Pragmatic Learning Research Articles

Bidirectional relationship between L2 pragmatic development and learner identity in a study abroad context

In recent years, the connection between learner identity and learning of L2 pragmatics has received more attention in applied linguistic research. Nevertheless, investigations on this topic have mainly focused on the role of learners' identity in their L2 pragmatic choices. The reverse influence has not been adequately investigated in empirical studies – how learning of L2 pragmatics could potentially foster learners' identity change. This article aims to expand our understanding of the link between identity and L2 pragmatic development in the study abroad context by describing a longitudinal case study which tracked the experiences of four Chinese postgraduate students sojourning in the UK. Data were generated through interviews and online chat over a 12-month period. Findings indicate a bidirectional influence between L2 pragmatics development and learners' sense of self: learners’ pragmatic judgements and preferences are influenced by identity-related factors, such as internalised cultural values and their perceived foreigner and ELF identities; in return, exposure to new L2 pragmatic features can prompt learner reflection on interpersonal relationships and self-positioning, which may then lead to identity development.

Second language pragmatic development in study abroad contexts

AbstractThis special issue illustrates current research on the development of second language (L2) pragmatic competence in study abroad (SA) contexts. In doing so, it accounts for the complexity entailed in learning the linguistic and sociocultural norms of interaction with people of diverse backgrounds while facing the multiple challenges involved in adapting to a new and unknown setting. This introduction to the special issue presents key topics and previous findings that frame such processes of L2 pragmatic development. These include (1) a description ofstudy abroadas a context for L2 pragmatic development, (2) pragmatic targets that students learn during SA, (3) internal and external factors that are likely to play a role in the learning process, and (4) the role of instruction in helping students maximize their stays abroad in terms of pragmatic learning. Finally, an overview of the articles included in this special issue is provided, highlighting how they contribute to the key themes illustrated throughout this introductory section.

A Pragmatic Transfer Learning Approach for Oxygen Vacancy Formation Energies in Oxidic Ceramics.

Lower oxygen vacancy formation energy is one of the requirements for air electrode materials in solid oxide cells applications. We introduce a transfer learning approach for oxygen vacancy formation energy prediction for some ABO perovskites from a two-species-doped system to four-species-doped system. For that, an artificial neural network is used. Considering a two-species-doping training data set, predictive models are trained for the determination of the oxygen vacancy formation energy. To predict the oxygen vacancy formation energy of four-species-doped perovskites, a formally similar feature space is defined. The transferability of predictive models between physically similar but distinct data sets, i.e., training and testing data sets, is validated by further statistical analysis on residual distributions. The proposed approach is a valuable supporting tool for the search for novel energy materials.

Corpus linguistics in L2 pragmatics research

AbstractIn second language acquisition, corpus linguistics (CL) enjoys prominence as a methodology valuable for its descriptive power in the textual analysis of patterns. Within second language (L2) pragmatics, CL has been increasingly influential in shaping our understanding of learners’ pragmatic capacities and articulating new insights and possibilities. In this narrative review, I take a broad view of corpora in L2 pragmatics research with a focus on automatization, size, representativeness, temporal design, and annotation. This is followed by a review of representative research highlighting language proficiency, prosodic pragmatics, pragmatic particles and oral fluency, and pragmatics pedagogy. I conclude with future directions where the discussion centers on bringing CL and other methodologies together for pragmatic analysis and extending the use of these methodologies to more L2 pragmatic learning contexts.

Compliment patterns in English: L1 and L2 production in the virtual exchange environment

Virtual exchanges offer affordances for the learning of L2 pragmatics as they allow participants to engage in authentic social interactions with expert L2 speakers. As such they constitute a valuable environment for L2 acquisition, especially in cases where study abroad is not feasible. Although there has been some interest in exploring the influence of virtual exchanges on L2 learners’ use of speech acts, compliment formulation has yet to be extensively explored. The virtual exchange discussed in this study involved L2 learners of English from Poland who interacted for six weeks, via video conferencing, with TESOL teacher trainees at a university in the USA. Before and after the project, the participants completed tasks to elicit their production of compliments. The significance of the study is twofold. Firstly, the L1 speakers’ responses to the task revealed more frequent use of certain syntactic patterns in complimenting behaviours (e.g. the increased use of informal ellipsis) in comparison to previous studies. Secondly, the compliments produced by the advanced L2 learners of English were seen to develop so as to resemble those of their L1 peers, contributing to a growing body of evidence suggesting that virtual exchange is a useful tool for fostering the enhancement of L2 speakers’ pragmatic skills. Interestingly, this development was seen to regard syntactic, but not lexical, features.

