Lesson plan: Asking students to do simulated transactional tasks during an oral lesson.
Objectives:
1. To create a relaxing learning environment to facilitate oral interaction among students.
2. To encourage students to use English to engage in real-life transactional talk.
3. To provide incentive and peer support for reluctant speakers to participate in oral activities.
4. To help students recognize the relationship between language use and context.

Time: one hour.

Group formation and role play:
1. We need four groups to participate in this simulated transactional activity. Each group should consist of four to five students. Two groups will compete in the game and one group will be responsible for running a shop. Besides, one student plays the role of a banker and works under the tutor.
2. Two groups will compete in the games. Each competitor has to concern itself as much with the need to complete the tasks as with the need to comply with the rules of the game. If it succeeds in completing the tasks, it will get some paper money as a reward. But it will need to pay a fine to the referee if it breaks the regulations of the game.
3. In order to ensure that the competitors play according to the rules, one group is responsible for enforcing the rules of the game. All the referees in this group will be given the necessary power to perform their responsibilities and maintain regulatory dominance. As a reward, the third group can keep the fine and deposit the entire amount in the tutor's bank before the end of the lesson.
4. Because the competitors and referees have paper money at their disposal, they need to enter into a working partnership with the banker. When they deposit their money in the tutor's bank, they will be advised to place them in a time deposit savings account to get higher return. One student, who acts as the tutor's assistant, will be responsible for explaining all the details to the depositors. Formal deposit certificates will be issued to the depositors.
5. Finally, the shopkeepers will be responsible for running a shop. Because the two competing groups and referees have paper money, they could go to this shop to buy their favorite products. Apart from providing a colorful backdrop for the competition, the displayed products can provide incentive for the competitors and referees to work harder. Although shopkeepers do not get any paper money, they will be rewarded with some candies.

Some suggested games:
1. The two competitors will be required to ask the NET teacher some questions. Then they will report the answers to the tutor. After finishing the task, they will be given some paper money.
2. The two competitors will be required to draw some pictures. In the final stage, they will be required to introduce their pictures to the tutor verbally.
3. The two competitors will be required to listen to some recorded messages. Then they will jot down some points in accordance with the instruction. If they can finish the task, they will be given some paper money.

Rules of the game:
Restriction is placed on language use. Besides, competitors are not allowed to use dictionaries to help them finish the tasks. All competitors must follow these regulations.

February 2006