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In:L2 Pragmatics in Action: Teachers, learners and the teaching-learning interaction process
Edited by Alicia Martínez-Flor, Ariadna Sánchez-Hernández and Júlia Barón
[Language Learning & Language Teaching 58] 2023
► pp. 31–61

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Chapter 2
Teachers gaining awareness of L2 pragmatics by means of an asynchronous professional development module

 | University of Minnesota, USA
 | University of Oregon, USA
 | University of Oregon, USA
Published online: 12 April 2023
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.58.02coh
While teacher education is a crucial element to ensuring that second language (L2) pragmatics gains traction in classrooms and curricula, it would appear that teacher development programs provide only modest focus in this area. This chapter reports on findings from a preliminary case study in which three Spanish teachers accessed an asynchronous teacher education online module aimed at heightening their awareness of L2 pragmatics and the important role that it can play in language instruction. The results indicate that asynchronous professional development (PD) materials provide teachers with resources which they can access conveniently for the purpose of gaining insights into lesson sequencing, identification of key content and development of strategies for teaching L2 pragmatics in the classroom.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Review of the literature
    • 2.1The rationale for teaching pragmatics
    • 2.2Efforts at teaching L2 pragmatics over the years
    • 2.3Designing a PD module for teaching L2 pragmatics
      • 2.3.1Sequencing
      • 2.3.2A framework for learning objectives and assessment
      • 2.3.3Integrating an L2-based corpus as a key learning content
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Participants
      • 3.1.1Adriana: The practicing teacher
      • 3.1.2Cora: The former teacher
      • 3.1.3Elizabeth: The teacher leader
    • 3.2Instrumentation and treatment
      • 3.2.1The pre- and post-questionnaires
      • 3.2.2An online, asynchronous course
        • 3.2.2.1Component 1: An Introduction to the IPIC framework
        • 3.2.2.2Component 2: Using COREMAH for pragmatics instruction
        • 3.2.2.3Component 3: Applying the teacher’s own work to activity sequencing
    • 3.3Data collection procedures
    • 3.4Procedures for data analysis
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Adriana: The practicing teacher
      • 4.1.1Adriana: Lesson sequencing
      • 4.1.2Adriana: IPIC framework application
      • 4.1.3Adriana: Corpus integration
    • 4.2Cora: The former teacher
      • 4.2.1Cora: Lesson sequencing
      • 4.2.2Cora: IPIC framework application
      • 4.2.3Cora: Corpus integration
    • 4.3Elizabeth: The teacher leader
      • 4.3.1Elizabeth: Lesson sequencing
      • 4.3.2Elizabeth: IPIC framework application
      • 4.3.3Elizabeth: Corpus integration
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Summary of findings
    • 5.2Limitations
    • 5.3Interpretations
    • 5.4Suggestions for future research
    • 5.5Pedagogical implications
    • 5.6Conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix
References (35)
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