Aug 2026· RELC Journal : A Journal of Language Teaching and Research in Southeast Asia· 0 citations· 11 references
Abstract
Traditional approaches to pragmatic competence in English language teaching have emphasized conformity to native-speaker norms from Inner Circle Englishes, an orientation that proves inadequate for English as a
lingua franca
(ELF) contexts where communicative success depends on interactional flexibility, accommodation and negotiation rather than adherence to fixed standards. This study addresses this gap by operationalizing a reconceptualization of pragmatic competence through the ELF-Aware Materials Checklist, a criterion-referenced tool that enables teachers to critically evaluate and adapt materials for global English contexts. The framework is structured around three interconnected components − awareness of language and language use, awareness of instructional practices and awareness of learning − each examined through four universal criteria of authenticity, variety, relevance and reflection. The study investigates how the Checklist functions as both a pedagogical and professional development tool by addressing two research questions: how Checklist-informed lessons promote learners’ pragmatic awareness for global communication; and how engagement with the Checklist supports teachers in understanding ELF-awareness, evaluating materials and designing ELF-aware lessons. Through a multi-stage, exploratory mixed-methods design conducted in a Greek secondary education setting, one experienced teacher redesigned a listening−speaking lesson on social media, replacing scripted native speaker monologues with authentic non-native speaker interactions featuring accommodation strategies, translanguaging and natural discourse features. Findings demonstrate that Checklist-informed lessons promote pragmatic awareness through sustained cycles of noticing discourse features, underlying norms, and learners' own communicative agency, reframing pragmatic competence as an interactionally achieved capacity rather than native-like correctness. For teachers, the Checklist facilitates critical examination of materials, supports rethinking instructional practices, and empowers pedagogical ownership while remaining grounded in established scholarship and current research. The study demonstrates that rather than replacing established principles, the framework extends them by integrating ELF-awareness into familiar practices, fostering communicative capability aligned with contemporary understandings of English as a global lingua franca.
The increasing global prominence of English has placed unprecedented demands on educational systems to equip learners with effective communicative competence, yet a persistent gap remains between theoretical recommendations and classroom realities in English Language Teaching (ELT). This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence from 257 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025 to identify effective strategies for teaching English in modern classrooms and to articulate evidence-based principles for pedagogical practice. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses was conducted, with data extracted and thematically synthesized to address four research questions concerning effective strategies, moderating contextual factors, synergistic integration of approaches, and evidence-based principles. The findings reveal that Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based Language Teaching demonstrate robust positive effects on learners' fluency, pragmatic competence, and willingness to communicate, while technology-enhanced instruction offers significant affordances for personalized learning and engagement, though effectiveness is consistently moderated by learner proficiency, teacher cognition, institutional resources, and cultural contexts. Culturally responsive and translanguaging practices contribute meaningfully to learner engagement and identity affirmation, yet implementation remains constrained by institutional resistance and persistent native-speakerist ideologies. Based on these findings, the study proposes the Principled Eclecticism Framework, built on four interconnected principles: learner-centered adaptation, pedagogical coherence, contextual responsiveness, and ongoing professional development. This framework provides an orienting guide for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to navigate the complexity of contemporary ELT contexts. The review concludes that effective English teaching requires a dynamic interplay of strategies adapted to specific learner profiles, contextual affordances, and institutional constraints, moving beyond one-size-fits-all prescriptions toward principled, evidence-informed decision-making. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are discussed, with particular attention to the need for sustained professional development, supportive institutional environments, and policies that recognize linguistic and cultural diversity.
Anika Jabin· Journal of innovative resear...· 0 citations
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been widely promoted as an approach emphasizing communicative competence and purposeful language use. Despite its prominence in English language education, a persistent gap exists between teachers' awareness and classroom implementation of CLT principles, particularly in non-native contexts such as Oman. While previous studies have quantified teacher awareness, limited qualitative research has explored how teachers interpret and adapt CLT within their specific classroom contexts. This qualitative case study investigated how six Omani English teachers in government post-basic schools (Grades 11–12) conceptualised and interpreted CLT within their classroom contexts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using the Codes–Categories–Themes (CO–CAT) framework to identify patterns in teachers' perspectives. Teachers associated effective implementation of CLT with supportive classroom environments that foster confidence and communication. Teachers also viewed CLT as context-dependent, influenced by learner proficiency, lesson focus, instructional time, and classroom conditions, resulting in selective and adaptive implementation practices. Teachers conceptualised CLT not simply as a collection of communicative techniques, but as a set of interconnected conditions that support classroom communication, including learner participation, authentic language use, emotional support, and contextual adaptation. The study contributes to understanding the theory–practice gap as a process of professional judgement rather than a failure of implementation. The findings may inform teacher professional development, curriculum implementation, and communicative language teaching practices in Oman and similar EFL contexts.