Analisis Kemampuan Pemahaman Konsep Matematis Siswa SMP Pada Materi Relasi dan Fungsi Berdasarkan Teori Honey Mumford

The purpose of this study was to describe the understanding of mathematical concepts of junior high school students on Relation and Functions based on Honey Mumford Theory. The research uses a descriptive qualitative approach and the type of research used is a case study. In this study, there were 24 respondents, then 8 students were selected, representing 2 students from each learning style. The data collection method in this study was a learning style questionnaire LSQ (Learning Style Questionnaire) according to Honey Mumford, written tests and interviews. This study uses reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions into data analysis techniques. The results showed that: 1) Students with an activist learning style when studying tended to like new things so they were less careful with indicators that restated a concept, and did not like activities that took a long time which caused errors in calculating number operations. 2) Reflector learning style students at the time of learning are quite careful and calculating so that they are able to classify objects according to certain properties, but tend to focus on sources of information so that they are not able to present concepts in various forms of mathematical representation and apply concepts to problem solving. 3) Students with theoretical learning styles when learning many considerations and everything depends on theory so they are able to classify objects according to certain properties, but have not been able to present concepts in various forms of mathematical representation. 4) Students with pragmatic learning styles will study the material in detail so that they can restate a concept, but pragmatic students are too centered on sources of information which causes students not to be able to apply concepts or algorithms in problem solving. The conclusion of this study states that each student's learning style will lead to a different understanding of mathematical concepts.

STUDIES OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS: THEORY OF POLITENESS IN ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE

In the social study of language, linguistic politeness has played a central role. Politeness in speaking English is also part of sociolinguistic and pragmatic learning. Each country has a variety of cultures and language accuracy in communication. Unfortunately, most learners don’t speak English based on the sociolinguistics features and it is influenced by the culture, gender, language style, and domain. Therefore, there are still some issues to the practice of politeness linguistics to the English as a second language. The study of qualitative research was used in this study method. The purposes of this research are to inform eight theories of politeness application, the concept of face in politeness, and various types of politeness which are also explained by the division and classification of politeness. To support the students’ information about politeness in linguistics, some existing research information is discussed in this research.

Validating a test of L2 routine formulae to detect pragmatics learning in stay abroad

Abstract There has long been interest in the effect of stay abroad on pragmatic development in second language (L2) pragmatics research. However, few testing instruments exist to assess pragmatics learning in stay abroad and provide information about learners’ development to help institutions evaluate the success of stay abroad programs. In this study, we describe the adaptation and validation of Roever’s (2005) test of second language routine formulae to be used large-scale with Japanese stay-abroad learners. We follow Kane’s (2006) argument-based approach to validation, evaluating the first four inferences: Domain description, Evaluation, Generalization, and Explanation. We also investigate the test’s practicality within the institutional setting of intended use. We find evidence supporting the use of the test for providing information on pragmatics learning during stay abroad. The test can differentiate between low- and high-ability learners, shows adequate reliability, and reflects the roles of proficiency and exposure in pragmatics learning in stay abroad contexts. The test is also practical and requires few resources. Further steps, such as the investigation of the Extrapolation and Decision inference, are discussed.

Second Language Learners' Competence of and Beliefs About Pragmatic Comprehension: Insights From the Chinese EFL Context.

