It can be used to revise and consolidate what learners have already learned in former lessons.

Preparing to play:
Two learners receive a short script which they should learn by heart. Alternatively, they can write their own dialogue.

How to preceed:
First we set the scene for the other learners.
For example: "Doris and Anne are old friends who are meeting up today for the first time after a long time. They went to school together and were close friends then. Now they are meeting in a restaurant."

Now the two learners play their role-play in front of the class. But they just move their lips, they do not say a word.

The others watch them playing. They have to concentrate on the body language and expressions of the players in order to reproduce the conversation afterwards.

Perhaps the learners want to see the play twice or three times.

After the play you can ask questions like:
"How do you think they are feeling?"
"What might they have talked about?"
"Do you think they will meet more often from now on?"
and discuss them together with the class.

Then the learners write the conversation with what they think has been said.
When they are ready, the two "actoresses" play their role again, this time with "sound".