Learners’ use of downgraders in suggestions under focus on forms and focus on form treatment conditions

Abstract

The role of instruction to develop learners’ pragmatic ability in a target language has recently motivated a lot of research (Bardovi-Harlig and Mahan-Taylor; Tatsuki). Nevertheless, most of this research has adopted an explicit teaching approach represented by the FonFormS instructional paradigm. Consequently, Kasper and Rose point out the need to properly operationalise different treatments in order to ascertain their effectiveness in the realm of pragmatics. With that aim in mind, the present study analyses the effectiveness of both FonFormS and FonF treatment conditions in developing learners’ use of downgraders (i.e. mitigating elements that serve to soften the impositive nature of directive speech acts) when making suggestions. Findings indicated that both treatments were effective, since no significant differences were found when comparing learners’ performance from each group after receiving instruction. Finally, further research that examines some of the limitations found in this study is suggested.