Pragmatic comprehension of apology, request and refusal: An

21 Pages·2014·0.6 MB·English

by  Robert Kaplan

Applied Research on English Language: 3(1) 67

Pragmatic comprehension of apology, request and refusal: An investigation
on the effect of consciousness-raising video-driven prompts

Parviz Birjandi
(Professor of ELT, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran)
Ali Derakhshan
(Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran)
Corresponding author’s email: [email protected]

(Received: 06.09.2013, Accepted: 18.12.2013)

Abstract
Recent research in interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) has substantiated that some aspects of
pragmatics are amenable to instruction in the second or foreign language classroom. However,
there are still controversies over the most conducive teaching approaches and the required
materials. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relative effectiveness of consciousness-
raising video-driven prompts on the comprehension of the three speech acts of apology, request,
and refusal on seventy eight (36 male and 42 female) upper-intermediate Persian learners of
English who were randomly assigned to four groups (metapragmatic, form-search, role play,
and control). The four groups were exposed to 45 video vignettes (15 for each speech act)
extracted from different episodes of Flash Forward, Stargate TV Series and Annie Hall Film for
nine 60-minute sessions of instruction twice a week. Results of the multiple choice discourse
completion test (MDCT) indicated that learners’ awareness of apologies, requests and refusals
benefit from all three types of instruction, but the results of the Post hoc test of Tukey (HSD)
illustrated that the metapragmatic group outperformed the other treatment groups, and that
form-search group had a better performance than role-play and control groups.

Keywords: pragmalinguistic knowledge, sociopragmatic knowledge, consciousness-raising,
EFL

