What is Role Playing?....Would it help to learn a new language?

What is Role Playing?....Would it help to learn a new language? 

In its most basic form, roleplaying is just that: playing a role other than yourself. The most prevalent and well known form of this would be acting, where someone becomes a character either for the stage or screen. They study the character, his/her personality, accent, thoughts and then throughout the film/play, the actor essentially ‘is’ that character.

Another way to roleplay would be Play-By-Post Online Roleplaying. This is generally played on forums, and takes upon itself a role similar to acting, in that you are taking the role of a character (or several) and throughout the roleplay you essentially become that character. The major difference, of course, is that online roleplaying is performed through writing, rather than playing the actions yourself. Online roleplaying could very well be more aptly defined as ‘collaborative creative writing.’ You are working in collaboration with other writers to write creatively – each person taking the point of view of one character in your story.

With the arrival of the metaverse and 3D environtmets, roleplaying became an important part of the MMORPG, "Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game", like world of Warcraft and Second Life. Role-playing in a medieval sim in SL, means that students and professors play the role of a character living in a fantasy world. How much or how little they role-play is up to the level and command of the language they have, also the degree of digital literacy and SL skills they can handle; In order to roleplay in most of the sims, roleplayers must construct basic background histories for their characters and adopt unique mannerisms when they’re “in character.”


This kind of roleplaying in 3D worlds is the best for language learning, since roleplaying occurs the way it'll happen in the movies or the theater and at the same time it ocurs throught writing, oral skills are also improved and learning happens in a more natural way,students interact with people from the world. Roleplaying is an excellent way to get new vocabulary, enhance reading skills, use critical thinking and have fun. Students are given the chance to learn, create and design the characters that later, they will portrait making it meaningful to them and becoming producers and creators, storytellers and the stars in their own stories.

Lesson 1. Greetings and Introductions. Joining the Village. Part B

B. Teacher and students teleport to Artstonia and join the village. This is the little tour to the village:

Joining Artstonia

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In the village: Students are supposed to get:

1. The Azora Meter (the system used in the village to role play a more natural way of life: eating, resting, staying healthy, resistance and experience are reflected in the meter. It is a tournament/combat/Role Playing meter)

2. Get the Honor Role Play Trade Goods System. The Trade Goods system expands role-play in three seperate parts:  a gathering system, a trading system and valuable player made items. It be useful since students will go on quests to find items and exchange goods. Excellent opportunities for role playing and practicing meaningful little conversations with villagers in Artstonia.

3. Wear medieval clothing. In order to blend with the villagers, students will get a medieval outfit and wear it. They need to get the outfit from a box. The name of the file is AV- Womens RP Care Package.

4. Register to the groups of the village.
Students will join Artstonia's main communication groups. This way they will get notifications of thevents and news happening in the village. As well as, be able to chat with villagers to socialize or ask questions. 

There are two main groups: Artstonia players Society (everybody joins this one) and Artsonia village Medieval roleplay (students will join  this one later, after taking the character deveolpment class). There are several other groups or guilds in the village. For this experience, students will join the Artstonia Mage society, since Pionia Destiny is a Master in that guild.

Artstonia Players Society: This group is used for the Artstonia Medieval Role-play Village Members to converse, send notices, and experience the general mayhem of the village.

Artstonia Village Medieval Roleplay: This Group is dedicated to those who belong to the Artstonia Village, a Medieval Role-play Sim.  This is a Non-Gorean Role-play Sim using the Azora System.  All are welcome to visit and participate in the role-play.

Artstonia Mages Society: The guild of magic is open to all beings that practice, study, or wish to learn The Art of Magic. The great guild is not aligned to any alignment, race, or creed when it comes to our pursuit. We support all sub-schools of magic as well as the generalist traditions. Our magicians are involved in quests, training, and creation of magical items.

5. Meet some of the villagers and practice what they have learned in their basic English Class. Students will interact with villagers and introduce themselves, say their names and ask villagers names and  introduce others.