A01 cohe4573 01 se fm. Qxd

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T H E N U T S A N D B O L T S O F P R A G M A T I C S I N S T R U C T I O N
relying exclusively on the curriculum writers’ or teachers’ intuitions
(Chapters 3 and 8). Therefore, if curriculum writers are not yet familiar with
the research-informed insights, they may first turn to available resources
(see Chapter 4 and the section on providing resources below) to learn 
the pragmatics of the L2. It would be useful to identify commonly used 
language-focused strategies and the cultural norms that tended to prompt
this behavior. Whereas curriculum writers would certainly want to cross-
check this information with their own intuition and knowledge of the L2, it
may also be valuable to turn to other competent speakers of the target 
language. These L2-speaking informants can be asked to provide linguistic
samples for the materials through extended role-play, and their tone of
voice, pauses (both filled and unfilled), language-focused strategies, dis-
course organization, and non-verbal behavior (e.g., eye-contact and bows)
can be observed and incorporated into the curricular materials. More than
one pair of speakers could be recorded so that some pragmatic variation
would be modeled to learners.
In addition, in order to ensure authenticity of language material, lin-
guistic samples need to be naturalistic. Model speakers can be asked to speak
as naturally and spontaneously as possible. Their role-play performance can
be compared with the research-based information, and can be checked by
the curriculum writers and the model speakers themselves to verify the
authenticity. From the learners’ perspectives, however, natural language can
be overwhelmingly complex and loaded. If this is presumed to be the case,
curriculum writers may consider including language-related scaffolding. For
example, audio- or video-recorded speech samples can be accompanied by
vocabulary notes, transcripts, and translations.
Guiding learners’ observations and raising pragmatic
awareness
In the teaching of pragmatics, a situational approach – simulated practice
with imagined scenarios and characters – may be used for facilitating learners’
analysis of language use in context. Because L2 pragmatics is at the intersec-
tion of language and culture, learners could first be exposed to some cultural
differences in order to enhance their awareness of pragmatic variation (see
Chapters 1 and 7). As an introduction to the learning of pragmatics, a simu-
lated format could be used, which asks learners to imagine a situation in
which an exchange student is likely to encounter in Japan, and elicits 
their interpretation of the pragmatics of the situation and the language that
they would use. This introductory exercise would direct learners’ attention to
various contextual factors embedded in the social context, and communicate

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C U R R I C U L U M W R I T I N G F O R L 2 P R A G M A T I C S
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to them that it is not sufficient to know the language forms, but rather that
it is also crucial to know when and how to use them.
The following is a sample of introductory materials for learners’ prag-
matic awareness-raising.
Example 1
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Introduction to speech acts
This introduction will walk you through several little incidents you
are likely to encounter in your daily life in Japan as an exchange 
student. Use your imagination and see if you can determine for each
situation what a culturally appropriate interpretation might be and
how best to respond in that situation.
Let us assume that you have been studying abroad at a Japanese
university in Tokyo for the last few months. This is your first time in
Japan. You have taken a few years of Japanese at a university level 
in the US, and you have always been a pretty good student. You are
living in an apartment with a Japanese roommate, Jun. You love
Japanese animation; in fact that is how you initially became inter-
ested in the language and culture. You are also a music lover. Aside
from classes in Japanese language, you are studying Japanese history
and international relations. You are sociable by nature, which is why
you wanted to have a roommate.
In the sample curriculum, the introductory unit commences with a set 
of imaginary (and presumably realistic) situations for learners. One of the
situations reads as follows:
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You are waiting in line at a department store to return an iPod that
you had bought a few days earlier. The person in front of you in line is
returning a defective digital voice recorder that she apparently bought
the previous week. And then, much to your surprise, instead of 
complaining, she apologizes with 
sumimasenga! You ask
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From http://www.carla.umn.edu/speechacts/japanese/introtospeechacts/
introductiontospeechacts1.html, accessed December 10, 2009.
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The situation and feedback adapted from http://www.carla.umn.edu/speechacts/
japanese/introtospeechacts/introductiontospeechacts7.html, and http://www.carla.
umn.edu/speechacts/japanese/introtospeechacts/feedback7.htm, accessed December
10, 2009.
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