Introduction acquisition of pragmatics (Alcón- Soler, &
Interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) has attained Martı´nez-Flor, 2005; Jeon & Kaya, 2006;
a considerable attention from researchers Kasper, 1997; Kasper & Roever, 2002;
and practitioners, and it is still a burgeoning Kasper & Schmidt, 1996; Kondo, 2008;
area in second language acquisition. Kasper Lyster, 1993, 1994; Rose, 2005; Rose &
and Dahl (1991) define the discipline of ILP Kasper, 2001; Taguchi, 2007, 2008), the
as the study of non-native speakers’ foreign language classroom may expose
acquisition, comprehension and production students to a limited environment to foster
of pragmatics. Within ILP development, pragmatics learning. There is consensus
nevertheless, the pendulum has swung much among pragmatics practitioners and
towards production-oriented studies (Rose, theoreticians that the opportunities for
2009) and comprehension is “the least well- human interaction are rather restricted
represented, with only a handful of studies (Kasper, 2001; Kasper & Rose, 1999;
done to date” (Kasper & Rose, 2002, p.118). Lyster, 1994), and the materials to which
Moreover, although it is widely accepted students are exposed are decontextualized
that instruction plays a crucial role in the (Bardovi-Harlig, Hartford, Mahan-Taylor,
86 Pragmatic comprehension of
Morgan, & Reynolds, 1991). Alternatively, knowledge of the relationship between
some researchers propound that textbook communicative action and power, social
conversations are rather limited and distance, and the imposition associated with
unreliable sources of input to tap on the past and future (Brown & Levinson, as
pragmatics learning (Bardovi-Harlig et al., cited in Kasper & Rover, 2005, p. 317),
1991; Boxer & Pickering, 1995; Gilmore, knowledge of mutual rights and obligations,
2004; Lo¨rscher & Schulze, 1988). taboos, and conventional practices (Thomas,
Moreover, Rose (1999) states that large 1983), and the social conditions and
classes, limited contact hours, and little consequences of "what you do, when and to
opportunity for intercultural communication whom" (Fraser, Rintal & Walters, as cited in
are some of the features of the English as a Kasper & Rover 2005, p. 317).
foreign language (EFL) context that impede
pragmatic learning. The latter, on the other hand, comprises the
knowledge and ability to use conventions of
Consequently, the use of authentic audio- means (such as strategies to realize speech
visual input and the role of instruction have acts) and conventions of form (such as the
drawn scholars’ attention in research on ILP. linguistic forms implementing speech act
The bodies of research conducted by strategies) (Clark, as cited in Kasper &
Washburn (2001), Alcon (2005) were Rover, 2005, p. 317; Thomas, 1983). The
legitimized by the fact that both present study aimed at developing learners’
sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic
awareness are especially difficult for EFL competence by focusing on issues such as
learners. Given that, they claim that power, social distance, and the imposition as
authentic audiovisual input caters for a well as strategies and forms of apologies,
welter of opportunities to address all aspects requests, and refusals.
of language use in a whole array of contexts,
and regarding the fact that most studies to The rationale behind this study
date have focused on pragmatics production Two of the most influential cognitive
through dichotomous teaching approaches processing approaches proposed in second
and responding to Kasper and Rose’s (2002) language acquisition (SLA) are Sharwood
claim that studies on pragmatics Smith’s Consciousness-Raising (CR) and
comprehension are the most under- Schmidt’s Noticing Hypothesis (Schmidt,
researched area (Kasper & Rose, 2002); it is, 1993, 2001; Sharwood Smith, 1980, 1993).
therefore, hypothesized that video-driven Sharwood Smith (1980) conceptualizes that
vignettes may be useful to expose leaners to the term "consciousness-raising" represents
the pragmatic aspects of the target language a deliberate focus on the formal properties
to not only address pragmatics of language with a respect toward enhancing
comprehension but also to compensate for the development of second language
the inadequacy of textbooks, limited contact knowledge. Sharwood Smith (1993) argues
hours, and classroom conversations. that “CR implies that the learner’s mental
state is altered by the input; hence, all input
Background is intake” (p. 176). Given that CR plays a
Following Leech’s (1983) demarcation, crucial role in enhancing properties of
pragmatic competence is divided into language, Rose (1994) introduces video-
sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic prompts as an approach to promote
competence. The former encompasses pragmatic consciousness-raising since they
Applied Research on English Language: 3(1) 69
can provide the fundamental aspects of discussions, cooperative grouping, role
pragmatics which can be capitalized upon by plays, and other pragmatically oriented tasks
teachers of both native and non-native were used to promote the learning of the
speakers. intended speech acts. A pretest-posttest
control group design was used. The
In line with Sharwood Smith, Schmidt participants were senior Iranian
(1993, 2001) contends that the noticing undergraduates majoring in TEFL (Teaching
hypothesis is primarily concerned with the English as a Foreign Language). A group of
initial phase of input processing and the American students were used to provide the
attentional requirements for input to become baseline for the study.
intake. Schmidt (2001) postulates that any
target L2 feature needs to be noticed by the A multiple choice pragmatic comprehension
learner for learning to occur: “while there is test was developed in several stages and
subliminal perception, there is no subliminal used both as a pretest and posttest to
learning” (p. 26). Because more attention measure the effect of instruction on the
results in more learning, “attention must be pragmatic comprehension of the students.
directed to whatever evidence is relevant for The results of the data analysis revealed that
a particular learning domain, i.e. that students' comprehension of speech act
attention must be specifically focused and improved significantly and that pragmatic
not just global” (Schmidt, 2001, p. 30). competence is not impervious to instruction
even in EFL settings.
He then extended his hypothesis to
pragmatics postulating that, “in order to Video-driven prompts as influential sources
acquire pragmatics, one must attend to both of input
the linguistic form of utterances and the As a consequence of the constraints and
relevant social and contextual features with challenges involved in dealing with teaching
which they are associated” (Schmidt, 2001). sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic
He also mentions that “pragmatic features in the foreign language context
knowledge seems to be partly conscious, mentioned above, the use of authentic
and partly accessible to consciousness, audiovisual and video enhanced materials
although it cannot be the case that all and the role of instruction have gained
pragmatic knowledge is accessible to considerable attention in the development of
consciousness” (Schmidt, 1993, p. 23). pragmatics. Analogous to other areas of
language learning, Alcón-Soler (2005)
Being motivated by these cognitive- contends that learners could be exposed to
psychological theories, Eslami-Rasekh, pragmatic input through classroom
Eslami-Rasekh, and Fatahi 1 (2004), for interaction, textbook conversations and
example, carried out a study to explore the films. Lo¨rscher and Schulze (1988) point
effect of explicit metapragmatic instruction out that in EFL contexts the range of speech
on the comprehension of speech acts of acts and realization strategies is
request, apology, and complaint on Iranian marginalized, and that the typical interaction
advanced EFL students. Teacher-fronted patterns, i.e. initiation, response, and
feedback (IRF) impose inherent limitations

