What is it about?
This study examined how Japanese students learning English develop awareness of how people use language appropriately in social situations — for example, when making requests, giving compliments, or apologizing. Over one semester, students in five classrooms received different types of instruction using short video clips that showed everyday conversations. The lessons focused on two areas: the language forms used to perform speech acts (pragmalinguistics) and the social relationships between speakers (sociopragmatics).
Why is it important?
Using a pre- and post-test design analyzed with mixed-effects models, results showed that students improved most in recognizing linguistic forms, but also gained awareness of social relationships. Interestingly, the most explicit instruction was not always the most effective. The findings suggest that video-based materials help students notice social and linguistic cues, and that teachers should consider both types of pragmatic knowledge when designing lessons and assessments.