Amal Salim Alhanashi, Paolus Sulaiman· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Aim/Purpose: This study aims to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) can function as a pragmatic coach to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ awareness, reflection, and application of politeness and appropriateness in online communication. It seeks to explore the potential of AI-mediated formative assessment for developing learners’ pragmatic competence, emphasizing both its affordances and challenges in pedagogical integration.
Background: Existing studies on pragmatic competence in EFL contexts have largely emphasized speech act realization, politeness conventions, and intercultural communication. However, research remains limited in examining how learners internalize pragmatic norms through continuous formative assessment in digital environments. As communication increasingly occurs in online spaces, EFL learners must also navigate sociopragmatic expectations and linguistic appropriateness beyond traditional classroom discourse. Despite growing interest in AI-assisted learning, little is known about how AI-generated feedback can foster metapragmatic reflection and self-regulated pragmatic learning.
Methodology: The study employed a sequential mixed-methods design, conducted at a private university in East Java, Indonesia. Participants consisted of 58 non-English major undergraduates enrolled in an “English for Communication” course, purposively selected to ensure intermediate proficiency and represent diverse academic backgrounds. Data were collected from AI-generated formative feedback logs, a closed-ended questionnaire on pragmatic awareness, and semi-structured interviews with eight representative participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to uncover learners’ perceptions and experiences.
Contribution: This study contributes to the growing discussion on the use of AI in language learning by presenting AI as a supportive learning partner that helps students improve how they communicate appropriately in different situations, rather than only correcting their mistakes. It also highlights how AI can encourage learners to reflect on their language choices and adjust their expressions when communicating in real online contexts. The study provides practical insights into how AI feedback can support students in developing more effective and socially appropriate discourse within digital communication contexts.
Findings: The findings revealed that AI-mediated formative assessment enhanced learners’ sensitivity to sociopragmatic norms, improved their recognition of contextually appropriate speech acts, and encouraged the use of mitigation strategies in online interactions. Learners reported greater awareness of audience, tone, and relational dynamics. However, some participants struggled to interpret AI-generated feedback, particularly when feedback involved nuanced politeness markers or indirectness. Additionally, several learners experienced difficulty applying learned expressions spontaneously in authentic discourse, suggesting the need for pedagogical mediation to bridge automated and human feedback processes.
Recommendations for Practitioners: Educators should integrate AI-mediated formative assessment as a complement to human feedback, emphasizing guided reflection and contextualized practice. Incorporating structured debriefing sessions and explicit discussion of pragmatic norms can help learners interpret AI feedback more effectively. Training teachers to use AI tools critically will further enhance their pedagogical potential.
Recommendation for Researchers: Future research should explore longitudinal designs to trace pragmatic development over time and examine the impact of different types of AI feedback on learners’ pragmatic awareness. Comparative studies across linguistic and cultural contexts may also reveal how AI-based assessment systems can be adapted to accommodate diverse EFL populations.
Impact on Society: This study underscores the transformative potential of AI in fostering digital communication competence, preparing learners to engage appropriately and respectfully in global online interactions. By promoting reflective and context-sensitive language use, AI-assisted formative assessment can enhance intercultural understanding and digital citizenship.
Future Research: Further studies are encouraged to examine how adaptive AI feedback models can be co-designed with educators to provide more personalized pragmatic guidance. Investigating teacher perceptions, ethical implications, and learner autonomy within AI-mediated assessment environments will deepen the pedagogical integration of intelligent systems in language education.
Abd. Syakur, Sri Wahyuningsih, Joko Slamet· Journal of Information Techn...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT
Indonesian EFL learners may demonstrate adequate grammatical knowledge while still experiencing difficulties in using English appropriately across different social and cultural contexts. This condition highlights the need to strengthen pragmatic competence, particularly through an understanding of politeness strategies in communication. This study aims to analyze the role of politeness strategies in developing English pragmatic competence among Indonesian EFL learners. A qualitative library research design was employed by synthesizing 30 relevant scholarly sources, primarily published between 2021 and 2026. The literature was analyzed thematically to identify recurring findings concerning pragmatic awareness, speech-act performance, contextual appropriateness, and sociocultural aspects of communication. The findings indicate that politeness strategies contribute to learners’ pragmatic awareness, support appropriate speech-act performance, and facilitate the adaptation of language to interpersonal contexts. The novelty of this study lies in providing an integrated synthesis that connects politeness strategies, speech-act performance, and sociocultural awareness as interrelated dimensions of pragmatic competence development among Indonesian EFL learners. The review also identifies first-language transfer, limited exposure to authentic English communication, grammar-oriented instruction, and insufficient sociocultural awareness as major challenges. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating pragmatic instruction, authentic materials, and communicative activities into English language teaching to support learners’ effective and contextually appropriate communication.
