IDENTIFYING DATA 2020_21
Subject (*) PRAGMATICS IN THE EL CLASSROOM Code 12865108
Study programme
Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign/Second Language (2015)
 Cycle 2nd
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
3 Compulsory First 2Q
Language
Anglès
Department English and German Studies
Coordinator
VOLTMER , KAI-ALEXANDER
 E-mail isabel.oltra@urv.cat
kai.voltmer@urv.cat
celia.fullana@urv.cat
evelina.leivada@urv.cat
Lecturers
OLTRA MASSUET, MARIA ISABEL
VOLTMER , KAI-ALEXANDER
FULLANA GARCIA, CELIA
LEIVADA , EVANGELIA
Web
General description and relevant information The goal of this module is to offer an introduction to study of pragmatics with emphasis on actual examples of language use in different contexts. We will explore the core issues in pragmatics and those aspects of the meaning of utterances which cannot be accounted for by semantics alone. We will discuss speech acts, presupposition, implicatures, contextually-mediated reference, politeness, and aspects of the acquisition of pragmatics in the first/foreign language. By the end of this module, you will have an enhanced understanding of core themes within pragmatics, with special emphasis to teaching and learning pragmatics in an EFL context. This subject combines face-to-face and blended learning in a percentage that has yet to be confirmed. When the academic year starts, the calendar with all of the planned teaching activities (with timetables and classrooms) will be available from the Moodle online campus for each subject.

Competences
Type A Code Competences Specific
 A2 Masters the main linguistic bases of theoretical and applied linguistics
 A3 Has an advanced knowledge of English at all levels, both in speaking and writing; also knows the linguistic system of English (lexical, phonetic, grammatical, pragmatic, discourse) and can give it an adequate didactic treatment
 A5 Identifies, describes, analyses, and evaluates resources, strategies, methods and didactic processes used in teaching English, and applies them adequately in any EFL/ESL context, in line with students’ needs
 A6 Plans, structures, and designs didactic units; programs and organizes the contents of the discipline in diverse contexts bearing in mind the different rhythms in learning English
Type B Code Competences Transversal
 B1 Learning to learn
 B6 Communicate information, ideas, conclusions, problems and solutions – and the underlying reasons – clearly and effectively in public or in a particular technical ambit.
Type C Code Competences Nuclear

Learning outcomes
Type A Code Learning outcomes
 A2 Identifies and analyses the basic units as well as teaching and learning strategies to develop a global communicative competence (discursive, textual, pragmatic) in English
 A3 Critically reflects on the teaching-learning of the different linguistic levels (grammar, lexicon, phonetics, and pragmatics) and analyses, elaborates, compares and evaluates didactic proposals to tackle them
Critically reflects on studies in the field of interlanguage pragmatics
 A5 Analyses, compares, evaluates and selects appropriate materials to present, practice and correct elements of the pronunciation, grammar, lexicon and pragmatics of English
Argues and reasons why, when and how to work on the pronunciation, grammar, lexicon and pragmatics of English
 A6 Elaborates practical proposals and activities to include the different linguistic competences (pragmatics, grammar, lexicon, phonetics) in the teaching plan
Type B Code Learning outcomes
 B1 Learn by asking questions and take an interest in clearing up doubts.
 B6 Structure their presentations and comply with any requirements should there be any.
Reply to the questions that they are asked.
Understand that non-verbal language is appropriate to verbal discourse.
Type C Code Learning outcomes

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
Week 1: 1) Module overview. 2) What is pragmatics?
Week 2: 1) Conversational implicatures. 2) Scalar implicatures.
Week 3: 1) Deixis, presupposition, metaphor.
Week 4: 1) Speech acts.
Week 5: 1) Conversational structure.
Week 6: 1) Politeness. 2) Positive and negative face.
Week 7: 1) Experimental pragmatics and first language acquisition.
Week 8: 1) Can semantics be dissociated from pragmatics? 2) Grammatical illusions as semantico-pragmatic constructs.
Week 9: 1) Pragmatics in the EFL classroom.
Week 10: 1) Oral presentations. 2) Q&A sessions and feedback for the final written assignment.
Week 11: 1) Oral presentations. 2) A hands-on approach to pragmatics: Analyzing advertisements, movies, and humor.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
 Hours outside the classroom
 (**) Total hours
Introductory activities
1 0 1
Lecture
A2
A3
 16 12 28
Problem solving, exercises in the classroom
A2
A6
B6
 11 5 16
Presentations / oral communications
A2
A6
B6
 4 9 13
Assignments
A2
A3
A5
A6
B6
 1 15 16
Personal attention
1 0 1
 