1 For more information on Persian studies on on pragmatic input and opportunities for
Pragmatics, see, for example, Abdolrezapour & practicing discourse organization strategies.
Eslami Rasekh (2012) and Parvaresh & Eslami Alternatively, Crandall and Basturkmen
Rasekh, (2009).
07 Pragmatic comprehension of
(2004) stipulate that textbook conversations English speakers and then describe any
do not cater sufficient pragmatic input. In a feature of native-speaker request
similar vein, a solid body of research realization, and learners in the FS group
findings documents that textbook point out any ‘‘native-like usage’’ in the
conversations are not a reliable source of input containing the targets. To this end,
pragmatic input (Bardovi-Harlig et al., 49 Japanese college students who were
1991; Boxer & Pickering, 1995; Gilmore, freshmen or sophomores were divided into
2004). Rose (1994) observes that videotaped two general English classes: 25 students in
discourse contains “rich recoverable FC and 24 students in FS. The results
contexts which can be exploited in indicate that during the treatment, the
consciousness-raising activities” (p. 58). learners in the form-comparison condition
noticed the target request forms to a greater
Moreover, Alcón-Soler (2005) investigates extent than those in the form-search
the efficacy of explicit versus implicit condition. Further, the learners’ higher
instruction on the ability to use request awareness of the target forms tended to
strategies. One hundred and thirty-two ensure the emergence of these forms during
students were randomly assigned to three their post- test performance.
groups (explicit, implicit and control). The
three groups were exposed to excerpts Bardovi-Harlig and Griffin (2005) sought to
including requests extracted from different examine the relative effectives of pragmatic
episodes of the Stargate TV series. awareness activity in an ESL context. For
However, while the explicit group received doing so, they selected five high
instruction by means of direct awareness- intermediate intact ESL classes consisting of
raising tasks and written metapragmatic 43 students from 18 language backgrounds.
feedback on the use of appropriate requests, The learners were asked to work in pairs to
the implicit group was provided with identify the source of pragmatic infelicities
typographical enhancement of request in video-taped scenarios and to frequently
strategies and a set of implicit awareness- perform role-plays to remedy the addressed
raising tasks. Results of the study infelicities. The main objective of the role-
demonstrate that learners’ awareness of plays was to determine the types of
requests benefit from both explicit and pragmatic infelicities that are recognized
implicit instruction. However, in line with and repaired by learners. Results of the role-
previous research, this study illustrates that, plays indicated that learners noticed and
although an improvement in learners’ completed missing speech acts, and
appropriate use of requests took place after semantic formulas, although pragmatic
the instructional period, the explicit group improvements in terms of form and content
showed an advantage over the implicit one. of repairs were not target-like. To put it
precisely, learners were able to supply the
Takahashi (2005) investigates the effects of missing apology for arriving late or
instruction on L2 pragmatics development explanations for making requests or for not
by exploring the manner in which Japanese having done a class assignment on time, but
EFL learners notice target English request the form or content were not culturally or
forms through a form-comparison (FC) linguistically transparent. They conclude
condition and a form-search (FS) condition. that learners generally know what to change,
Participants in the FC group compare their whether speech act, formula, form, or
request forms with those provided by native content, but how to change it in the area of
Applied Research on English Language: 3(1) 71
form or content seemed to be more ‘implicit’, nor did we draw on ‘deductive’
challenging. and ‘inductive’ instruction. Rather our
approach to intervention was a mixture of
With the recognition of the role of pragmatic complementary approaches and purposeful
competence in communicative competence, class activities, that is, informed eclecticism,
substantial bodies of second language (L2) in the form of peer work, form-search,
research have scrutinized learners’ metapragmatic awareness, and role-plays.
pragmatic performance in EFL/ESL As to the many types of teaching
communicative contexts. In the existing L2 approaches, the present study drew on
literature, pragmatic competence has been metapragmatic consciousness-raising tasks,
explored primarily from production skills, form-search, and role play as the three
specifically production of speech acts interventional approaches.
(Kasper & Roever, 2002; Rose, 2009;
Taguchi, 2013). Little L2 research has Given that the video medium as a teaching
investigated comprehension of pragmatic and learning tool has some distinct
functions (Kasper & Rose, 2002). A advantages over naturalistic observations
relatively small number of L2 studies have and textbooks (Alcón-Soler, 2002; Garza,
examined whether learners can comprehend 1996; Grant & Starks, 2001; Koike, 1995;
implied meaning accurately (Garcia, 2004; Lonergan, 1984; Martı´nez-Flor, 2007;
Taguchi, 2002, 2005, 2008). Most studies Rose, 1994; Stempleski & Tomalin, 1990;
conducted on pragmatic comprehension are Swaffar & Vlatten, 1997), and regarding the
confined to learners’ accuracy and fact that, to our knowledge, few studies have
