Second Language Pragmatics and Young Language Learners

This book brings together research on second language pragmatics in the underexplored context of EFL primary classrooms. Presenting studies from Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Norway, Spain and the Netherlands, the book offers a rich exploration of different topics, such as learners' pragmatic performance, awareness and development, learners’ and teachers' views on pragmatic instruction, and investigations concerning material use and lesson planning. The studies feature a range of data sources including animated films, arts-based instruction, classroom discourse, narrated picture-based tasks, questionnaires and interviews, introducing the reader to a wealth of opportunities for young learners’ engagement with pragmatics. Being the first edited volume to provide an overview of the rapidly growing area of young learner pragmatics, it will be of great interest to researchers, graduate students and language teachers.

Gila A. Schauer is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Erfurt, Germany. Her recent publications include ‘Teaching and Learning English in the Primary School: Interlanguage Pragmatics in the EFL context’ (Springer, 2019) and she is currently exploring the potential of literary works for teaching L2 pragmatics to young 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 is the co-author of Researching and Teaching Speech Acts with Young L2 Learners: Beneath the Linguistic Surface (with Savić and Myrset, Multilingual Matters, 2024).

Milica Savić is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Stavanger, Norway. Her research focuses on L2 pragmatics, linguistic politeness and pragmatics instruction in EFL contexts. Her publications include the co-authored volume above and Email Pragmatics and Second Language Learners (co-edited with Econimidou-Kogetsidis and Halenko, John Benjamins, 2021).

Anders Myrset is Associate Professor of ELT Methodology at the University of Stavanger, Norway. His research explores pragmatic competence and instruction, (meta)pragmatic awareness of young learners and issues related to research with children. He is an author of ELT textbooks for young language learners and co-author of Researching and Teaching Speech Acts with Young L2 Learners: Beneath the Linguistic Surface.