This simulation explores instruction that combines role-play with the word play of a fairy tale, “The Three Pigs,” in an English as a second language classroom. Two remedial composition classes of graduate students from various disciplines and nationalities participated in a four-session unit that included designing houses that would withstand high gusty winds, pneumatic drills, and explosives. Debriefing included a discussion of the activity and the rhetorical structure of oral presentations. The students’ attitudes and reactions to the use of children’s literature and simulations indicate acceptance of playfulness in an academic setting.
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