IDENTIFYING DATA 2023_24
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
RADIONOVA MOSEEVA, EKATERINA
 E-mail ekaterina.radionova@urv.cat
Lecturers
RADIONOVA MOSEEVA, EKATERINA
Web
General description and relevant information <p>This course aims to develop an understanding of pragmatics - the study of how language is used in context to make meaning. More specifically, the course is concerned with how key concepts from pragmatics have been employed in research and practice in foreign language teaching and learning.&nbsp;</p><p>Issues to be dealt with throughout the course include both theoretical and practical aspects of teaching pragmatics, research on the teaching of pragmatics, reference, politeness, speech acts, and pragmatic variation in an EFL context.</p><p>By the end of this course, students will have acquired a solid understanding of core concepts in pragmatics as well as the ability to apply and critically reflect on these concepts in the EFL classroom.</p><p>Further details will be provided on the first day of class.</p>

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
 CT5 Communicate complex ideas effectively to all sorts of audiences
 CT6 Develop abilities to manage their professional career
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
 CT5 Produce quality texts that have no grammatical or spelling errors, are properly structured and make appropriate and consistent use of formal and bibliographic conventions
Draw up texts that are structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length, and which can transmit complex ideas
Draw up texts that are appropriate to the communicative situation, consistent and persuasive
Use the techniques of non-verbal communication and the expressive resources of the voice to make a good oral presentation
Construct a discourse that is structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length, and which can transmit complex ideas
Produce a persuasive, consistent and precise discourse that can explain complex ideas and effectively interact with the audience
 CT6 Raise their professional self-awareness
Develop a professional attitude
Analyse the professional environment of their speciality
Design specific professional tracks
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 8: 1) Can semantics be dissociated from pragmatics? 2) Grammatical illusions as semantico-pragmatic constructs.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
 Hours outside the classroom
 (**) Total hours
Introductory activities
1 0 1
Lecture
A2
A3
 8 20 28
Problem solving, exercises in the classroom
A2
A6
CT5
 7 9 16
Presentations / oral communications
A2
A6
CT5
 4 9 13
Assignments
A2
A3
A5
A6
CT5
 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 key pragmatics text / Microteach on key issue in pragmatics, and presentation of final written project.
Assignments Critical reading, review of material, planning a class.
Personal attention Students will be in touch with the instructor (individual appointments, email or Moodle).

Personalized attention
Description

Students may contact me at geraintpaul.rees@urv.cat to discuss any issues related to the course or to make an appointment for a tutorial.

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Presentations / oral communications
A2
A6
CT5
 Oral presentations 20%
Assignments
A2
A3
A5
A6
CT5
 Final written assignment 40%
Others   Four short written activities 40%
 
Other comments and second exam session

Written assignment task for those students who do not pass the course in the first call

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.