Technology and task-based language teaching (TBLT): Exploring pragmatics

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. A series of lessons was developed to help 10 and 11-year-old English language learners achieve pragmatic fluency in apologizing. Fifteen students participated in an after-school action research test of the lessons. They enjoyed the learning activities and demonstrated newly-acquired skills. Results from this study reveal that action research is a valuable way to increase teachers’ pedagogical knowledge of how pragmatics is learners in instructional settings