Perception of Pragmalinguistic Knowledge in Primary Spanish Teacher Training Students of English as a Foreign Language

The purpose of this research is to present the results of a research study on a small scale in the pragmalinguistic knowledge of a group of university students who attend the Degree in Elementary Education with respect to the English language. The research focused on two speech acts; request and permission. The study employs Discourse Completion Task Tests (DCTs), guided and free role play activities and systematic observation. The models of the target language expected and DCTs were evaluated by a group of teachers with extensive experience in teaching languages to confirm validation. The different patterns of speech act performances in Spanish and in English are analyzed, contrasted and discussed. It reflects on the potential to introduce basic elements of pragmalinguistics as a conceptual learning matter for non-native English speakers.