It can be a great challenge for second language (L2) learners to comprehend meanings that are implied in utterances rather than the surface meaning of what was said. Moreover, L2 learners’ attitudes toward pragmatic learning are unknown. This mixed-methods study investigates L2 learners’ ability to comprehend conversational implicatures. It also explores their beliefs about and intentions to develop this ability using Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB). A total of 498 freshmen from a public university in China participated in the study. Data were collected using a web-based test, stimulated recall tasks and semi-structured interviews. Results show that the participants differed in recognizing the intended meanings. Complicated factors account for the variations. In addition to the types of implicature, learners’ beliefs about developing pragmatic comprehension also influence their learning intention, and subsequent performance. These beliefs include learners’ multi-layered, complex attitudes toward the outcomes of pragmatic learning, perceived self-efficacy beliefs regarding language proficiency and L2 cultural knowledge, actual behavioral control over opportunities and resources for pragmatic learning, and perceptions of less social pressure on pragmatic learning. The use of TPB may help language teachers and test designers to understand learners’ beliefs about L2 pragmatic learning in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Understanding the factors influencing learners’ intention will help design more effective teaching curricula that may integrate pragmatic instruction and testing in the future.

‘May I do something for you?’: The effects of audio-visual material (captioned and non-captioned) on EFL pragmatic learning

The present study deals with the effect of audio-visual material for second language (L2) pragmatic learning in the foreign language classroom. More specifically, it analyzes whether being exposed to captioned and non-captioned input in an experimental condition entailing no instruction on pragmatics might have any influence on the learners’ pragmatic performance. To this aim, two intact classes ( N = 31) of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at a B1 level were exposed to videos with captions and without captions, respectively. Before and after watching the videos, all the students were asked to carry out a role-play task with situations like those in the videos. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze the learners’ performance in terms of types and number of strategies to perform speech acts (quantitative) and in terms of pragmatic appropriateness (qualitative). Findings show that both groups used more polite strategies after watching the videos, regardless of the captioned/non-captioned condition, which seems to confirm the contribution of audio-visual material for the learning of the L2 pragmatics in an incidental way. Concerning pragmatic appropriateness, we found that learners in the captioned condition produced more pragmalinguistically appropriate role-plays than learners in the non-captioned condition, thus suggesting a positive effect of captioned material on the learning of the L2 pragmatics. Such results are discussed in relation to the few previous similar studies in the field.

Impact of Field Visits on Students’ Knowledge Towards Rural Development: An Empirical Study on Brac University

The education system of the 21st century mainly accentuates on pragmatic and collaborative learning where field trip is one of the most prominent methods of learning. Considering this, Brac University arranges a lot of experiential learning activities. Visiting different programs of BRAC is one of them where every student of the university is taken to observe the development trends in rural areas of Bangladesh. This study explores the impact of those visits. The methodology of this research includes both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A survey was conducted where 200 students were selected who visited programs of BRAC. Subsequently, a focus group discussion was arranged where 40 students had taken part. The study shows that this field visit helps students becoming more attached to villages, and it inhibits a sense of responsibility among many of them. This research may help policy makers to design their curriculum more effectively in the future.

Teaching the pragmatics of English as an international language: A focus on pragmatic markers

The current era of globalization and emergence of English as an international language (EIL) has brought about new opportunities for L2 pragmatic learning and teaching. The common view of pragmatic learning as an approximation to native-likeness is changing towards conceiving pragmatic ability as a tool to interact with people of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, the majority of whom are non-native speakers (NNSs) of English. While such reality is widely acknowledged, few attempts have been made to teach pragmatic competence in EIL. Addressing this concern, the present study investigates the effects that a pedagogical intervention on EIL pragmatics has on the oral use of pragmatic markers (PMs): a key tool for successful communication in the current increasingly multicultural and multilingual society. Seventy-three Spanish EFL students were divided into an instructional ( n = 34) and a control group ( n = 39). The instructional group received 4 interventional sessions that included (1) awareness of the legitimacy of EIL, (2) meta-pragmatic awareness of pragmatic behavior across the world, (3) task-supported instruction on PMs, and (4) strategy-based instruction. Pragmatic competence was assessed by students’ use of PMs in oral academic presentations. The results revealed that the instructional group had more significant changes in the frequency and variety of PMs used than the control one, as they widened the repertoire of PMs uttered in their academic presentations. These findings project the future of pragmatic instruction in EIL and provide directions for reorienting the EIL curriculum towards the integration of L2 pragmatics.

