Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.

Dan Moorhouse suggests that history teachers are sometimes put off role-play or simulations because the amount of preparation - intellectual and practical - appears both time-consuming and expensive. He argues that effective simulations need be neither of these. Building on recent work on roleplay and simulations such as that by Dawson and Luff, Moorhouse suggests some principles for keeping historical simulations both manageable and engaging. Using a range of examples from different historical periods and for different age groups, he illustrates the value of simplicity in developing historical thinking through active learning. Drawing on his own experience, Moorhouse also offers practical advice for supporting pupils' thinking both throughout and after the simulation...