Perceptions about english pragmatics inclusion in the learning plan of EFL

Abstract

This research synthesis aimed to discover the different perceptions on pragmatics inclusion inside the EFL context. In this context, fifteen studies, conducted at different educational levels and settings, have been gathered. Some of the analyzed studies had additional purposes besides looking at perceptions, and some contained the comparison between teachers’ and students’ perceptions. A criterion for the selection of the studies was that they all needed to be inside the EFL context, and they all had teachers and/or students as participants. The studies were analyzed to examine students’ and teachers’ perceptions by contrasting positive and negative ones, by focusing on how they experienced pragmatics inclusion. This was done with the purpose of drawing conclusions on whether it might be worthy or not to address more attention on pragmatics in the EFL. The perceptions focused on several aspects on pragmatics inclusion such as its usefulness, pragmatics related material, difficulties, and the novelty on this linguistic area. The analysis helped to presume that pragmatics was mainly positively perceived by both groups. Additionally, this research synthesis led to the inference of the need for improving pragmatics aspects inside the EFL context.