Teaching vocabulary through role play on the grounds of frame semantics

Abstract

This educational research paper discusses the importance of role play as an efficient technique for vocabulary teaching in an EFL classroom. As an introduction to this work, the paper examines the different approaches in linguistics throughout history and the origins of Frame Semantics. I also explain what this theory states and consider some of its main traits. I contend that role play is the technique that puts the theory attested by C. J. Fillmore, proponent of Frame Semantics, into practice. Then, I explore the origins of role play and its relevance in educational settings. Next, I show how role play and Frame Semantics are interrelated. The practical part of this paper consists of an experiment carried out in a Spanish secondary school classroom. This section also highlights the main aim of the paper: to test whether or not role play is a better strategy for vocabulary learning than traditional methods. After discussing these results, the conclusion is stated confirming the success of role play in the classroom over traditional methods. The conclusion of the work is that role play should be implemented in EFL classrooms due to its proven effectiveness as a means of vocabulary acquisition.