comprehension (Taguchi, 2007). Another empirically scrutinized the effectiveness of
underrepresented area in the previous video prompts on the development of speech
research is that most studies on pragmatic acts, it makes sense to bridge the gap by
comprehension have drawn on written input conducting a study on the effectiveness of
to sensitize pragmatic awareness (Kondo, consciousness-raising video-driven prompts
2008), and only a few studies to date have on the development of three speech acts of
utilized video-vignettes as an input source to apology, request, and refusal in a foreign
develop pragmatic comprehension (Alcón- language classroom.
Soler, 2005; Rose, 1994).
Research questions
Another gap in the existing literature In order to bridge the gap in the existing
pertains to teaching methods or class literature on ILP and in order to investigate
activities, Kasper (1997) points out that the possible contributions of a different kind
teachers can utilize activities through one of of input, video vignettes in the context of
the inductive, deductive, implicit or explicit classroom-based instruction to the
approaches to instruction or through an development of L2 pragmatic competence,
informed eclectic approach. Regarding this, this study aimed to investigate the
most studies to date have focused on effectiveness of consciousness-raising
dichotomous teaching approaches, and what video-driven prompts on the development of
is not examined systematically relates to the three speech acts of apology, request, and
implementation of informed eclectic refusal. The study addressed two main
approach. Following DeCoo (1996), in our questions:
instructional approach we did not make a
dichotomous division between ‘explicit’ and
07 Pragmatic comprehension of
1. Do metapragmatic consciousness- be developed with specific purpose, a
raising approach, form-search particular group of test takers and a specific
approach, and role-play approach language use domain or target language use
enhance learners’ comprehension of (TLU). One of the components of test
speech acts of apology, request, and usefulness, Bachman and Palmer (1996)
refusal? believe, is authenticity which is
2. Is there any difference in leaners’ characterized as “the degree of
pragmatic comprehension of apology, correspondence of the characteristics of a
request, and refusal across the three given language test task to the features of a
kinds of consciousness-raising TLU task” (Bachman & Palmer, 1996, p.
intervention- metapragmatic, from- 23).
search, and role-play?
As part of a PhD dissertation, the research
Methodology instrument was piloted on the basis of the
Participants insights and feedback gained from the
Seventy eight Iranian EFL learners (36 male Pragmatic Assessment Rubrics
and 42 female) studying English at an demonstrated below. It contained 25
English Language Institute participated in conversations extracted from Interchange
this study. The results of the pilot study Series, Top Notch Series, American English
substantiated that the upper-intermediate File Series, and Touchstone Series. There
EFL learners are appropriate for the present were 8 conversations featuring speech act of
study; therefore, four groups of upper- apology, 8 conversations featuring speech
intermediate EFL learners ranging in age act of request, and 9 conversations featuring
from 16 to 26 were divided into speech act of refusal which were followed
metapragmatic group, form-search group, by one practice conversation to familiarize
role-play group, and control group. The the test takers with the peculiarities of the
metapragmatic group consisted of 22 test. Each conversation had 8 questions three
learners (10 male and 12 female) ranging in of which tapping upon metapragmatic
age from 17 to 23 (average age18.45). The ability, one of which measuring
form-search group consisted of 21 learners sociopragmatic ability, three other questions
(11 male and 10 female) ranging in age from measuring pragmalinguistic ability, and last
16 to 22 (average age 18.71). The role-play but not least question, i.e., question 8
group had 18 learners (8 male and 10 measured the comprehension of the speech
female) ranging in age from 16 to 26 act which was subsumed under
(average age 18.05), and the control group pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic ability.
consisted of 17 learners (7 male and 10 For more information see appendix A.
female) ranging in age from 17 to 26 Students just listen to the conversation. They
(average age 18.67). None of the do not see the audio scrip.
participants had any living experiences in
English speaking countries. A fundamental consideration of teacher-
based assessment stipulates that the choice
Test instruments: test of listening pragmatic of criteria in the evaluation rubric aligns
comprehension of apology, request, & with the instructional goals in a consistent
refusal manner (Brown, 2004). Therefore, the
Bachman and Palmer (1996) conceptualize present study took into account the
that for any given test to be useful, it must Pragmatic Assessment Rubrics
Applied Research on English Language: 3(1) 73
encompassing three constructs which are as the DCT (α = .82). The reliability level
follows: calculated for these results were above the
0.7 threshold considered acceptable in social
a. Linguistic aspects (pragmalinguistic science research (Vogt, 2005).
ability);
b. Cultural aspects (sociopragmatic Instructional treatment materials
ability); and Forty-five video vignettes 15 apologies, 15
c. Analytic aspects (ability to analyze and requests, and 15 apologies were extracted
