Pages: 25-37

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between teachers’ pragmatic competence and Iranian EFL Learners’ acculturation. The study was conducted on 80 Iranian students aged 18-21 who were selected from among 140 accessible students based on the results of OPT from Homayezarrin and Pejwak language institutes in Zarrinshahr. In order to control the effect of language proficiency, only intermediate-level students were asked to proceed with the rest of the investigation. Teachers’ pragmatic knowledge was assessed through using multiple discourse completion test (MDCT) and students’ level of acculturation through the acculturation questionnaire. Then the results were correlated in order to find out whether teachers’ pragmatic knowledge plays any role in acculturation of Iranian EFL students or not. The results exhibited a significant relationship between the students’ overall level of acculturation and their teachers’ pragmatic knowledge. In addition, the results indicated that there was no significant difference between Iranian male and female acculturation as far as teachers’ pragmatic knowledge was concerned. The findings of the current study led to the suggestions to improve Iranian EFL learners’ English learning and their pragmatic knowledge in particular.