FAQ Mini-Roleplays (Practicing Present Simple)

 

            INTRO: This roleplay is a suitable activity for:

             Elementary students- for present simple requests: "Where is..?"

            "Could I ?" "How much?" etc.

             Pre-Intermediate students- indirect requests with verb "to be": "Do

             you know where it is?" and "to do": "Could you tell me how much it

             costs?"

             Intermediate students- requests using "if" and gerunds: "Is it Ok

             if?" "Would you mind if?" "Would it be OK if..?" "I wonder if I

             could? Would you mind telling me if? "I was wondering

             if..?"

             STEP 1

             Write the words Airline, Fair, Hospital, Ticket Counter, University, Mall,

             & Library in a list down the board. Ask the students to give a (local if

             possible) name to each place. For example:

                                             Airline......Japan Airlines

                                          University.......Bangkok University

                                     Ticket Counter........Skytrain Ticket Counter etc.

             STEP 2

             Select a student and ask them to choose one location and tell them

             they work at the the information counter and that you (the teacher) are a

             customer requesting information. Suppose they choose the Skytrain

             Ticket Counter and you are teaching an elementary class you might

              ask:

                            "When does the next train to downtown leave?"

                            "How much does a ticket cost?"

                            "Is there a train at 1AM?

                            Can I buy a drink on the platform?"

                            and so on..

                            Model a roleplay with the student.

             STEP 3

             Ask pairs of students to select one location. Cross out the locations on

             the board as They are selected. Tell the students to write down 5

             requests they might at ask at the information counter of their chosen

             location. Check their questions as they write.

             STEP 4

             Finally, for the roleplay, ask one student from each pair to stand up with

             the questions. Tell them to walk around the room and talk to the seated

             students. For example:

                            STUDENT A (standing): You are the Bangkok University Information

                            Assistant

                            STUDENT B (seated): OK.

                            STUDENT A (standing): Excuse me, when does the next term begin?

                            STUDENT B (seated): : It begins on

                            STUDENT A (standing): And can I register late?

                            STUDENT B (seated):Well,..

             STEP 5

             After the standing students have roleplayed with a number of students

             tell them to sit down and get the sitting students to stand and be the

             customers.