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IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING AND TEACHING PRAGMATICS IN EFL
CONTEXT Musaeva Z.M.
Musaeva Zebokhon Muzaffarovna - Senior Teacher, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY ENGLISH LANGUAGES FACULTY 2, UZBEKISTAN STATE WORLD LANGUAGES UNIVERSITY, TASHKENT, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
Abstract: in this paper we will be dealing with pragmatical, sociocultural and pragma linguistic issues that EFL learners may face. We agree that pragmatic ability must become part of what we teach in the classroom if we are to realize the goals of
communicative competence for our students to make them ready for real-life talk.
We review scientific works that point out efficiency of teaching pragmatic competence by blending into speaking skills implicitly. Essay consists of introduction, main body paragraph and conclusion Keywords: pragmatics, sociolinguistics, pragmatic failure, misconception, social context.
Pragmatics is one of the important parts of foreign language learning and teaching process. It helps learners to become competent for social communication and avoid misconceptions. Inevitably, pragmatics has a considerable role in building a communicatively competent speaker; it helps language learners to comprehend the language norms as well as forms and their functions that are appropriate to many contexts in which a language is used. Language is not merely constructed by grammar and vocabulary. It has very many correlations with culture. Study of pragmatics addresses letting students know how to use language in socially correct ways. Pragmatic ability deals with the knowledge how to apply this skill into real context. Not always speakers say what they meant, or listeners are not always able to interpret intended meaning. With another words, when speaker sends code(message) listener may not decode (understand) implicit meaning of it.
1. Understanding pragmatics
Pragmatics is a sub field of linguistics that has been defined as: "the study of language from the point of view of users. Especially of the choices they make, the constraints they encounter in using language in social language and the effect of their use of language has on other participants in the act of communication" [Crystal, 1997].
Fasold [2006] defines this as "Pragmatics concerns both the relationship between context of use and sentence meaning, and the relationships among sentence meaning, context of use, and speaker's meaning [p.137]." According to Kasper's pragmalinguistics "includes strategies like directness and
indirectness, routines, and a large range of linguistic forms which can identify or soften communicative acts. [p.1] As other scientists claim that students in elementary and secondary schools should be made aware of the factors of
social acceptability of language use which is inseparable part of communicative competence. Since the communicative approach emphasizes how language used situationally as opposed to emphasis on how it is formed. As it can be concluded, together with the language structure pragmatic awareness need to be addressed by practically experiencing in schools.
2.Teaching pragmatics
It is important to know that there is no one most effective way to teach pragmatics. To my mind it is mostly depend qualified teacher on how to design lesson which is helpful to acquire pragmatic ability. For example, teacher can add some extra activities to an existing lesson plan when the need on pragmatics becomes evident.
As Bardovi - Harlig [1991] mentions the real responsibility of the classroom teacher is making students more aware about existing pragmatic functions in language, especially in discourse. The teachers should know about these speech acts and their elements to use the natural input for the students in a particular content, for a particular purpose, and as part of a strategy'
According to Brock [2005] for classroom instruction to pragmatic competence the teachers should consider the simple acronym S.U.R.E.to guide them as they help their students See, Use, Review, and Experience pragmatics in the EFL classroom.
See
Teachers can help their students see the language in context, raise consciousness of the role of pragmatics, and explain the function pragmatics in specific communicative events. Use
Teachers can develop activities through which students use in contexts ( simulated and real) where they choose how they interact based on their understanding of the situation suggested by the activity. Review
Teachers should review, reinforce, and recycle the areas of
pragmatic competence previously taught. Experience
Teachers can arrange for their students to experience and observe the role of pragmatics in communication. [p.20]
As well-known linguist Nunn [2006] considered that Pragmatics can be applied to language teaching process as language essentially uses in social context. English language teachers should therefore be extremely flexible to add appropriate to real life context materials into teaching materials.
Nunn contends that understanding how language is used in context and how people negotiate comprehension, despite differences in ability, culture, and status, is crucial for both our social and professional relationships.
The teaching of pragmatics is still far behind that of grammatical and lexical understanding. For one thing, the interlocutors must speak in a setting or context that takes sociocultural factors into account if they are to utilize language efficiently and proficiently where a lot of societal elements are taken into account. This covers both the circumstance as a whole and the speaker-hearer's interpersonal connection to the interlocutor. Such demands are often not allowed in the classroom. It is not at all simple to establish these factors in the classroom, let alone the modalities of assessment. The apparent question is whether or not pragmatic competence can or should be taught in the context of these standards being set in the classroom. Conclusion
Teachers should increase learners' comprehension of the interactional frames and unwritten politeness standards in the target culture. However, language and cultural norms closely tied and students who attempt to be accepted by nation whose language they are acquiring should know how to utilize necessary tools of appropriate pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic choices in the target tongue.
Teaching students pragmatic and social rules help them avoid pragmatic failure. The acquisition of pragmatic language knowledge is improved when learners are exposed to authentic materials and the real-world environment. Students studying EFL are deprived of these conditions, and since they cannot be fully met in the classroom, consequently may easily misperceive many things. They might need further instruction in this area. Foreign language students should be provided adequate practice utilizing the right linguistic forms in accordance with those contexts and practically use it scenarios and circumstances by the help of various activities and reliable sources.
References
1. Bardovi-Harlig K. (1996). Pragmatics and language teaching. Bringing pragmatics and pedagogy together. Pragmatics and Language Learning, 7, 21-39.
2. BrockM. N. (2005). Teaching Pragmatics in the EFL Classroom? Sure You Can. TESL
3. CrystalD. (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4. Kasper G. (1997). Can pragmatic competence be taught? Second language Teaching &Curriculum center (Online).
