er! is the notion that a si#ulation beco#es realit& and students can get acti4el& in4ol4ed in 5hat the& are 2erfor#ing 5ithout focusing too #uch on the en4iron#ental details! but rather on the language to be 2roduced in that 2articular realistic conte6t' A#ong the innate benefits of si#ulations 5e e#2hasi$e the fact that the& fulfill the students: need for realis# ; a desire to /relate to life :out there: be&ond the classroo#? the& increase student 8and teacher9 #oti4ation! es2eciall& for those in FL situations 5ho #ight see nglish as a deferred need at best? the& dis#antle the nor#al teacher-student relationshi2 so that students ta3e control of their o5n 2erfor#ance 5ithin the si#ulation! leading to5ards @declassroo#ing@ the classroo# =>? the& hel2 the learner  confront and identif& 5ith the target culture' "i#ulations also ha4e the great affecti4e ad4antage of reducing an6iet& le4els ! 5hich is essential to language de4elo2#ent' =B> There are three essential ele#ents of si#ulations that need to be fulfilled in order for  this t&2e of acti4it& to achie4e the desired effect &'  'eality of function –  2artici2ants are assigned roles and are told the& #ust full& acce2t the# both #entall& and beha4iorall& as if the& 5ere actuall& those 2eo2le? (. )imulated environment – a realistic setting constructed to enhance role-acce2tance b& utili$ing a 4ariet& of realia? *. )tructure ; the 5hole action is built around a set of 2roble#s or tas3s! thus follo5ing the tas3-based #odel of teaching! 5hich has been ad4ocated to suit #ilitar& nglish classes' "i#ulations are so#eti#es difficult to distinguish fro# the role-2la&s! es2eciall& since the language and functions to be 2racticed in both o4erla2' +e4ertheless! 5e included the# in a distinct categor&! since the& are lengthier! #ore co#2le6 and are! as de#onstrated so far! acco#2anied b& e6tra-linguistic ele#ents 82ro#2ts! realia! s2ecific setting! etc'9 The& e4en include /re4isited ele#ents of role-2la&! co#bined and intert5ined 5ith #ore co#2le6 t&2es of acti4ities data anal&sis! discussion of o2tions! argu#entations! decision-#a3ing! etc' /+ SIMULATIONS IN CLASSROOM .RACTICE As de#onstrated b& classroo# 2ractice! si#ulations can be used in order to co4er a 5ide range of to2ics and functions in an& tas3-based curriculu# ser4ices! sho22ing! at the restaurant! bu&ing7renting a flat! renting a car! boo3ing a holida&! chec3ing into a hotel! etc' "ince the to2ics and functions to be taught and 2racticed o4erla2 at so#e 2oint bet5een  2roficienc& le4els 8#ainl& inter#ediate and ad4anced9! 5e 5ill #a3e a distinction bet5een the t&2es of si#ulations used for each le4el' The si#ulations that are suitable and a22licable for the inter#ediate le4el ha4e been called "ur4i4al or Functional nglish! 5hile the ones  2ro4ed #ore effecti4e 5ith ad4anced learners are in the categor& of .roble# "ol4ing and Decision Ma3ing! since the& reuire #ore co#2le6 cogniti4e and linguistic s3ills' /+*+ 0u!#io!al E!&lis' 1a 'e air$or" a 'e 'oel" a 'e resaura!" a 'e $os o%%i#e" a 'e (a!2" a 'e do#or3s4 These si#ulations are a good 5a& of 2racticing language targeted on the to2ic' The role 2la& acti4it& is usuall& acco#2anied b& 4ocabular& handouts #eant to acti4ate and consolidate 2re4iousl& introduced structures' The functional nglish that students are subected to is related to chec3ing in! getting through custo#s! boo3ing! ordering food!

