Sociocultural Theory and L2 Instructional Pragmatics

The book outlines a framework for teaching second language pragmatics grounded in Vygotskian sociocultural psychology. The framework focuses on the appropriation of sociopragmatic concepts as psychological tools that mediate pragmalinguistic choices. Using multiple sources of metalinguistic and performance data collected during a six-week pedagogical enrichment program involving one-on-one tutoring sessions, the volume explores both theoretical and practical issues relevant to teaching second language pragmatics from a Vygotskian perspective. The book represents an important contribution to second language instructional pragmatics research as well as to second language sociocultural psychology scholarship. It will be of interest to all those researching in this field and to language teachers who will find the pedagogical recommendations useful.

Remi A. van Compernolle is Assistant Professor of Second Language Acquisition and French and Francophone Studies in the Department of Modern Languages, Carnegie Mellon University. His areas of research include second language acquisition, pedagogy, and assessment, pragmatics and sociolinguistics, and classroom discourse and interaction.