Enhancing the Speaking Skills of Secondary School Students Through Simulation and Roleplay

Background and Aim The traditional teacher-centered instructional approach has always been dominant in higher education and in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) specifically. While still valuable, this method implies serious shortcomings in today’s educational context. Hence, a planned shift away from the more traditional approaches is necessary to meet the expectations of the current student-centered environment, especially when acquiring oral skills in EFL settings. Therefore, this study aimed to design a teaching proposal using simulation and roleplay within the ADELIS model. The main objective of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the simulation and roleplay in enhancing oral skills among three groups of fourth-year secondary students at Miguel Ballesteros Viana secondary school in Utiel. Method The study used a mixed-method approach that blended quantitative and qualitative methods, including structured observation and perception surveys. Results and Conclusion The main findings demonstrated a high level of motivation, an improvement in oral skills, and the use of modal verbs and vocabulary of fears and phobias, which were the target language of the sessions according to the school’s curriculum. This case study provided valuable insights for research and practice of simulation in EFL, specifically for developing oral skills. It also provides teachers and practitioners with useful resources to implement in their secondary education classrooms in similar settings.