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#a3ing transactions! e62laining sto#s! etc' This 2ractice falls under the situational instructional #odel and has the great ad4antage of ha4ing learners use the target language in order to co2e 5ith real-life situations #ost of the# ha4e or 5ill definitel& e62erience' 6a#2les of such acti4ities are to be found under the categor& Sur)i)al E!&lis'" 5hich includes functional nglish to2ics! ada2ted for the inter#ediate le4el such as eating out 8At the Restaurant9! ser4ices 8At the (an3! At the Doctor
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a 5ell-defined acti4it& the usage of #ilitar& si#ulations focused on 2roble# sol4ing and decision #a3ing 2rocesses' "uch acti4ities are e6tre#el& co#2le6! reuire e6tensi4e  2re2aration! a good co##and of not onl& general but also s2ecific #ilitar& ter#inolog&! solid  bac3ground 2rofessional 3no5ledge and e62ertise a nd a high le4el of confidence and co#fort 5ith the to2ic and 5ith the language' "i#ulations under this categor& ste# fro# real-life co#bat or non-co#bat situations that students are e62osed to in the 2re2aration stage 5ith the hel2 of 4arious integrated-s3ill acti4ities' One e6a#2le of such a si#ulation is entitled  +ovarovia! 8555'britishcouncil'org7#ilitar&english9 2ut under the categor& .roble# sol4ing7Decision Ma3ing' In the first 2art of the acti4it&! students are 2resented the situation! either through reading or listening or 5ith the hel2 of a 2o5er 2oint 2resentation that incor2orates both' It is i#2ortant at this stage that the teacher controls the in2ut and the 5a& it is recei4ed b& the learners! since the entire outco#e of the acti4it& hea4il& de2ends on ho5 #uch the students relate to and internali$e the situation' The in2ut infor#ation is e62lained! discussed and anal&$ed in ter#s of language 84ocabular& and gra##ar structures9 as 5ell as of conce2ts a22licable to high-le4el courses 8leadershi2! #ilitar& strateg&! course of action! rules of  engage#ent! hu#an rights! etc'9 It is i#2ortant to set a clear conte6t of the situation! so that the students understand all the characteristics and di#ensions of the issue' A detailed 2resentation of the scene includes infor#ation regarding the 2olitical and social setting! and assigns the students their 2articular  role in this si#ulation' At this 2oint! it is essential to dra5 attention u2on a crucial distinction  bet5een role-2la&s and si#ulations' The 5a& 5e see and 2ractice these t5o 2articular  acti4ities clearl& distinguishes bet5een t5o basic conce2tual characteristics a role-2la& 2uts learners in fa#iliar situations 5here the& ha4e to be the#sel4es or assu#e a 2art that is 4er& si#ilar to 5hat the& do in real life 8thus the usage of role-2la&s s2ecificall& targeted to inter#ediate grou2s9! 5hile si#ulations! b& the 4irtue of their co#2le6it&! set u2 unfa#iliar  conte6ts 5hich auto#aticall& entail unfa#iliar roles 8lo5-hierarch& #ilitar& 2eo2le ha4e to assu#e the role of co##anders! higher ran3s #a& be reduced to si#2le e6ecutants of  decisions instead of re#aining decision-#a3ers! the 2rofessional categor& #a& change as soldiers beco#e la5&ers! teachers! doctors! etc'9 The ne6t ste2 in setting the fra#e of the si#ulation is to e62lain the 4ision or the #ission behind the acti4it&! 5hich is generall& 2resented in one 2aragra2h' The situational a22roach slo5l& shifts to5ards a tas3-based teaching #odel! as students are as3ed to filter  infor#ation and brea3 the theoretical infor#ation into s#aller o2erational chun3s' Therefore! one of the 2ri#ar& tas3s for this acti4it& 5ould be to ha4e students set u2 their o5n goals and obecti4es for the #ission' Once this stage is acco#2lished! students grou2! establish a co##on set of obecti4es and decide on a course of action to be follo5ed in order to acco#2lish the s2ecific goals' In order to do so! students #ust acti4ate 4ocabular& and gra##ar structures! and #ust use language at a high conce2tual le4el! 5hile using and  building u2 critical thin3ing abilities 8su##ari$ing! 2ara2hrasing! e62ressing and defending  2oint of 4ie5! argu#enting! negotiating! concluding! etc9' In the ne6t stage! each student ta3es u2 a role in the si#ulation 8,+ 2ersonnel! 2olitical re2resentati4e! #ilitar& co##ander! ci4ilian authorit&9 and tailors the decision #a3ing 2rocess and the final solution according to the 2rofile of his7her 2art' The final 2roduct of the si#ulation consists of a briefing! structured and deli4ered according to a gi4en 2attern! in 5hich each 2artici2ant 5ill ha4e to 2resent! argu#ent and su22ort his decision7solution fro# the 2ers2ecti4e of his7her role' The co#2le6it& of such an acti4it& is gi4en b& the fact that it uses a 5ide arra& of  language-learning techniues' It is an e6cellent 4ehicle for de4elo2ing students< discussion s3ills! 5hile in4ol4ing reading! listening! 5riting! s2ecific language structures and functions!