Classroom learning of English L2 requests: Input and interactional opportunities in French secondary schools

With today’s strong focus on communicative competence in second language (L2) classrooms, speech acts like suggestions, requests, refusals, and apologies are often investigated in interlanguage pragmatic (ILP) as well as instructional pragmatics. Even though there is strong evidence in ILP research that purports that L2 learners respond well to pragmatic instruction (Taguchi, 2015), the teaching of L2 pragmatics is not always prioritized in textbooks, teaching programmes or teacher education (Barron, 2016; Savvidou & Economidou-Kogetsidis, 2019) with the consequence that pragmatic learning can only occur incidentally. The present study examines opportunities to acquire L2 requests for 308 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners across 7 years of instruction in French secondary schools, investigating textbooks preferred by teachers, classroom interaction (39 hours), and teacher perspectives (semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers). After a pragmatic analysis of 15 EFL textbooks with a focus on requests, the study examines the incidence of metapragmatic input in 39 hours of teaching in 13 classes at 3 levels, and relates interactional patterns with interview data from the 10 teachers concerned. Findings suggest limited pragmatic input in both textbooks and classroom interaction. By comparing the profiles of teachers who encouraged L2 requests with those who did not, the study offers new explanations for L2 learners’ limited pragmatic development which also broadly corroborate previous findings of somewhat limited potential for L2 pragmatic development in obligatory school contexts.

Relational Healing in Psychotherapy: Reaching Beyond the Research

ABSTRACT Therapeutic relationships with well-established alliances and favorable signs of therapist empathy and genuineness are strong predictors of successful psychotherapy. However, amassing the declarative knowledge associated with knowing that a constructive therapeutic relationship contributes to successful outcome is insufficient in preparing a clinician with the procedural knowledge leading to him or her knowing how to competently implement this. The present article strives to address this gap by definitionally and descriptively unpacking key aspects of alliance building, and therapist empathy and authenticity/genuineness, for pragmatic learning purposes. It is argued that a humanistic revival in the education and training of beginning psychotherapists is long overdue to enable them to acquire the self-expansion, relational versatility, and ethical sensibility necessary to optimally perform their clinical duties.

Proses Berpikir Reflektif Siswa SMP Bergaya Belajar Pragmatis Dalam Memecahkan Masalah Pada Materi Bangun Ruang Sisi Datar

This study will reveal the nature of the Reflective Thinking Process of Junior High School Students with Pragmatic Learning Style in Solving Problems in Curved Side Space Building Materials. This research was conducted in MTs. Miftahul Ulum Ngembal, Pasuruan. The research subjects were 9th grade students of MTs. Miftahul Ulum Ngembal, Pasuruan. The number of subjects in this study amounted to 2 MTs students with pragmatic learning style. Researchers in this qualitative research, act as the main instrument. While the supporting instruments in this study were in the form of test sheets, questionnaires, and interview guidelines. The results showed that: 1) In the Reacting phase. In the reacting phase, subject 1 was not able to mention in detail what was known but was able to mention what was asked and was unable to explain in detail the relationship between what was asked and what was known. While subject 2 is able to mention in detail what is known and what is being asked, and is able to explain in detail the relationship between what is asked and what is known. 2) In the Comparing phase. In this phase, subject 1 is able to explain the answers to the problems obtained, remember the formula used to answer the questions, and be able to relate the problems asked to the problems at hand. While subject 2 is able to remember the formula needed, but unable to apply it to the problem. So there is an error in answering the question. 3) In the Contemplating phase. In this phase, both subjects were able to detect errors and truths, and were able to correct errors. But at the time of concluding, subject 1 could conclude correctly, and subject 2 could not conclude correctly, because of errors made during the comparing phase.

‘In English!’ teachers’ requests as reactions to learners’ translanguaging discourse

ABSTRACT Multilingualism in the world is the norm and the classrooms are no exception. The dynamic and flexible practices of multilingual teachers and learners in the classroom are referred to as translanguaging . As shown in the literature on the topic, translanguaging discourse simply exists in classrooms. It is the means of communication employed by multilingual learners in multilingual learning settings. However, research on classroom pragmatics has adopted a monolingual perspective, and the need to examine multilingual learners and teachers from a multilingual viewpoint has been raised. Bearing this research gap in mind, this study focuses on examining teachers’ reactions to learners’ translingual practices as instances of attitudinal conduct and potential sources of incidental pragmatic learning. Data for the study comprise transcripts from twelve video-recorded English as L3 lessons involving 268 learners (m.a. = 8.4) and 12 teachers. Interestingly, this study confirms the role of the language programme in the classroom requestive behaviour and the existing monolingual bias in young multilingual instructional settings.

