Mantle of the Expert Role Framing in EFL Teaching to Young Learners

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a didactic intervention for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Greek primary school. For the purpose of the study a teaching scenario was designed on the basis of action research and was implemented through the drama inquiry based teaching method of Mantle of the Expert (MoE). The scenario was topic contextualized so as to provide opportunities for meaningful target language use, reflecting the principles of the Integrated Foreign Languages Curriculum (IFLC) as well as the Common European Framework (CEFR) for languages A1-A2 communicative adequacy descriptors of the Council of Europe six-level language proficiency scale. A qualitative research approach through Content Analysis was implemented on the collected research data, from which very significant evidence was collected concerning the positive impact of MoE role framing on enhancing students’ emotional engagement in the learning process. Research data provide strong indications that MoE constitutes an effective approach to EFL teaching, as derived from the stimulation of students’ motivation and the development of their responsibility during the learning process, which, in turn, result in the increase of students’ self-esteem and self-confidence.

Keywords

• role framing
• action research
• Mantle of the Expert
• foreign language teaching

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