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and 2articular areas of 4ocabular&' Although it #a& be argued against on the grounds of being ti#e consu#ing and irrele4ant unless the target 2o2ulation is actuall& dealing 5ith such situations as 2art of their 2rofessional e62erience! this t&2e of acti4it& trans2oses students into a different 5orld and the e62erience in itself beco#es e6tre#el& enriching and re5arding'  +onetheless! the usage of #ilitar&-fla4ored si#ulations does not rule out the need for  si#ulations on general to2ics to be found in the ad4anced course s&llabus! such as ad4ertising! econo#&! charit&! en4iron#ent! cri#e! etc' The e6a#2le gi4en here! entitled )upermar"et   #agic is a decision #a3ing #eeting ai#ed at establishing 5hether to introduce subli#inal #essages onto ta2ed su2er#ar3et #usic or not! in an atte#2t to fight sho2-lifting =>' The si#ulation is suitable for the 2ractice and reinforce#ent of 4ocabular& and conce2ts discussed under the u#brella of se4eral to2ics! such as ad4ertising or cri#e! so it 5ould best fit a re4ie5 session at the end of the course or before an e4aluation' Our 2ersonal a22lication of this acti4it& 5as to use it for e4aluation 2ur2oses! in order to infor#all& assess students< s2ea3ing s3ills! 5ith focus on language functions! in an original for#at' In order to bridge this ga2  bet5een si#ulations and testing! 5e ha4e ada2ted this acti4it& for e4aluation 2ur2oses! ta3ing into account the need and desire to #easure language 2roficienc& in a realistic conte6t' In the end! our #ain goal 5as to 2ro4ide so#e #easure of both the 2rocess 8ho5 the& a22roached the tas3 in nglish b& re4ie5ing! organi$ing and 5eighing alternati4es! deliberating o4er the infor#ation a4ailable to the#! etc'9 and the 2roduct 8the decision the& reached! de#onstrating their functional nglish language s3ills9' The suitable le4el for this acti4it& is u22er inter#ediate to ad4anced! its esti#ated ti#e is t5o hours and the #ain obecti4e is to de4elo2 discussion s3ills! 5ith focus on s2ea3ing functions 8e62ressing 2oint of 4ie5! 2ersuading! agreeing and disagreeing9' The #aterials students need are notes to 2artici2ants! role cards! ho#e office re2orts! and ne5s2a2er  articles' The acti4it& starts 5ith a short lead-in on the issue of sho2-lifting! 5hich is a good o22ortunit& to reacti4ate 4ocabular& and conce2ts on the to2ic' "tudents are then gi4en the notes to 2artici2ants! and are guided through the situation so that e4er&one understands 5hat is in4ol4ed and 5hat is e62ected fro# the#' The ne6t stage is to assign students their roles! b& distributing the role cards rando#l&' Then the students are told that in order to fulfill the tas3  of #a3ing a sound! argu#ented decision! the& #ight need to consult the /librar& that has  been set u2 in one corner of the classroo#! 