Teaching pragmatics: insights from SLA research

Abstract

This paper focuses on the teaching of pragmatics in English as a Foreign Language classroom and how the traditional way of teaching languages can be challenged. It also aims to highlight the importance of incorporating computer-assisted activities as well as other resources that can be introduced into the classrooms in order to teach pragmatics. Taking into account insights from Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research, a teaching proposal is provided to see a great variety of activities and tools that teachers can use in order to keep their students motivated and engaged with language with the main focus on pragmatics. Issues such as explicit versus implicit learning, focus on form versus on forms, individual differences and motivation are also considered. The pedagogical proposal is used in an academic setting using class action research in order to investigate how students react towards the suggested activities. Finally, I conclude by saying that pragmatics should be integrated in every lesson by action research as a way to increase pedagogical knowledge of how pragmatics is learned in instructional settings.