Second Language Pragmatics and Young Language Learners

EFL Primary School Contexts in Europe

Edited by Gila A. Schauer, Maria Economidou-Kogetsidis, Milica Savi, Anders Myrset

Publication date:

Q4 2025

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

234x156mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781836681694

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.

Acknowledgements

Gila Schauer, Anders Myrset, Milica Savić and Maria Economidou-Kogetsidis: Introduction: Pragmatics and Young EFL Primary School Learners in Europe

Part 1: Young Learners: Production, Perceptions and Development

Chapter 1. Eva Jakupčević and Jelena O'Reilly: Young EFL Learners’ Development of Discourse Marker Use

Chapter 2. Maria Economidou-Kogetsidis, Anders Myrset and Milica Savić: ‘If we are Talking to the Minister of Education...’:  L2 Request Appraisals and Metapragmatic Awareness in Young Learners of English

Chapter 3. Anders Myrset: Giving Young Language Learners a Voice: Learner Feedback on Pragmatics Instruction

Chapter 4. Alicia Martínez-Flor: Exploring In-Service Primary School EFL Teachers’ Views on Pragmatics

Part 2: Young Learners: Materials and Pedagogical Considerations

Chapter 5. Veronika Timpe-Laughlin, Tetyana Sydorenko and Judit Dombi: Pragmatics in Primary School: A Look into an English as a Foreign Language Classroom

Chapter 6. Esther Usó-Juan: The Use of Animated Films as a Resource to Reach Oral Requests and Responses to Young Language Learners: An Evaluative Analysis

Chapter 7. Holger Limberg: Teaching Greetings in Young Learner EFL Classrooms: A Methodological Approach for Primary Pragmatics

Chapter 8. Karen Glaser: Teaching Pragmatics from the Start: Implementing Teaching Units on Greetings in the Primary EFL Classroom

Chapter 9. Gila A. Schauer and Raphaëlle Beecroft: An Arts-Based Approach to Pragmatic Instruction: Using Graphic Novels, Drama and Drawing to Teach Basic Speech Acts in Young EFL Learners

With increasing numbers of primary school pupils learning English as a foreign language, this volume is an innovative and timely addition to the fields of Second Language Pragmatics and Teaching English to Young Learners. The volume’s impressive scope offers insightful analyses of pragmatic production, perception and development, as well as a range of original approaches to and investigations of pragmatic instruction. A must read for foreign language teachers, teacher educators and researchers alike.