5here the& can find docu#ents to refer to in order  to get additional infor#ation about the situation the& are going to anal&$e' The 2ur2ose of the acti4it& is to hold a final #eeting! in 5hich 2artici2ants decide 5hether introducing subli#inal #essages onto ta2ed su2er#ar3et #usic as a deterrent to sho2-lifting is a good idea or not' Littleohn suggests that the use of si#ulations as a testing de4ice is => an i#2ortant de4elo2#ent since it should be 2ossible to re2licate the situations in 5hich learners 5ill ha4e to use the language' => He also feels that this 3ind of re2lication allo5s us to 4ie5 not onl& the language 2roduct but also the 2rocess b& 5hich that language e#erged' The rationale  behind the idea of using si#ulations as an assess#ent #ethod is that 5hereas standardi$ed e4aluation #ethods offer insight on ho5 the student #ight do in a real setting! si#ulations indicate ho5 the student actuall& 2erfor#s' The e4aluation of such an acti4it& is indeed a 4er& challenging endea4or' One suggested reci2e 5ould be to use a #lange of assess#ent tools!  both obecti4e and subecti4e' The first one is to use a 4ideo ca#era or a ta2e recorder and e62loit the recorded #aterial in a later self-correction session or in a student and7or teachergenerated feedbac3 session' Although this #ethod is e6tre#el& effecti4e and 2ro4ides authentic sa#2les to be obecti4el& e4aluated at a later ti#e! students feel reluctant to being fil#ed or recorded and the degree of disco#fort the& e62erience is 4er& li3el& to affect their   2erfor#ance' Ee usuall& a4oid 2utting #& students in such unco#fortable situations and! e4en though 5e are fa#iliar 5ith the theor& behind this 2ractice! 5e choose to do so#e e6tra

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in-class effort and #onitor the# thoroughl& and e6tensi4el& throughout the acti4it& rather  than ha4ing the# recorded' Ee ha4e 2referred the use of the second ad4ocated #ethod and organi$ed a debriefing session in order to assess ho5 the final decision 5as reached and to gi4e feedbac3 on the language usage and correct 2ossible errors' The ulti#ate success of an& si#ulation hinges on the efficac& of this 5ra2-u2 session! 5here students and the teacher can o2enl& discuss  beha4iors! outco#es! general language difficulties! and the conte6tual a22ro2riateness of their  language discourse' (ecause the teacher! as the controller! does not ta3e 2art in the si#ulation! he7she is able to loo3 in as an obser4er 5ithout inhibiting students fro# assu#ing their roles' Although there are se4eral different a22roaches to debriefing! 5e ha4e chosen to hold a one-hour session the ne6t class 2eriod! gi4ing us ti#e to reflect bac3 on the si#ulation and organi$e our co##ents regarding students< beha4ioral or linguistic errors that 5ere #ost a22arent! and gi4ing students a needed res2ite fro# such an intensi4e e62erience' .edagogicall& s2ea3ing! this brea3 also allo5s the teacher to 4ie5 or listen to the ta2es 8if the case9! record obser4ations! and 2re2are follo5-u2 classroo# lessons in the for# of short role  2la&s to reinforce areas that need i#2ro4e#ent' 6+ CONCLUSIONS "ince the 5orld inside the classroo# often differs so #uch fro# real-life e62erience! 5hich #a3es students feel that the 3no5ledge the& encounter in school is ina22licable to their  li4es! the ad4ocated use of si#ulations for co##unicati4e 2ur2oses engages the learners in first-hand e62eriences of 3no5ledge 5hich successfull& bridge the ga2 bet5een /realit& and /classroo#' 62eriential learning acuired through si#ulations allo5s students to the#ati$e their li4es 5hile reaching a dee2er and #ore 2ersonal understanding of the #aterial to be co4ered' This beco#es 2articularl& i#2ortant 5ith #ilitar& students! since the& definitel& need a 5ider range of real-life s3ills! regardless of the #edia