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![](/i/favi32.png) Innovation of the republic of uzbekistan termiz state university the faculty of english philology
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səhifə | 6/9 | tarix | 28.11.2023 | ölçüsü | 114,83 Kb. | | #133618 |
| Using simulation in teaching English for specific purposesStatic vs dynamic simulations
Simulation models that represent the system at a particular point in time only are called static. This type of simulations are often called as Monte Carlo simulations and will be the focus of later chapters.
Dynamic simulation models represent systems as they evolve over time. The simulation of the donut shop during its working hours is an example of a dynamic model.
Discrete vs continuous simulations
Dynamic simulations can be further categorized into discrete or continuous. Discrete simulation models are such that the variables of interest change only at a discrete set of points in time. The number of people queuing in the donut shop is an example of a discrete simulation. The number of customers changes only when a new customer arrives or when a customer has been served. Gives an illustration of the discrete nature of the number of customers queuing in the donut shop.
Further illustrates that for specific period of times the system does not change state, that is the number of customers queuing remains constant. It is therefore useless to inspect the system during those times where nothing changes. This prompts the way in which time is usually handled in dynamic discrete simulations, using the so-called next-event technique. The model is only examined and updated when the system is due to change. These changes are usually called events. Looking at Figure 1.1 at time zero there is an event: a customer arrives; at time nine another customer arrives; at time ten another customer arrives; at time twelve a customer is served; and so on. All these are examples of events.
Continuous simulation models are such that the variables of interest change continuously over time. Suppose for instance a simulation model for a car journey was created where the interest is on the speed of the car throughout the journey. Then this would be a continuous simulation model.
For these types of simulations, one student is usually asked to come up to the front and the teacher tries to practice a sample of the task cold, before setting the actual context in the class. Such a practice has two goals: the teacher can get a preview of the way students are expected to accomplish the task and can regulate whatever misunderstandings, language errors or limitations that may occur; secondly, it gives the teacher the opportunity to assess the degree of difficulty of the task: if it proves to be too easy, it is generally a good idea to introduce complications; if the level of the task is higher than the students’ actual level, it will demonstrate the need to practice that particular language area and motivates learners to get involved in something they need to be able to cope with in real-life.
The preparation for the activity having been done with, the class is then divided in two groups, those who solicit and those who offer different services. Each student gets a role sheet which further explains the task/s they have to accomplish and gives a sample of the type of conversation to be carried out. In addition to that, learners get deeper into the reality of the simulated context by receiving any kind of realis that is suitable for the accomplishment of the task (an airport map, a restaurant menu, fake money, bank checks, a stethoscope, etc). The students then proceed to actually solving the tasks they are given, while the teacher circulates, monitors and helps with language or corrections when necessary. At some point half-way through, the activity is stopped and students are asked to swap roles, so that everyone gets the chance to be exposed to various areas of the language and functions to be practiced.
We generally encourage our students to adapt the setting of the classroom to the context of the activity and they usually display a great deal of creativity in re-arranging the classroom to suit their imaginary layout7. One challenging aspect about this type of activities is to watch the students get into the shoes of the characters they impersonate, which allows them to supplement language with attitudinal elements (patients are really aching, students who have to queue at the bank become really impatient, waiters at the restaurant sometimes play their
role with a bored and cold attitude, etc. The fact that students often do so, without being told to, adds a twist of their personality to the simulation and validates the theory that such activities are one of the best to be used when we want learners to be actively involved in what they are doing. Practicing the language this way becomes a fun, relaxing activity, and students get swept away by the context itself, without worrying too much about language mistakes or lack of ideas. Such simulations flow naturally, involve even the shiest speakers and have the great advantage of practicing a whole array of functions and language in a very close-to-reality context. Learning by doing is the best way to internalize and become conscious of the language and getting involved in such contexts in the classroom actually provides students with real life skills, which they will definitely use in order to solve common, real life situations in the target language.
Language learning is a learning about how to use language to interact and communicate with other learners or with teachers in a real context, and the model of learning or teaching techniques that are able to implement these goals is the simulation. Simulation create some opportunities for the students especially elementary students to interact and communicate with others.
The other benefit of using simulation is that the students can develop their personal and social characteristics, general behavior and wellbeing Additionally, simulation promotes children’s engagement and enjoyment in learning. In short, by using simulation, the students will get more chances to practice their English grammatically and pragmatically, because it makes them in a real world. Since the approved curriculum for the courses organized in military institutions advocates a bigger ratio of military English to be introduced in the advanced course syllabus, it is only natural that activities designed for these particular groups include more professionally-generated and military-oriented language tasks. Under this category we have as 3 a well-defined activity the usage of military simulations focused on problem solving and decision making processes. Such activities are extremely complex, require extensive preparation, a good command of not only general but also specific military terminology, solid background professional knowledge and expertise and a high level of confidence and comfort with the topic and with the language. Simulations under this category stem from real-life combat or non-combat situations that students are exposed to in the preparation stage with the help of various integrated-skill activities. One example of such a simulation is entitled put under the category Problem solving/Decision Making.
