A pedagogical approach to the development of the pragmatic competence through movies and role plays

Kim, Dae Jin

Article

Journal of English Teaching through Movies and Media 2006;7(1):3-23.
Published online June 30, 2006.

A pedagogical approach to the development of the pragmatic competence through movies and role plays

Dae Jin Kim

영화와 상황극을 통한 영어의 화용능력 배양을 위한 교육적 접근

김대진

Abstract

This study attempts to analyze and synthesize appropriate theoretical tenets and pedagogical approaches to the development of pragmatic competence, which is an essential part of communicative competence. In this research, previous studies on complaints and refusals have been examined in an effort to grasp an insight into specific teaching methods for the development of the situation-specific pragmatic competence. Pedagogical approaches of movie watching and role plays were used in instruction sessions in an attempt to teach concepts and skills of pragmatic competence for complaint and refusal. Students participating in the study wrote scripts of relevant role plays based on the contents of the movies and pragmatic features expressed in the movies. The role plays were recorded and reviewed in order to evaluate the development of the pragmatic competence needed to perform the specific pragmatic functions It was found that the students' role plays reflected expressions and pragmatic functions expressed in the movies and pedagogical approaches attempted in this study may be worth trying to be replicated in other studies. Proposals for further studies were made.

Key Words: pragmatic competence;communicative competence;compliments;refusals;movies;role-plays