The use of roleplay in the classroom, be it secondary or primary, is very much advocated here at uni. We're all for learning by doing, and what better way is there than to roleplay the body system or an electric circuit. (I tried roleplaying electric circuits at my last placement - the girls absolutely loved it.)

Because the use of roleplay is so encouraged these days in all areas of the curriculum, one does tend to think, "Oh, this is very creative. It must be a new technique. How original. Oh, super. That's a definite change from the chalk and talk method so common in the past."

Until one reads Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, published in 1923.

His methods of teaching were so different from Miss Brownell's that the Blair Water pupils at first felt as if he had stood them on their heads. Miss Brownell had been a martinent for order. Mr Carpenter never tried to keep order apparently. But somehow he kept the children so busy that they had no time to do mischief. He taught history tempetously for a month, making his pupils play the different characters and enact the incidents. He never bothered any one to learn dates - but the dates stuck in the memory just the same. If, as Mary, Queen of Scots, you were beheaded by the school axe, kneeling blindfolded at the doorstep, with Perry Miller, wearing a mask made out of a piece of Aunt Laura's old black silk, for executioner, wondering what would happen if he brought the axe down too hard, you did not forget the year it all happened; and if you fought the battle of Waterloo all over the school playground, and heard Teddy Kent shouting, "Up, Guards and at 'em" as he led the last furious charge you remembered 1815 without half trying to.

Gee. 1923, did you say? My goodness. Roleplay is not so original then. Awwww, shucks.