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Chapter 8. Pragmatics, tasks, and technology

A synergy
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Abstract

This chapter explores the relationship among pragmatics, tasks, and technology when the goal is to support the development of pragmatics in a new language (L2). We view L2 pragmatic competence as culturally and situationally specific and inseparable from authentic communication, which encompasses both the face-to-face and digital worlds of people. Taking as a premise that optimal blends of tasks and new technologies can provide a programmatic framework for L2 instruction (González-Lloret & Ortega, 2014), including L2 pragmatics instruction, we first survey key existing task-based, technology-mediated approaches that incorporate a focus on the development of L2 pragmatics. We then choose two well-known areas of TBLT – cognitive task complexity (Robinson, 2011; Skehan, 2003) and needs analysis (González-Lloret, 2014) – to point at factors that can shape interactional pragmatics, and we show how they can be relevantly applied to technology-mediated tasks for the teaching and learning of L2 pragmatics. From a TBLT stance, we argue that the pragmatics-related demands of tasks might impact cognitive task complexity as an independent variable. From a technology-mediated TBLT stance, we propose that the systematic analysis of tasks in terms of pragmatics is necessary to carve a formal curricular place for L2 pragmatics instruction. We close the chapter by pointing at two fruitful future areas for investigating how the synergy among pragmatics, tasks, and technology can be optimized.

Abstract

This chapter explores the relationship among pragmatics, tasks, and technology when the goal is to support the development of pragmatics in a new language (L2). We view L2 pragmatic competence as culturally and situationally specific and inseparable from authentic communication, which encompasses both the face-to-face and digital worlds of people. Taking as a premise that optimal blends of tasks and new technologies can provide a programmatic framework for L2 instruction (González-Lloret & Ortega, 2014), including L2 pragmatics instruction, we first survey key existing task-based, technology-mediated approaches that incorporate a focus on the development of L2 pragmatics. We then choose two well-known areas of TBLT – cognitive task complexity (Robinson, 2011; Skehan, 2003) and needs analysis (González-Lloret, 2014) – to point at factors that can shape interactional pragmatics, and we show how they can be relevantly applied to technology-mediated tasks for the teaching and learning of L2 pragmatics. From a TBLT stance, we argue that the pragmatics-related demands of tasks might impact cognitive task complexity as an independent variable. From a technology-mediated TBLT stance, we propose that the systematic analysis of tasks in terms of pragmatics is necessary to carve a formal curricular place for L2 pragmatics instruction. We close the chapter by pointing at two fruitful future areas for investigating how the synergy among pragmatics, tasks, and technology can be optimized.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgement vii
  4. Series editors’ preface ix
  5. Chapter 1. Task-based approaches to teaching and assessing pragmatics 1
  6. Part I. Teaching pragmatics through tasks
  7. Chapter 2. Learning of Korean honorifics through collaborative tasks 27
  8. Chapter 3. Effects of task supported language teaching on learners’ use and knowledge of email request mitigators 55
  9. Chapter 4. Task complexity effects on interaction during a collaborative persuasive writing task 83
  10. Part II. Using tasks to elicit pragmatics language use
  11. Chapter 5. Task modality effects on Spanish learners’ interlanguage pragmatic development 113
  12. Chapter 6. Developing pragmatic competence through tasks in EFL contexts 137
  13. Chapter 7. Independently measuring cognitive complexity in task design for interlanguage pragmatics development 159
  14. Chapter 8. Pragmatics, tasks, and technology 191
  15. Part III. Task-based assessment of pragmatics
  16. Chapter 9. Task design and validity evidence for assessment of L2 pragmatics in interaction 217
  17. Chapter 10. The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance 247
  18. Chapter 11. Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach 265
  19. Chapter 12. Pragmatics in task-based language assessment 287
  20. Bio notes 305
  21. Index 311
Task-Based Approaches to Teaching and Assessing Pragmatics
This chapter is in the book Task-Based Approaches to Teaching and Assessing Pragmatics
https://doi.org/10.1075/tblt.10.08gon

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgement vii
  4. Series editors’ preface ix
  5. Chapter 1. Task-based approaches to teaching and assessing pragmatics 1
  6. Part I. Teaching pragmatics through tasks
  7. Chapter 2. Learning of Korean honorifics through collaborative tasks 27
  8. Chapter 3. Effects of task supported language teaching on learners’ use and knowledge of email request mitigators 55
  9. Chapter 4. Task complexity effects on interaction during a collaborative persuasive writing task 83
  10. Part II. Using tasks to elicit pragmatics language use
  11. Chapter 5. Task modality effects on Spanish learners’ interlanguage pragmatic development 113
  12. Chapter 6. Developing pragmatic competence through tasks in EFL contexts 137
  13. Chapter 7. Independently measuring cognitive complexity in task design for interlanguage pragmatics development 159
  14. Chapter 8. Pragmatics, tasks, and technology 191
  15. Part III. Task-based assessment of pragmatics
  16. Chapter 9. Task design and validity evidence for assessment of L2 pragmatics in interaction 217
  17. Chapter 10. The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance 247
  18. Chapter 11. Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach 265
  19. Chapter 12. Pragmatics in task-based language assessment 287
  20. Bio notes 305
  21. Index 311
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