THE IMPACT OF PRAGMATICS-FOCUSED INSTRUCTION ON IRAQI EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36317/kja/2026/v1.i68.19514Keywords:
Pragmatics, Focused Instruction, L2 competence, Iraqi Students College-Level LearnersAbstract
The acquisition of pragmatic competence is essential for effective communication and the development of deliberative skills in any language. Despite its importance, the role of pragmatics-focused instruction in enhancing the pragmatic competence of non-native speakers, particularly Iraqi college students, remains underexplored. This research seeks to bridge the gap in the literature by providing insights into how targeted instructional approaches can contribute to the improvement of pragmatic skills among this specific population. Furthermore, it aims to highlight the significance of incorporating pragmatic elements in language curricula to foster the development of deliberative competence, empowering Iraqi college students to engage in constructive dialogue and critical thinking in various communicative contexts. The control (25) and treatment (25) groups were randomly selected to include fourteen low-intermediate students from diverse L1s. A qualitative discourse analytic technique was utilised to compare the learning results in the treatment group to those in the control group after data from role-playing were transcribed. The results show how the instructional strategy improved L2 students' pragmatic performance of the focused speaking act. This implies that L2 instruction that tries to provide students with metapragmatic knowledge linked to significant chances for language usage may improve students' L2 pragmatic development. According to the researcher, this emphasis on pragmatic competence includes the desire to recognize and comprehend the components and procedures that go into a language learner's acquisition of pragmatic abilities. From the standpoint of the language instructor, it is the desire to provide pupils with the information, tactics, and skills necessary for effectively conveying their intended meanings.
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