Open AccessGiving Students a Fighting Chance: Pragmatics in the Language Classroom
Author(s) -
Terrence McLean
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
tesl canada journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1925-8917
pISSN - 0826-435X
DOI - 10.18806/tesl.v21i2.175
Subject(s) - pragmatics , negotiation , raising (metalworking) , consciousness , task (project management) , psychology , consciousness raising , second language , pedagogy , linguistics , language education , sociology , social science , philosophy , geometry , mathematics , management , neuroscience , economics
In order to give language learners a fighting chance outside the classroom, teachers must provide them with consciousness-raising opportunities for developing pragmatic awareness. By attending to pragmatic factors in second-language (L2) situations, students will be better able to make informed decisions in negotiating effective communication., This article examines the potential use of the pragmatic discourse completion task (DCT) as a springboard for discussion in the L2 classroom. A description of a DCT used in a study involving advanced L2 learners at the University of Alberta (Ranta, 2002) is provided. The author also provides suggestions for developing students' pragmatic awareness.