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh masih terbatasnya kemampuan peserta didik EFL dalam menggunakan bahasa Inggris secara tepat sesuai konteks sosial dan budaya, meskipun penguasaan aspek gramatikal telah menjadi bagian utama dalam pembelajaran bahasa. Kondisi tersebut menunjukkan pentingnya pengembangan kompetensi pragmatik, khususnya melalui pemahaman strategi kesantunan dalam penggunaan bahasa. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis peran strategi kesantunan dalam mengembangkan kompetensi pragmatik bahasa Inggris pada pembelajar EFL di Indonesia. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain library research melalui sintesis 30 sumber ilmiah yang relevan dan terutama diterbitkan pada periode 2021–2026. Analisis dilakukan secara tematik untuk mengidentifikasi pola temuan mengenai kesadaran pragmatik, tindak tutur, kesesuaian kontekstual, serta aspek sosial dan budaya dalam komunikasi. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa strategi kesantunan berperan dalam meningkatkan kesadaran pragmatik, membantu pembelajar melakukan tindak tutur secara tepat, dan menyesuaikan penggunaan bahasa dengan konteks interpersonal. Kebaruan penelitian ini terletak pada sintesis terpadu yang menghubungkan strategi kesantunan, performa tindak tutur, dan kesadaran sosiokultural sebagai bagian yang saling berkaitan dalam pengembangan kompetensi pragmatik pembelajar EFL Indonesia. Kajian juga mengidentifikasi transfer bahasa pertama, keterbatasan paparan terhadap komunikasi autentik, pembelajaran yang berorientasi pada tata bahasa, dan rendahnya kesadaran sosiokultural sebagai tantangan utama. Temuan ini menegaskan perlunya integrasi pembelajaran pragmatik, materi autentik, dan aktivitas komunikatif dalam pengajaran bahasa Inggris.
The prevailing paradigm in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) prioritizes learner-centeredness and authentic meaning negotiation. However, implementing pure Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in the Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context often conflicts with institutional realities, such as large class sizes and high-stakes examination pressures. Addressing these constraints, this paper proposes a hybrid framework based on systematic Eclecticism. This study advocates for a dual-phase approach that integrates the structural accuracy of the Audiolingual Method (ALM) with the communicative fluency of CLT. In this framework, ALM serves as a structural scaffold to provide lexical and grammatical foundations, thereby preventing cognitive overload and error fossilization. Subsequently, CLT functions as the output mechanism, utilizing micro-tasks and delayed correction to facilitate language production and lower affective filters. This study reconceptualizes learner-centeredness within exam-oriented contexts, offering educators a pragmatic methodology that balances institutional performance metrics with communicative competence.
Hongyu Zhou· International Core Journal o...· 0 citations
In English language teaching (ELT), pedagogical evidence rarely transfers intact across educational systems, a challenge particularly salient in Turkish ELT. This perspective article introduces contextual validity as an analytical and evaluative framework for judging whether a research-supported pedagogy remains educationally appropriate, institutionally feasible, sociolinguistically legitimate, and ethically defensible in a given teaching ecology. Unlike context-sensitivity, which describes variability, contextual validity issues a verdict: a practice is appropriate, appropriate with adaptation, or inappropriate for the given context. Building on postmethod critiques and extending them through ecological and complexity perspectives on teacher agency and language learning, the article specifies six analytical dimensions with measurable indicators, a provisional normative hierarchy for weighing dimensions that may conflict, and a staged workflow for professional judgement. Translanguaging pedagogy in multilingual Turkish classrooms serves as the case example, demonstrating the framework's discriminating, analytical use. The more productive question for Turkish ELT is not which method the field should adopt globally, but whether, by what evidence, and at what level of decision-making, a given pedagogy can be justified locally.
Rizwan-ul Huq, Alia Amir· Frontiers in Education· 0 citations