Scientific concepts as meaning-making resources for young EFL learners in the learning of pragmatics

This article reports on a study investigating the role of scientific concepts in the metapragmatic awareness of Norwegian primary EFL learners’ following a four-week instructional intervention on requesting informed by sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 2012/1934). Through introducing pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic dimensions of requesting, the intervention aimed to develop metapragmatic awareness and foster learner agency by teaching pragmalinguistic resources related to request strategies; raising awareness of contextual considerations; and drawing attention to individual perceptions of appropriateness. The instruction focused on scientific concepts, that is, systematic and abstract objects of study which facilitate learner reflections. This article draws on data collected during group interviews to analyse whether learners used scientific concepts introduced during the instruction–for example, directness of the head act and attention getters–and if so, how these were used to express metapragmatic understandings. The analysis shows how such scientific concepts were internalised and used by learners to express their understandings of the importance of linguistic variation, the communicative functions of requests, and compare request strategies in English and Norwegian. Lived experiences, contextual considerations, and prior knowledge were also used as frames of reference for interpreting the appropriateness of requests. Adding to pragmatics research using concept-based approaches with (young) adults (e.g., van Compernolle, 2014), this study reveals that internalising a conceptual understanding of pragmatic phenomena in a foreign language is possible even for young language learners, thus contributing to knowledge about how learners come to understand pragmatic phenomena and how pragmatics can be taught with these age groups.

The lived experiences of intensive care nursing students exposed to a new model of high-fidelity simulation training: a phenomenological study

BackgroundIn postgraduate intensive care nursing courses, high-fidelity simulation is useful to prepare students to guarantee safe and quality care of critically ill patients. Surprisingly, this issue has not attracted sufficient attention in the literature, and it is not clear whether the linear application of the traditional high-fidelity simulation method based on prebriefing, the simulation session and debriefing, can serve as empirical reference in postgraduate students’ education. The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of postgraduate students receiving multiple exposures to an innovative high-fidelity simulation design based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory.MethodsA phenomenological study was conducted at an Italian University involving a purposive sample of 15 nursing students attending the postgraduate intensive care course. Audio-recorded face-to-face in-depth interviews were held by a researcher in a dedicated room complemented with non-verbal communication outlined in the field notes. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcribed data.ResultsThree themes and ten categories were derived from the data analysis. The themes included pragmatic learning experience, the emotional path, and confidence.ConclusionsMultiple exposure to high-fidelity simulation was lived as a pragmatic learning experience enhancing the students’ ability to apply theory into practice. This novel approach also contributed to the transition from negative to positive feelings and improved students’ confidence about technical and non-technical skills when caring for a critically ill patient.

Learning and Teaching Pragmatics in the Globalized World: Introduction to the Special Issue

AbstractThis special issue presents the current state of second language pragmatics research and instruction situated in the broader scope of globalization. Seven empirical articles included in this issue represent 3 strands of research: (a) pragmatics in lingua franca communication, (b) multilingual and multidialectal pragmatics, and (c) technology‐mediated pragmatics learning and teaching. These articles collectively address how new contexts in today's globalized world have engendered new ways of conceptualizing and teaching pragmatics.

Reflector and Pragmatic Learning Styles in Learning Value Clarification Technique (VCT) and Direct Instruction (DI)

This study used a quasi-experimental research type (quasi-experimental) with a 2 x 2 factorial design. The research sample was taken by cluster random sampling where one group was treated with the VCT learning model with a sample size of 50 people and one group was treated with the DI learning model with the number of a sample of 51 people. The data collection instruments used were Civics learning outcomes test and learning style questionnaire. The results of hypothesis testing conclude that: 1) There is an influence of the interaction between the learning model and student learning styles on learning outcomes, 2) the learning outcomes of students who have a reflector learning style learned with the VCT learning model are higher than those taught with the DI learning model.