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This book introduces the main concepts of pragmatics as they relate to the young English language learner classroom and research with young second language learners (YLLs). It considers the speech acts which are particularly relevant to YLLs and presents research findings on learners’ development of speech act perception and production. It provides pre- and in-service second language (L2) teachers, teacher educators and researchers with an understanding of young learners’ pragmatic development and with ideas for research-based approaches and specific classroom activities to help foster speech act development in the YLL classroom. Moving beyond the research methods traditionally employed in L2 pragmatics research, it also demonstrates how participant-centred data elicitation methods can be effective when conducting research with children. This book will appeal to researchers, advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in applied linguistics and TESOL, as well as pre- and in-service primary school L2 teachers and teacher educators.
This groundbreaking volume skilfully ties together theory, research, and pedagogical insights in L2 pragmatics, bringing systematic attention to young learners as an increasingly important population. The approach to L2 pragmatics is fresh, dynamic, and offers a clear vision of successful teaching and research that will appeal to advanced students and language teachers alike. A landmark contribution to the field.
This book, written from a child-centered perspective, is an excellent and long-awaited contribution to applied linguistics. The details on data elicitation techniques appropriate for children, as well as the practical applications of speech acts in teaching, are valuable resources for both researchers and practitioners working with young learners around the globe.
...this book is a useful resource for conducting pragmatics research involving young L2 learners. It is strongly
recommended for university students looking to enter the field of L2 pragmatics because of its easy-to-understand coverage of important concepts and detailed examples. It is also strongly recommended for language teachers who wish to incorporate pragmatics instruction into their classrooms, particularly those teaching young children [...] a great introduction, review, and call for more research involving an important yet understudied area of YLL pragmatic research.
— Alexander Holmberg and Naoko Taguchi, Northern Arizona University, USA, Journal of Pragmatics 239 (2025) 1-3
What makes [this book] stand out is its focus on YLLs, an area that has often been overlooked in L2 pragmatics research, as well as its strong emphasis on participant-centered approaches in both speech act research and teaching. In that way, it helps to fill a gap in the L2 pragmatics literature, which has traditionally focused more on adult learners [...] this book stands out as a significant resource that successfully bridges theory, research, and practice, which makes it a valuable reference for anyone interested in researching and teaching L2 pragmatics with YLLs.
This transformative work masterfully bridges the gap between research and the classroom, empowering young learners as active social actors and experts in their own communicative lives. By exploring the complexities that lie ‘beneath the linguistic surface,’ the authors provide an essential and innovative roadmap for fostering pragmatic agency in the next generation of multilingual communicators.
Milica Savić is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Stavanger, Norway. Her research focuses on L2 pragmatics, linguistic politeness, pragmatics instruction and research with children. Her publications include a monograph Politeness through the Prism of Requests, Apologies and Refusals. A Case of Advanced Serbian EFL Learners, a co-edited volume Email Pragmatics and Second Language Learners, as well as papers in a number of edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals.
Anders Myrset is Associate Professor of ELT Methodology at the University of Stavanger, Norway. His research explores the teaching and development of pragmatic competence, (meta)pragmatic awareness of young EFL learners and issues related to research with children, and has appeared in various peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. He is an executive board member of the International Association for Teaching Pragmatics and an author of ELT textbooks for young language learners.
Maria Economidou-Kogetsidis is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. Her research spans L2 and intercultural pragmatics, cross-cultural communication, linguistic politeness and L2 email pragmatics. She has published widely in edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Pragmatics, the ELT Journal and the Language Learning Journal. She is the co-editor of the edited volumes Interlanguage Request Modification and Email Pragmatics and Second Language Learners (John Benjamins).
Tables and Figures
Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1: Setting the Scene: L2 Pragmatics, Speech Acts and Young L2 Learners
Chapter 1. Setting the Scene
Chapter 2. Speech Acts
Chapter 3. YLLs' Pragmatic Development: Speech Act Production and Perception
Part 2: Eliciting Pragmatic Data with Young L2 Learners
Chapter 4. Doing Research with Children
Chapter 5. Data Elicitation in Pragmatics Research with YLLs
Chapter 6. Developing Data Elicitation Methods in Pragmatics Research with YLLs
Part 3: Teaching Speech Acts in the YLL Classroom
Chapter 7. Teaching L2 Pragmatics to YLLs
Chapter 8. Teaching L2 Pragmatics to YLLs: A Case Study
Conclusion
Appendices
References
Index