Scholarly record
TEACHING ENGLISH TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS THROUGH ROLE-PLAYING GAMES
Abstract
The article describes a role-playing game for sociology majors who study English as a foreign language. Drawing on the experience of American and Spanish authors we have developed a game that is instrumental in checking studentsВ’ knowledge of sociological terminology, translation skills and factual material. The rules of the game are easy to master even for people who have never played board games and its mechanics can be easily adapted to fields other than sociology. Anecdotal evidence from students reveals that they were captivated by the role cards, playing fields, the unpredictable nature of events, and the atmosphere of competition and cooperation. It can be played both in small groups of three to five students, or large ones (ten to fifteen people), in which case participants are divided into teams. In the course of the game students learn such concepts as social stratification, vertical and horizontal intragenerational mobility, ascribed and achieved status, budgeting, and dealing with uncertainties of life. These features make it a robust teaching and assessment tool that furthers studentsВ’ critical thinking skills, develops sociological imagination and raises studentsВ’ motivation.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References9
Simpson J. M. and Elias V. L., Choices and Chances: The Sociology Role-playing Game – The Sociological Imagination in Practice, Teaching Sociology, vol. 39 / issue 1 pp 42-56, 2011.
Faya Cerqueiro F., Chao Castro M., Board-games as review lessons in English language teaching: useful resources for any level, Docencia e InvestigaciГіn, vol. 25 / issue 2, pp 67-82, 2015.
Belcher D., Trends in Teaching English for Specific Purposes, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. vol. 24, pp 165 – 186, 2004.
Pivec M., Koubek A., Dondi C., Guidelines for Game-based Learning, 2004, 114 p.
Benesh, S. Critical English for academic purposes: theory, politics, and practice, 2001, 184.
Huiping N., Hornby, G., The effectiveness of cooperative learning in teaching English to Chinese tertiary learners, Effective Education, vol. 2 / issue 2, pp 99- 116, 2010.
Pilon M., The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World's Favorite Board Game, 2015, 320 p.
Capehart K. W., Van Vleck V.N.L., Pass GO and collect $610: modified Monopoly for teaching inequality, Int. J. Pluralism and Economics Education, vol. 9, nos. 1/2, pp.144–167,2018.
Norris D. R., Beat the Bourgeoisie: A Social Class Inequality and Mobility Simulation Game, Teaching Sociology, vol. 41 / issue 4, pp 334 –345, 2013.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.