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Study abroad environments can be an ideal context for activities targeted at L2 pragmatics.  This activity is designed to target service encounters in a study abroad context, but could be adapted for other language functions or target language spaces (e.g., a marketplace, a community meeting, or any other place where the target language is the dominant language).

Outcome:        Learners will be able to observe pragmatic behavior related to service encounters and incorporate patterns into their own use of the target language.

Resources:      Service Encounters and Study Abroad Resource sheet

Procedure:    

1. Begin by having learners brainstorm places where they engage in service encounters.  This could include, for example, the grocery store, university, and doctor offices.
2. Have leaners observe five service encounter interactions in different contexts and collect relevant pragmatic information to inform their own service encounters. Discuss the observations and discern general pragmatic patterns related to service encounters.
3. Have learners record three service encounters they are a participant in and compare their L2 pragmatic behavior with what they observed in the previous interactions.