Graded Simulations I [antikvár]

Generai introduction Ken Jones has been writing simulations since the mid 1960s. His latest book Is Designing Your Own Simulations (1985) Methuen. Ken Jones has also written: Simulations in Language Teaching (1982) Cambridge University Press. Simulations - A Handbook for Teaciiers (1980) Kogan Page, London. We're in Business (1983) published by the British Post Office. About simulations A simulation establishes an environment In which communication Is essential. Participants In any of the Nine Graded Simulations find themselves being provoked Into using language and communication skills - perhaps because they are In danger of dying of thirst, or are Involved in a controversy over extending the runway of an airport. With the possible exception of Survival the simulations are open-ended, with no right answers. They provide Interesting situations with plenty of opportunities for imagination, humour, and decisionmaking skills in an atmosphere of adult responsibility. Simulations cannot be taught, for there Is no teacher in the desert or newsroom. The teacher becomes Organiser, responsible only for the mechanics of the simulation, including Introducing It and being In charge of any de-brlefing. The participants have full power, and that includes the power to make mistakes. The Organiser must not warn or guide. In Survival, If the participants die, then they are dead. That proves they had complete authority, and they can learn from their mistakes. Freed from the task of teaching, the Organiser is in an excellent position to observe and assess. Reality of function Is a key concept. In Radio Covingham, for example, the participants do not pretend to be journalists; they are journalists because they Interview and edit. The roles and profiles concern functions, not personalities. A simulation is not an Informal drama, or a game, or a guided exercise. It can be defined as reality of function in a simulated and structured environment. Printed in Great Britain by Dotesios (Printers) Ltd. To the Organiser • Before Introducing a simulation try to participate in It with a few colleagues or students so as to get the feel of the action. Do not try to evaluate a simulation by counting the "difficult" words. Participants tend to take little notice of individual words, but read for gist and discover meaning In context and in discussion with other participants. The documents are not for learning; they are for action and reference. • Make sure you enter the classroom with all the documents, and in the right order for handing out. • If the students are new to simulations it Is very Important to explain what a simulation is, and what It is not. • The teacher may want to allocate functions at random by placing the profiles (role cards) face down for the participants to pick their own. This emphasises your impartiality, and It helps to break up any cliques. • It Is better to have too little debriefing than too much, particularly when students want to unwind after a tense and exciting simulation. Foreign language learners should not be interrupted for correction during the simulation. A short part of the debriefing may be devoted to mistakes that hindered communication. • When students become familiar with simulations, consider asking them to do some of the organising. • Look for unexpected benefits, especially personal benefits, including your own opportunities to get to know the participants as people, not just as students. Licensed reprint of ttie worl< Nine Graded Simulations (1 Survival/2 Front Page/3 Radio Covingham/4 Property Triai/ 6 Appointments Board/6 The Dolphin Project/7 Airport Controversy/ 8 The Azim Crisis/9 Action for Libel.) © Ivlax Hueber Verlag H/lunich 1984 © This edition Basil Blackweii, Oxford 1985 Not for sale in West Germany, Switzerland, Austria or Denmark All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purposes of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher, with the following exception. Although this book remains subject to copyright, teachers may copy all the pages which are required for the simulation to proceed as per the instructions in the teacher's notes. This may be done for classroom use in their schools or colleges only. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Jones, Ken, 1923- [Nine graded simulations]. Graded simulations. 1 I.English language - Spoken English - Case studies I. (Nine graded simulations] II. Title 428.3'0722PE1131 ISBN 0 631 14672 5