Learning pragmatic routines during study abroad: A focus on proficiency and type of routine
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In: Atlantis, Vol. 39, No. 2, 20.12.2017, p. 191-210.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning pragmatic routines during study abroad
T2 - A focus on proficiency and type of routine
AU - Soler, Eva Alcón
AU - Hernández, Ariadna Sánchez
N1 - Funding Information: 1 As members of the “LAELA. Lingüística Aplicada a l’Ensenyament de la Llengua Anglesa” [“Applied Linguistics to the Teaching of the English Language”] research group at Universitat Jaume I (Castellón, Spain), we would like to acknowledge that this study is part of a research project funded by (a) the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [“Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness”] (FFI2016-78584-P), (b) Universitat Jaume I (P1·1B2015-20), and (c) Projectes d’Innovació Educativa de la Unitat de Suport Educatiu [“Educational Innovation Projects by the Educational Support Office”] Universitat Jaume I (352/16). Thank you also to Prof. Dr. Anne Barron and the members of her research group for their insights provided during this project.
PY - 2017/12/20
Y1 - 2017/12/20
N2 - The present study explores pragmatic learning during study abroad (SA) programs, focusing on gains in learner recognition and production of pragmatic routines, and considers whether proficiency and type of routine play a role in this. One hundred and twenty-two international students in their first semester of study at US universities completed a pre-test and a post-test version of a vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS) and a written discourse-completion task (DCT). Pragmatic routines elicited for recognition were categorised according to how bound they are to specific situations, while production routines were operationalised in terms of prototypicality. The results revealed that knowledge of pragmatic routines increased during a semester abroad, particularly in terms of recognition. While this increase was unrelated to proficiency, type of routine did play a significant role. Students showed greater gains in recognition of situational routines and in production of those that are highly-prototypical. The findings of the study underline the importance of SA programs for the acquisition of pragmatic routines, and suggest that exposure to routines in relevant contexts enhances pragmatic development.
AB - The present study explores pragmatic learning during study abroad (SA) programs, focusing on gains in learner recognition and production of pragmatic routines, and considers whether proficiency and type of routine play a role in this. One hundred and twenty-two international students in their first semester of study at US universities completed a pre-test and a post-test version of a vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS) and a written discourse-completion task (DCT). Pragmatic routines elicited for recognition were categorised according to how bound they are to specific situations, while production routines were operationalised in terms of prototypicality. The results revealed that knowledge of pragmatic routines increased during a semester abroad, particularly in terms of recognition. While this increase was unrelated to proficiency, type of routine did play a significant role. Students showed greater gains in recognition of situational routines and in production of those that are highly-prototypical. The findings of the study underline the importance of SA programs for the acquisition of pragmatic routines, and suggest that exposure to routines in relevant contexts enhances pragmatic development.
KW - Interlanguage pragmatics
KW - L2 pragmatic competence
KW - Pragmatic routines
KW - Production
KW - Recognition
KW - Study abroad
KW - Sustainability education
KW - English
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038629844&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.28914/Atlantis-2017-39.2.10
DO - 10.28914/Atlantis-2017-39.2.10
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85038629844
VL - 39
SP - 191
EP - 210
JO - Atlantis
JF - Atlantis
SN - 0210-6124
IS - 2
ER -