ROLE-PLAYING AND SIMULATIONS FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE: IN THE EXAMPLE OF 8-9 GRADE STUDENTS
Abstract
Role-playing and simulations have emerged as powerful pedagogical tools for developing communicative competence in middle school students, particularly those in grades 8-9. At this stage, students are developing both cognitive and social skills, making it an ideal time to enhance their ability to communicate effectively in various contexts. This srticle examines how role-playing and simulation activities can facilitate the development of linguistic, cognitive, and interpersonal communication skills. Through engaging in realistic, context-based scenarios, students practice and refine their speaking, listening, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities in a safe and supportive environment. The study explores how these activities promote not only fluency and vocabulary acquisition but also cultural awareness, empathy, and the ability to adapt communication styles to different audiences. By incorporating role-plays and simulations into the curriculum, teachers can foster a dynamic learning environment that encourages active participation, critical thinking, and real-world application of language. The findings suggest that these methods significantly improve students' communicative competence, preparing them for a variety of real-life social interactions.
References
1. Sabri Thabit Saleh Ahmed., Dr. Sunil V. Pawa. Communicative Competence in English as a Foreign Language: Its Meaning and the Pedagogical Considerations for its Development. The Creative Launcher. 2018. P. 267-276.
2. M. Canal., & M. Swain. Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing. Applied Linguistics. 1980. P. 40.
3. Margaret E. Gredler. Games and Simulations and Their Relationships to Learning. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2004. P. 571–581.
4. D. W. Johnson, R. T. Johnson. Cooperation in the Classroom. Interaction Book Company. 1994. P.40.
5. M. A. Spence., M. L. McLaughlin. Role-playing for Effective Communication in Adolescents. Journal of Educational Psychology.1997. P. 277-285.
6. L. S. Vygotsky. Mind in Society:The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.1978. P. 90.
7. J. Dewey. Experience and Education. Kappa Delta Pi. 1938. P. 90.
8. M. N. N. F. Razali,. R. Ismail. The use of simuations and role-playing enhancing speaking skills in learning English language. Journal of Education and Social Sciences. 2017. P. 72-78.
9. A. Mehrabian. Nonverbal Communication. New York. 1973. P. 235.
10. R. S. Davis. Simulations: A tool for Testing “Virtual Reality” in the Language Classroom. Curriculum and Evaluation. The Japan Association for Language Teaching. P.313-317.
