4. Pragmatic competence in foreign language education: Cultivating learner autonomy and strategic learning of pragmatics

Abstract

Three decades after the emergence of communicative competence models (e.g. Canale & Swain, 1980), pragmatic competence has established a recognition that learning a language extends beyond grammar. However, language curriculums and instructional materials are seldom pragmatics-focused. Although grammar appears systematically in course syllabi, pragmatics is usually addressed randomly as questions arise, often in conjunction with culture topics. Lack of the systematic appearance of pragmatic features, along with limited range of communicative situations and functions in classroom discourse and textbooks, has led to a general concern that classroom learning is poor in opportunities for pragmatic development (Bardovi-Harlig, 2001). To address this concern, this paper discusses autonomous learning and strategy training as a model of pragmatics pedagogy. Based on the data collected from Japanese ESL students in an immersion setting (Taguchi, 2012), I will illustrate a case of a strategic learner who cultivated a variety of self-directed resources for pragmatics learning, which led to a strong development of pragmatic competence. Based on this case study and drawing on the recent model of strategic self-regulation (Oxford, 2011), I will present the taxonomy of strategy instruction as a way of promoting autonomous learning of pragmatics. Strategy training can be an alternative form of formal instruction, assisting learners to take initiative in learning pragmatics from everyday, non-pragmatics-focused materials.