Kurdish EFL University Students’ Perception of Computer-mediated Pragmatics Learning

Abstract

Pragmatics learning is as vital as learning the vocabulary and the grammar of the target language. It is concerned with the appropriate use of language to achieve different daily communicative goals. The present qualitative study, therefore, sheds light on how Kurdish EFL university students view their pragmatics learning experience, particularly via computer-mediated communication. Fifty-three students responded to a survey of eight items, seeking both, their perception of receiving pragmatic instruction via Zoom platform, and the content of the activities they pursued as well. The collected data was analyzed following Boyatzis’s (1998) thematic analysis; an analysis designed to encode qualitative data. The qualitative analysis revealed a positive perception of learning pragmatics in general, and learning it via online-mediated communication in particular. It also revealed a positive attitude toward the pragmatic activities that were carried out. Finally, the study recommended that educators should incorporate computer-mediated communication to help Kurdish university students develop their pragmatic competence