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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
because it has been a relatively neglected area in language learning. With
the curricular focus placed on pragmatics, it would be vital for curriculum
writers to communicate its principles clearly to the users of the curriculum,
and to support teachers throughout with supplementary materials.
As recommended in this teachers’ guide, curriculum writers may decide
to present pragmatics information explicitly and draw on research-based
insights, rather than solely relying on their own intuitions as fluent speakers
of the L2. To illustrate how principles can be manifested in a pragmatics 
curriculum, examples have been taken from a web-based curriculum and its
adapted classroom-based curriculum for learners of Japanese as a foreign
language. The sample exercises from the curriculum have demonstrated the
way learners’ pragmatic awareness can be heightened through the inclusion of
naturalistic language samples, language-focused exercises, and interactional
practice. In order to facilitate learners’ observation of pragmatic language
use, the sample curriculum has taken an inductive, self-guided approach,
encouraging the learners to analyze others’ pragmatic behavior. Learners are
also guided to self-assess their own pragmatic awareness and language 
use through the pre-programmed prompts and individualized, teacher-
generated feedback. A pragmatics-focused curriculum could also include 
cultural reasoning behind certain pragmatic norms that would enhance
learners’ cultural literacy and provide insider perspectives regarding the 
L2 culture. Additional resources in the curriculum may include commu-
nication strategies for pragmatics and information for further learning of
pragmatics.
We are now fortunate to have some research-based resources for teach-
ing pragmatics. It would be helpful to further develop curricula that cover
many more pragmatic features,
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whether through a classroom-based, teacher-
delivered curriculum, a web-based, self-access curriculum, or a combination
of the two. In fact, L2 learners tend to respond favorably to pragmatics-
focused instruction,
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especially if they perceive pragmatics as essential to
their communicative needs. The following activity is designed to facilitate
curricular efforts in this area. Curriculum writers are encouraged to develop
materials, field-test them, and share their results with the community of
interested teachers.
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Features of pragmatics other than speech acts would be especially welcome in
future language materials.
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For example, Crandall and Basturkmen (2004); Ishihara (2004).

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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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Activity 11.1 Designing a pragmatics-focused curriculum
Objectives
1
You will be able to identify your own principles in learning and teaching 
L2 pragmatics.
2
You will be able to initiate an effort to develop a pragmatics-focused 
curriculum according to your own principles.
Suggested time:
40 minutes, and then more as needed.
Materials:
a language textbook that you wish to adapt (if you plan to incorporate
pragmatics into an existing curriculum).
Directions
1
In a small group of approximately three, brainstorm your beliefs related to the
learning and teaching of pragmatics. You may also wish to look back at your own
reflections in the Chapter 2 activity.
2
Independently or in a small group of curriculum writers sharing the same interest,
decide how you would like to construct a pragmatics-focused curriculum. Would
you choose to design a brand new curriculum, or to supplement one that already
exists by adding pragmatics-focused components?
3
If you are to design a new curriculum, sketch out the structure of the curriculum
by selecting features of pragmatics to be included as instructional foci, and by
sequencing them logically. Then, consider the components and structure of each
unit. If you are supplementing a textbook, look through it carefully with an eye 
to identifying the pragmatics components that appear to be missing from the
instruction.
4
Report back these initial efforts to the whole class by discussing what features of
pragmatics you plan to teach, in what ways, and why.
Discussion/wrap-up
An advantage of collaboratively discussing curricular efforts is that you may become
more aware of your beliefs and principles as you articulate them in interaction with
other teachers. It would be best if these principles permeate your curriculum and inform
your curricular decisions;
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then, a consistent message could be sent to the users of the
curriculum as to how L2 pragmatics can be learned effectively. You are invited to con-
tinue your efforts at developing a pragmatics-focused curriculum beyond this activity
and share them with other like-minded curriculum developers and teachers.
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Graves (2000).

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