Using Simulation in Developing the Learning of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Language knowledge requires not only an understanding of its grammar and vocabulary but also the ability to communicate appropriately in an effective communicative setting. One of the activities used to allow students to practice communication skills and gain fluency inside the classroom is simulation. Simulation provides a way of creating a communicative setting in which the student actively becomes a part of the real-world system. In the 2021-2022 academic year, teachers in the academic context were able to add some activities inside the classroom that were difficult to add in online lessons that were conducted for two years.

In this study, simulation is used to improve learners‟ communicative abilities, including presenting facts in a grammatically accurate way to match the language used in the circumstance to create a situation that participants consider reliable. To conduct this study, the researchers used a quantitative approach with an experimental design by involving 100 students divided into two groups: 50 students as a control group and 50 students as an experimental group. Both groups were from the 4^th stage students majoring in English at the College of Education, Al- Farahidi University. A pre-test and a post-test were used in collecting data; the results of the tests were analyzed using SPSS, and Pearson correlation coefficient.

The results revealed that using the simulation strategy helped the students of the experimental group to develop speaking skills. These skills of body language, fluency, pronunciation, intonation, grammar, and vocabulary were used positively. Moreover, students became motivated to speak freely and confidently