evaluate pragmatic use-referred to as from different episodes of Flash Forward,
metapragmatic ability, Ishihara, 2010). Stargate TV series and Annie Hall film.
Alcón-Soler (2005) takes advantage of
From the pragmalinguistic perspective, and Stargate TV series working on the
bearing authenticity in mind, the present identification and analysis of direct and
study drew upon vocabulary and phrases, indirect requests. Following Rose (1999),
strategies for a speech act, and choice and Annie Hall film was opted because it could
use of pragmatic tone (Ishihara, 2010, p. provide the students with the analysis of
293). With regard to sociopragmatic language forms and strategies of requests
competence, this study embarked upon the and apologies as well as good discussions on
level of formality and politeness (Ishihara, the appropriateness of forms in relation to
2010, p. 295). Besides evaluating linguistic the contexts. The number of video prompts
and cultural aspects of learners’ pragmatics, for each speech act was 15 covering various
it is also possible to assess learners’ ability situations such as work, school, home,
to analyze the pragmatics of the L2. Such hospital, prison, restaurant, and store, to
metapragmatic information can include name just a few. The excerpts encompass
contextual information analyzed in terms of direct requests (Annie, tell Dr. Flicker; Stop
social status, social and psychological it, Annie), conventionally indirect (Annie,
distance, and degree of imposition (Ishihara, would you like a lift?), and non-
2010, p.295). conventionally indirect requests (I have a
car; Annie’s friend talking to him at the
Scoring System and Reliability gym).
Since just one answer was regarded as the
correct answer, correct responses and The vignettes also included different
incorrect ones were assigned 1 and 0, strategies of apologies such as an expression
respectively. To determine the reliability of apology (I’m really sorry.),
index of binary variables KR20 formula was acknowledgment of responsibility (It was all
employed which is a special case of my fault.), an explanation or account (I got
Cronbach's Alpha. The internal consistency stuck in the traffic.), an offer of repair (How
and reliability of the pragmatic rating rubric can I make it up to you? Can I buy you
used in the present study to assess the lunch on Friday?), and a promise of non-
responses of the participants on the listening recurrence (I’ll make sure to turn the volume
pragmatic comprehension of apology, down.) (Cohen & Olshtain, 1981, pp. 119-
request, and refusal was obviously an 125).
important area of concern in reviewing the
study results. The results of the calculations Procedure
of the coefficient alpha for internal The appropriate design of the present study
consistency indicated acceptable level for was a pre-test post-test control group one.
07 Pragmatic comprehension of
The control group’s performance was an 1. Developing learners’ understanding of
indicator to see how the other three groups the importance of pragmatics by
became aware of the sociopragmatic and presenting the key elements of
pragmalinguistic features. The three groups, pragmalinguistics and
except the control group which received a sociopragmatics;
normal conversational treatment, were 2. Raising learners’ awareness of the
exposed to vignettes extracted from different appropriate use of L1 requests,
episodes of Flash Forward, and Stargate TV apologies, and refusals;
Series and Annie Hall Film. The major 3. Providing explicit information on the
objective of these vignettes was to make pragmalinguistic forms of L2 requests,
students aware of the sociopragmatic and apologies, and refusals;
pragmalinguistic aspects involved in making 4. Discussing the appropriate use of L2
apologies, requests, and refusals. Each group requests, apologies, and refusals, e.g.,
received 45 video excerpts, 15 apologies, 15 issues of social distance, power and
requests, and 15 refusals nine 60-minute imposition, the speaker’s intention, etc.
sessions of instruction on the video prompts
twice a week. The treatment that each group The Role-Play Group (RPG): The role-play
received is explicated separately as follows: group had 18 learners (8 male and 10
female) ranging in age from 16 to 26. They
Form Search Group (FSG): The form search were allowed to take notes as they were
group consisted of 21 learners (11 male and watching the episodes, and then played roles
10 female) ranging in age from 16 to 22. like the native models. Students were also
Following Takahashi (2005), in this group provided with the scripts. They acted out
any ‘‘native-like usage’’ in the input different patterns and ways of making
containing the target language forms was requests, apologies, and refusals in different
highlighted. We drew on vocabulary and situations both formally and informally.
phrases (e.g., a big favor, I just need . . .), Moreover, they worked on the role
grammatical structures (e.g. Can you . . . / relationships between the interlocutors, the
Would you . . . / I was wondering if . . . / distance between them, and the degree of
Would it be possible . . . ?), strategies for a imposition. Like the other groups, different
speech act (i.e., the selection of formulas strategies for making requests, apologies,
and the way they are used) (e.g., giving a and refusals were acted out from direct
reason for a request, apologizing for the request and refusal strategies to non-
trouble, ), and choice and use of pragmatic conventionally indirect request and refusal
tone (e.g., how sincere the speaker appears strategies and from simple apologies to a
with verbal and non-verbal cues). promise of non-occurrence.

