Integrating AI in Language Learning: Boosting Pragmatic Competence for Young English Learners

This article explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in enhancing pragmatic language skills of young English learners (ELs). It defines terms such as interlanguage pragmatics, pragmatic competence, and intercultural communicative competence, and discusses key concepts in pragmatics, including maxims of discourse, implicatures, presuppositions, and speech acts. The article emphasizes the importance of sociocultural context and interaction in promoting ELs’ pragmatic skills in the second language (L2). It also explores different ways AI can be utilized to teach essential pragmatic skills, including understanding implicatures, making inferences, interpreting presuppositions, applying speech acts properly, and adhering to the maxims of discourse for effective communication in the target language – specifically, English. By creating immersive and interactive learning environments, AI chatbots, dialogue systems, and platforms facilitate contextual learning that engages ELs and promotes practical language use. The article concludes by discussing the limitations and challenges related to teaching pragmatics to language learners, advocating for targeted research efforts to enhance our understanding of pragmatic development among young ELs and the role of AI tools in this process