A01 cohe4573 01 se fm. Qxd

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G R O U N D I N G I N T H E T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G O F L 2 P R A G M A T I C S
The activity will provide readers with an opportunity to analyze potential
causes of learners’ pragmatic divergence and brainstorm about effective
teaching strategies.
Activity 5.1 Determining the sources of learners’ pragmatic
behavior
Objectives
1
You will be able to identify the potential source or combination of sources for this
divergence.
2
You will be able to analyze the factors that might have influenced your pragmatic
use through reflection on your own experience learning and using an L2.
Suggested time:
40 minutes.
Materials:
■
Information: “Source of pragmatic divergence” (List 1), with five potential sources
for learners’ divergent pragmatic behavior;
■
Task sheet: “Examples of learners’ divergent pragmatic behavior” (List 2);
■
Possible answers (List 3).
Directions
Part 1
1
Form into groups of four to five participants.
2
Each group is to get a copy of the list of potential sources for pragmatic
divergence (List 1) and a copy of task sheet, “Examples of pragmatic divergence”
(List 2).
3
Look at each example of learners’ pragmatic L2 use included in the scrambled 
set of examples of pragmatic behavior and determine the factors that may have
contributed to that particular pragmatic behavior. Match each example with one
or more of the five possible sources. Note that there could potentially be more
than one source for a certain pragmatic behavior and it may be difficult or
impossible to identify only one. Place the corresponding letter(s) representing the
source of the divergence in the blank for each situation. If you are not sure about
a source, put parentheses around the letter(s).
4
After matching all examples with potential reasons, refer to the possible answers
(List 3), comparing them with the results obtained by your group.
5
As a whole group, share the highlights of your small-group discussion.

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L E A R N E R S ’ P R A G M A T I C S : P O T E N T I A L C A U S E S O F D I V E R G E N C E
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