BUILDING UP VOCABULARY USING THE ROLE PLAY STRATEGY IN YOUNG ADULT LEARNERS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Abstract

Vocabulary is considered as an essential element in foreign language development. Learning how to use the new vocabulary words in a specific context provides learners more opportunities to express their ideas effectively. However, foreign language environments have used some traditional strategies to introduce this sub-skill causing an inefficient foreign language production. Implementing the role play strategy offers foreign learners an interactive and valuable source to use the language productively in authentic simulated situations. This research was performed to determine the effect of the role play strategy in building up vocabulary. A group of 48 participants from A2 level at Universidad Técnica de Ambato were immersed in this study. The researchers developed a quasi-experimental study in which the control and the experimental groups were not chosen randomly. The control group remained learning the vocabulary with the traditional strategies, while the experimental group was approached to the implementation of an interactive and meaningful strategy: the semi-scripted role play. A standardized rubric from Cambridge University Press for A2 level was used to assess the speaking skills in the grammar and vocabulary, pronunciation, and interactive communication criteria. According to the results obtained once the pre-test and post-test were applied, the students of both groups significantly improved their ability to build up vocabulary at the A2 level, although in the case of the experimental group the result was even better since it showed a significant difference concerning the control group (p-value = 0,0055).