Revisiting L2 pragmatic competence through implicit vs. explicit instructional framework.

Area of Science:

• Second Language Acquisition
• Applied Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics

Background:

• Successful second language (L2) interaction demands both grammatical accuracy and socioculturally appropriate communication, known as pragmatic competence.
• L2 learners often struggle with pragmatic competence due to insufficient exposure to authentic language use in real social contexts.
• Instructional approaches significantly impact L2 learners' ability to produce and comprehend language functionally across various situations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a summative description of empirical studies investigating the teaching of pragmatics in L2 contexts.
• To analyze the role of explicit versus implicit instructional methods in developing L2 pragmatic competence.
• To synthesize findings on effective strategies for enhancing L2 pragmatic abilities.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and synthesis of empirical research on L2 pragmatics instruction.
• Analysis of studies comparing explicit and implicit teaching approaches.
• Focus on research examining the development of pragmatic competence in L2 learners.

Main Results:

• The review highlights the challenges L2 learners face in acquiring pragmatic competence.
• Evidence suggests that both explicit and implicit instruction can influence the development of L2 pragmatic abilities.
• The effectiveness of different instructional methods varies depending on the specific pragmatic features and learner characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Instruction plays a crucial role in equipping L2 learners with pragmatic competence.
• Further research is needed to refine instructional strategies for teaching pragmatics effectively.
• Implications for L2 pedagogy include the need for targeted pragmatic instruction within broader language curricula.