the& #anifest through' Therefore! teaching the language #ust be su22le#ented b& the de4elo2#ent of critical thin3ing s3ills and conseuentl&! learning the #ethod ta3es 2recedence o4er the content the how o4er the what ' The e62eriential 2rocess 2ro4ided b& si#ulations in4ol4es a gradual transfer of  autono#& fro# teacher to student! #ade 2ossible through strategies of 2roble# sol4ing and inference' (& 2ro4o3ing students to de4elo2 their o5n theories concerning so#e5hat cr&2tic infor#ation! the& obtain e#2o5er#ent and ins2iration' .ersonal e62erience is! therefore! transfor#ed into 3no5ledge in order to create a /fra#e5or3 of #eaning 5hich encodes the infor#ation #ore efficientl& in the student:s brain' "ince infor#ation is transferred #ore effecti4el& 5hen 2eo2le learn 5ith understanding rather than #erel& #e#ori$e sets of facts! the student:s educational e62erience should benefit fro# the i#2le#entation of acti4e learning techniues' The 2ractice of using si#ulations as a 2edagogical learning and testing tool in the classroo# offered students and teachers ali3e a great sense of fulfill#ent and satisfaction in ta3ing 2art in acti4ities that are inno4ati4e! 2rag#atic in nature! and fun' RE0ERENCES =1> To# McArthur!  A oundation -ourse for anguage Teachers ! 8Ca#bridge Ca#bridge ,ni4erist& .ress! 1JJB9! 1K1' => E'E' "harroc3 and D'R' Eatson! Realit& Construction in L "i#ulations! in )imulation Applications in ( /ducation and 'esearch ! ed' D' Coc3rall 8O6ford .erga#on! 1JJ9! 1' =B> "te4en rashen! 0rinciples and 0ractice in )econd anguage Ac1uisition! 8O6ford .erga#on! KK9! '

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=> Gillian .orter Ladousse! 'ole 0lay! 8O6ford O6ford ,ni4ersit& .ress! KKK9! 1K' => Archer& Littleohn!Testing The ,se of "i#ulation Ga#es as a Language Testing De4ice , in )imulation, 2aming and anguage earning ' eds' D' Coc3rall and R'L' O6ford 8+e5 Nor3 +e5bur& House! 1JJK9! 1' BIBLIOGRA.H7 Ada#s! Dennis and Mar& Ha##'  'edefining /ducation in the Twenty$irst -entury3 )haping -ollaborative earning in the Age of Information ' "2ingfield! IL C' C' Tho#as! KK' (irnbau#! Robert' Ga#es and "i#ulations in Higher ducation' )imulation and  2ames! 1B'1 8KK9! B-11' (on5ell! Charles! et al' Acti4e learning Creating e6cite#ent in the classroo#'  A)4/$/'I- 4igher /ducation 'eport )eries 5A/4/ 9' Eashington! DC George Eashington ,ni4ersit&! KKK' Carrier! Michael' "i#ulations in nglish Language Teaching A Coo2erati4e A22roach' )imulation and 2aming ! ' 8KKB9! -BB' olb! Da4id'  /%periential earning3 e%perience as the source of learning and  development ' ngle5ood Cliffs! +'P' .rentice-Hall! KK' rashen! "te4en'  0rinciples and 0ractice in )econd anguage Ac1uisition' O6ford .erga#on! KK' Ladousse! Gillian .orter' 'ole 0lay' O6ford O6ford ,ni4ersit& .ress! KKK' Littleohn! Archer&' Testing The ,se of "i#ulation Ga#es as a Language Testing De4ice! in )imulation, 2aming and anguage earning ! edited b& D' Coc3rall and R'L' O6ford' +e5 Nor3 +e5bur& House! 1JJK' McArthur! To#' A oundation -ourse for anguage Teachers' Ca#bridge Ca#bridge ,ni4erist& .ress! 1JJB' "harroc3! E'E' and D'R' Eatson' Realit& Construction in L "i#ulations! in )imulation Applications in ( /ducation and 'esearch! edited b& D' Coc3rall' O6ford .erga#on! 1JJ'

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