 
(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies
  Description
Introductory activities Description and presentation of the course contents.
Lecture Introduction and analysis of the main topics of the course. Presentation of their application in the EFL classroom.
Problem solving, exercises in the classroom Discussion and practice of basic concepts. Proposals to deal with pragmatic issues, differences and conflicts in the teaching and learning of EFL/ESL.
Presentations / oral communications Oral presentation of a didactic proposal.
Assignments Critical reading, review of material, writing a didactic unit.
Personal attention Students will be in touch with the instructor (individual appointments, email or Moodle).

Personalized attention
Description

Students can be in touch with me at evelina.leivada@urv.cat. Also, individual appointments are possible in and outside office hours (see syllabus). Due to the current emergency health situation, in the 2020-21 academic year students will be able to consult their teachers in individual and/or group tutorials if they have any questions or queries on subject-related issues. Students will receive a schedule for these tutorials at the start of the course and be informed what form they will take (i.e. whether they will be held face-to-face, online, via email or on Moodle, etc.).

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Presentations / oral communications
A2
A6
B6
 Oral presentations 30%
Assignments
A2
A3
A5
A6
B6
 Final written assignment 40%
Others  

Short online activities and participation in class

30%
 
Other comments and second exam session

This teaching guide is provisional only. If any health emergency arises it will be adapted in order to comply with the directives issued by the competent bodies. Any modification will be announced via the news forum on the Moodle online campus.

Sources of information

Basic
Main textbook: Levinson, S. C. 1983. Pragmatics. Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics. (1997/2008 edition).
Other main readings:

Irun Chavarria, M. & E. Baiget Bonany. 2006. Raising awareness of pragmatics in the EFL classroom: A proposal. Revista de Estudios Culturales de la Universitat Jaume I, 133-144.
Katsos, N., M.-J. Ezeizabarrena, A. Gavarró, J. Kuva? Kraljevi?, G. Hrzica, K. K. Grohmann, A. Skordi et al. [+ 50 authors]. 2012. The acquisition of quantification across languages: Some predictions. In A. K. Biller, E. Y. Chung & A. E. Kimball (eds.), Proceedings of the 36th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development, 258-268. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.
Maillat, D. S. & Oswald. 2009. Defining manipulative discourse: The pragmatics of cognitive illusions. The International Review of Pragmatics 1, 348–370.
Terkourafi, M. 2016. The linguistics of politeness and social relations. In K. Allan (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Linguistics, 221-235. New York: Routledge.
Additional/optional readings: Austin, J. L. 1955/1962. How to Do Things with Words. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Geurts, B. 2007. Implicature as a discourse phenomenon. Proceedings of Sinn und Bedeutung 11, 261-275.

Huang, Y. 2016. Introduction: What is pragmatics? In Y. Huang (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford Handbooks Online. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199697960.013.33
Papafragou, A. & J. Musolino. 2001. Scalar implicatures: experiments at the semantics-pragmatics interface. IRCS Technical Reports Series. 29.

Potts, C. 2014. Presupposition and implicature. In S. Lapin & C. Fox (eds.), Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Contemporary Semantics, 2nd edition, 168-202. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Redmond, M. V. 2015. Face and politeness theories. English Technical Reports and White Papers. 2.

Sperber, D. & D. Wilson. 1995. Relevance: Communication and cognition (2nd edn.). Oxford: Blackwell.

Tello Rueda, Y. 2006. Developing pragmatic competence in a foreign language. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 8.

Wellwood, A., R. Pancheva, V. Hacquard & C. Phillips. 2018. The anatomy of a comparative illusion. Journal of Semantics 35, 543-583.
Complementary

Recommendations
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.