Fostering conceptual metaphors in vocabulary teaching. Phrasal verbs in Spanish Secondary EducationA pedagogical implementation

Abstract

Phrasal verbs (PVs) are one of the most fruitful areas of the English language and are part of the fluent and idiomatic control of the language by native speakers (Pawley and Syder, 1983). Despite their frequency, PVs are perceived as difficult by learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) due to their semantic and syntactic complexity (Laufer and Eliasson, 1993). Traditional language teaching methodology has approached PVs by presenting them in lists that learners have to memorize by heart. In consequence, learners feel uncertain and avoid using them. However, an alternative approach to analyse and study PVs exists. Cognitive Linguistics (CL) has contributed to the study of PVs by arguing that there is systematicity in the particles which combine with verbs to from PVs. Following CL work, we adopt in our thesis the theory that there is motivation in particles, i.e. there is a radial network of related meanings, which are the result of metaphor and bodily experience (Tyler and Evans, 2004; 2003; Brugman and Lakoff, 1988; Lakoff, 1987; Lindner, 1981). Therefore, the meaning extensions of some of the particles can be analysed and learners can be provided with non-arbitrary explanations of PVs. Rudzka-Ostyn (2003) applied this CL theory to PVs and published Word Power: Phrasal Verbs and Compounds. A Cognitive Approach. Other researchers have explored the effectiveness of didactic applications of CL after one treatment session (Yasuda, 2010; Boers, 2000b; Kövecses and Szabó, 1996) or several sessions (Talebinejad and Sadri, 2013; Nhu and Huyen, 2009; Condon, 2008). Most of these studies have established that CL is helpful in the teaching of PVs, to a greater or lesser extent, with adults at an intermediate level of English. However, these results need to be complemented with research which targets younger participants at lower levels, a larger sample of PV, and over an extended period of time. Furthermore, in our opinion, there is a gap between linguistic research and real-classroom practice. Therefore, appealing instructional materials have been developed for this thesis following Ruiz de Mendoza and Agustín’s (2016) model of Cognitive Pedagogical Grammar (CPG). The aim is to integrate the CL-inspired approach to teach PVs into the 4th year of Compulsory General Secondary Education (4 ESO) in Spain. Using mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative, this research explores the effectiveness of the employed methodology and materials. The results show that this methodology and materials have a positive effect in the medium-term productive knowledge of PVs in 4 ESO students but not in the receptive knowledge. The analysis of the results also shows that participants find the materials, especially the task, engaging and interesting, and the innovative approach useful and interesting. Besides, the level of difficulty of the approach and the particles has been proved to be appropriate for 4 ESO when students are at the expected A2 or B1 CEFR level according to the Spanish Education Act (LOE/LOMCE). This thesis contributes to the area of Foreign Language Teaching (FLT). Specifically, it introduces a new methodology which combines a CL approach to spatial semantics and a contrastive analysis between L1 (Spanish) and L2 (English). It also adds support to the existing research that evidences the effectiveness of CL in pedagogy. Finally, the teaching materials developed explicitly for this research contain a learner-friendly vision of academic linguistics intended for learners and teachers. Overall, this dissertation serves as a starting point to narrow the gap between teachers and researchers. It offers theoretical and practical basis for further empirical investigation on the teaching of PVs. In fact, we suggest that this proposal should be conducted again in order to determine with precision how to integrate CL theory into the Spanish education system.