Strategies for teaching false friends vocabulary in EFL learners.

Abstract

This research explored the teaching strategies employed by English language teachers to address the problem of false friends in vocabulary acquisition among faculty members at the Santa Peninsula State University. The study was based on the perceptions and experiences of five English teachers from the La Libertad canton, using a qualitative approach of individual interviews. It was found that each interviewee mentioned that although textbooks tend to treat false friends superficially, they employ communicative, contextualized strategies and are supported by technology, such as gamification, analysis of authentic materials and memorization, and consider their training as a fundamental part of their learning, which allows them to teach their classes in a participatory, creative and student-centered manner. They also highlight that Innovation strengthens motivations, interaction, critical thinking, and the use of digital tools. However, the results showed that teachers face several challenges, identifying the most common false friends as "actually," "embarrassed," and "library." Despite these challenges, teachers demonstrated a strong commitment to improving their practices through independent research on new pedagogical methodologies. In conclusion, a systematic and contextualized approach is essential for reflective feedback and authentic practice, reducing lexical interference and improving students' communicative competence, recommendations for curriculum design are also offered.