The Metapragmatic Awareness Raising Like the other groups, from the
Group (MPG): The participants in this pragmalinguistic vantage point, specific
group were 22 learners (10 male and 12 dimensions of language were acted out
female) ranging in age from 17 to 23. The including the choice and use of vocabulary
pragmalinguistic and sociolinguistic features and phrases (e.g., a big favor), grammatical
were explicitly highlighted. To this end, the structures (e.g. I was wondering if……….),
researchers followed a four-step procedure strategies for a speech act (i.e., the selection
adopted from Asadifar (2010): of formulas and the way they are used (e.g.,
giving a reason for request, apologizing for
Applied Research on English Language: 3(1) 75
trouble), choice and use of pragmatic tone, three speech acts of apology, request, and
and choice and use of discourse markers refusal across the four groups before and
(e.g., by the way, well,……….). Role-plays after the treatment. The descriptive statistics
are possible to simulate conversational turns reveal that the four groups were
and to get the interlocutor to use homogenous in terms of their
conversational pressures that are not present sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic
in a DCT (Cohen & Olshtain, 1994), but knowledge in pre-intervention stage.
they are generally time-consuming and Moreover, as can be seen in this table, the
require interlocutor training if they want to total mean (107.04) of the four groups in the
be utilized as a means of assessment, but in post-test was higher than that (81.23) of the
the present study role-plays were used as an four groups in the pre-test, showing that the
interventional means to practice the dialogs instruction has had an effect on the learners’
which is a common practice in almost all pragmatic development. As presented in
conversational classes. Table 2, t-test (t = -.671, df = 16, α= 0.05, p
= .512) analysis of results did not report any
The control group (CG): The control group statistical difference in the control group
consisted of 17 learners (7 male and 10 before and after the interventional period
female) ranging in age from 17 to 26. The because p value was more than α.
control group did not receive any instruction
on the use of speech acts. The presentation However, there were differences in the
of the video vignettes was followed by treatment groups. Table 1 shows, for
comprehension questions, repetition, and instance, that the metapragmatic group
vocabulary focus. The pragmalinguistic and (MPG) obtained a mean of 129.09 with its
sociolinguistic features were not brought to standard deviation of 16.900 on the post test.
the fore. Likewise, as it can be seen in Table 2, the t
value (-19.082) denotes statistically
Data analysis significant differences that point to a p=
In order to determine if any pragmatic 0.000 level of probability for the
development occurred between the pre-test metapragmatic group. Correspondingly, the
and the post-test, t-test for repeated measure difference regarding learners’ awareness in
data was used. In order to measure inter- the form-search group (FSG) before and
group differences and development one-way after the treatment is statistically significant.
between groups ANOVA and the post hoc As shown in Table 2, the t value (-14.446)
test of Tukey (HSD) were used. and the probability level (p= 0.000) reveal
statistically significant differences in the
Results form-search group. Moreover, as Table 2
Research Question One: Do metapragmatic indicates, the results from the comparison of
consciousness-raising approach, form- the means of the role-play group (RPG)
search approach, and role-play approach showed there was a significant difference
enhance learners’ comprehension of speech between the means of the two groups (t = -
acts of apology, request, and refusal? 7.032, df =17, α= 0.05, p = .000). Because p
value was less than α, there was a significant
In order to investigate the significance of the difference between the means of the role-
difference in each group, a paired samples t- play group before and after the treatment.
test had to be used. Table 1 shows the Based on the analysis of the pretest and post
difference in learners’ comprehension of the test results, it is therefore concluded that
08 Pragmatic comprehension of
learners’ comprehension of speech acts of Table 2: Summary of paired samples t- test of
apology, request, and refusal across the three all groups before and after the instructional
teaching approaches– metapragmatic, form- period
search, and role-play - enhanced after the
Group Test N M SD
intervention.
MPG Pre-test 22 81.77 12.735
129.09 16.900
Post-test
Table 1: Summary of descriptive statistics of
all groups before and after the instructional
period FSG Pre-test 21 80.67 22.105

