Role playhttps://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/teachers/lessons-and-activities/activities/

role-play

Theft in the hotel

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. 

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.