Implicit Instruction of Pragmatics AND Shouldn't we Teach Email Pragmatics?

Implicit Instruction of Pragmatics and Communication Anxiety by Yaoko Matsuoka
(1) A number of researchers have concluded that explicit pragmatics instruction is more effective than implicit; however, evidence from implicit instruction research is still too scarce for this to be definitive. To fill this gap, this study examined the effects of implicit instruction of pragmatics on the development of Japanese EFL learners’ competence of suggesting through teacher recasts using different modes of communication: computer-mediated communication (CMC) and face-to-face communication (FTF). It investigated the influence of learner anxiety on their pragmatic development in both modes.

Email Pragmatics: Shouldn’t We Teach It? by Benio Suzuki
(2) College students may find it necessary to write emails to their instructors, and even more so these days during the time of the Corona virus. Unfortunately, teachers who have received student emails are not particularly happy--that is, if one overhears their comments in the teachers’ lounge. However, rather than just complain, teachers should consider the fact that students have not received instruction in writing emails, and they may not realize that there are levels of formality that are important. I believe that we should include pragmatic awareness and pragmatic competence for emails in our classes. In this session, I will share some email writing and email recognition tasks, and how I engaged the class in whole group discussion about writing good emails.