In the first part of the activity, students are presented the situation, either through reading or listening or with the help of a power point presentation that incorporates both. It is important at this stage that the teacher controls the input and the way it is received by the learners, since the entire outcome of the activity heavily depends on how much the students relate to and internalize the situation.
The input information is explained, discussed and analyzed in terms of language (vocabulary and grammar structures) as well as of concepts applicable to high-level courses (leadership, military strategy, course of action, rules of engagement, human rights, etc.)It is important to set a clear context of the situation, so that the students understand all the characteristics and dimensions of the issue. A detailed presentation of the scene includes information regarding the political and social setting, and assigns the students their particular role in this simulation. At this point, it is essential to draw attention upon a crucial distinction between role-plays and simulations.
The way we see and practice these two particular activities clearly distinguishes between two basic conceptual characteristics: a role-play puts learners in familiar situations where they have to be themselves or assume a part that is very similar to what they do in real life (thus the usage of role-plays specifically targeted to intermediate groups), while simulations, by the virtue of their complexity, set up unfamiliar contexts which automatically entail unfamiliar roles (low-hierarchy military people have to assume the role of commanders, higher ranks may be reduced to simple executants of decisions instead of remaining decision-makers, the professional category may change as soldiers become lawyers, teachers, doctors, etc.)The next step in setting the frame of the simulation is to explain the vision or the mission behind the activity, which is generally presented in one paragraph.
The situational approach slowly shifts towards a task-based teaching model, as students are asked to filter information and break the theoretical information into smaller operational chunks. Therefore, one of the primary tasks for this activity would be to have students set up their own goals and objectives for the mission. Once this stage is accomplished, students group, establish a common set of objectives and decide on a course of action to be followed in order to accomplish the specific goals. In order to do so, students must activate vocabulary and grammar structures, and must use language at a high conceptual level, while using and building up critical thinking abilities (summarizing, paraphrasing, expressing and defending point of view, augmenting, negotiating, concluding, etc.). In the next stage, each student takes up a role in the simulation (UN personnel, political representative, military commander, civilian authority) and tailors the decision making process and the final solution according to the profile of his/her part. The final product of the simulation consists of a briefing, structured and delivered according to a given pattern, in which each participant will have to present, argument and support his decision/solution from the perspective of his/her role.The complexity of such an activity is given by the fact that it uses a wide array of language-learning techniques. It is an excellent vehicle for developing students’ discussion skills, while involving reading, listening, writing, specific language structures and functions, and particular areas of vocabulary. Although it may be argued against on the grounds of being time consuming and irrelevant unless the target population is actually dealing with such situations as part of their professional experience, this type of activity transposes students into a different world and the experience in itself becomes extremely enriching and rewarding. Nonetheless, the usage of military-flavored simulations does not rule out the need for simulations on general topics to be found in the advanced course syllabus, such as advertising, economy, charity, environment, crime, etc. The example given here, entitled Supermarket Magic is a decision making meeting aimed at establishing whether to introduce subliminal messages onto taped supermarket music or not, in an attempt to fight shop-lifting.
The simulation is suitable for the practice and reinforcement of vocabulary and concepts discussed under the umbrella of several topics, such as advertising or crime, so it would best fit a review session at the end of the course or before an evaluation. Our personal application of this activity was to use it for evaluation purposes, in order to informally assess students’ speaking skills, with focus on language functions, in an original format. In order to bridge this gap between simulations and testing, we have adapted this activity for evaluation purposes, taking into account the need and desire to measure language proficiency in a realistic context. In the end, our main goal was to provide some measure of both the process (how they approached the task in English by reviewing, organizing and weighing alternatives, deliberating over the information available to them, etc.) and the product (the decision they reached, demonstrating their functional English language skills). The suitable level for this activity is upper intermediate to advanced, its estimated time is two hours and the main objective is to develop discussion skills, with focus on speaking functions (expressing point of view, persuading, agreeing and disagreeing).
The materials students need are: notes to participants, role cards, home office reports, and newspaper articles. The activity starts with a short lead-in on the issue of shop-lifting, which is a good opportunity to reactivate vocabulary and concepts on the topic. Students are then given the notes to participants, and are guided through the situation so that everyone understands what is involved and what is expected from them.
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