Post-test 113.24 20.349
Group Test T df Sig

MPG Pre-test -19.082 21 .000
Post-test RPG Pre-test 18
80.50 17.942
Post-test
FSG Pre-test -14.446 20 .000
96.78 18.988
Post-test
CG Pre-test 17 82
18.368
RPG Pre-test -7.032 Post-test 83.35
17 .000
18.313
Post-test
Total Pre-test 78 81.23 17.684

CG Pre-test -.671 16
.512
Post-test 107.04 25.149
Post-test

Total Pre-test -11.583 77 .000 The effect of the four kinds of
interventional treatments on developing
Post-test pragmatic comprehension in apologies,

requests, and refusals was measured by

analyzing learners’ awareness of these
Research Question Two: Is there any
speech acts in the post-test. Regarding the
difference in leaners’ pragmatic
learners’ awareness on the post-test and
comprehension of apology, request, and
seeking the answer to the second research
refusal across the three kinds of
question, we compared the four groups
consciousness-raising intervention-
simultaneously to see if there were any
metapragmatic, from-search, and role-play?
meaningful differences among them.

Therefore, a one-way repeated measures

ANOVA statistical test was applied. As

seen in Table 3, the amount of variability

between groups (SS between groups=

17997.954) is different from the amount of

variability within the groups (SS within

groups= 25775.758), which indicates that

there is some difference in the groups.

Moreover, the F ratio (with three degrees of

freedom) is larger than the observed value of