Teaching L2 Pragmatics in Digital Contexts: Current Challenges and Evidence-Based Solutions

• Qaisar Hayat

  Author

The emergence of the digital era has significantly changed the way people interact, forcing a complete re-orientation of the second language (L2) pedagogy. On the one hand, grammatical correctness is extremely crucial, but on the other hand, the alternative factor in genuine communicative success is that of pragmatic competence the capacity to utilise language correctly with respect to particular social, cultural, and contextual standards. Social media, instant messaging, email, and video conferencing are all digital spaces that create new pragmatic conventions and complexities that traditional, face-to-face-oriented teaching and learning methods are ineffective at responding to. This leaves L2 learners with tremendous challenges such as processing affective tone when paralinguistic feedback is not available, register adjustment in high-speed genre switching of digital media, culturallee humour and memes and effective speech acts through text or multi-mode channel. Based on an integrated framework, which is a synthesis of Sociocultural Theory, Language Socialisation Theory, and Multimodality, this conceptual paper critically explores the current research environment in an attempt to shed light on these new challenges. It puts forward a strong pedagogic model that will institutionally incorporate digital pragmatics in L2 education. The suggested multi-strategic plan will entail explicit teaching of digital discourse analysis, the development of critical digital literacy, genuine task-based learning based on online real-life situations, and telecollaborative communication with native and non-native language speakers. Finally, it is argued in the article that the strategic competence enabling learners to negotiate and engage in digital discourses is not a luxury addition to language education anymore, but a mandatory focus of modern language teaching. It is with the focus on digital pragmatic competence only, that L2 programmes can equip learners to be confident, culturally sensitive communicators within an ever integrative global society.

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