1

Lesson Plan: Pragmatics

Your Name: Andrew Hill
Students Pseudonym: Carlie

Objective(s):
Student will be able to identify violations of Gricean conversational maxims.

Materials:
Worksheet: The Secret Rules of Conversation
Film Clip (URL: http://bit.ly/1OrMEp2)

Time: Lesson Activity Sequence Materials

15 minutes Warm Up: The Cryptic Rules of Conversation Worksheet:

Greet student. Secret Rules
Explain that warm-up will introduce lesson. (Appendix A)
Student and teacher will engage in four brief
conversations. Participants will take turns
initiating each conversation.
Tell student that each conversation will falter
for an unspecified reason.
As each conversation ends, student spends one
minute identifying and writing why the
conversations faltered. They can do so on
worksheets reverse side.
Distribute worksheet
Begin warm-up.
 2

20 minutes Discussion: Grices Conversational Maxims

Explain that conversations require cooperation.
Participants cooperate by following unspoken
or cryptic rules. Participants may
intentionally or unintentionally violate a rule.
English language speakers should be able to
identify and understand these violations.
Tell student each warm-up conversation
features violation of one unspoken rule.
o Conversation 1
Ask student: What was the
problem with conversation
one?
Let student respond.
Explain Maxim of Manner.
o Conversation 2
Ask student: What was the
problem with conversation
two?
Let student respond
Explain Maxim of Quality
o Conversation 3
Ask student: What was the
problem with conversation
three?
Let student respond.
Explain Maxim of Relevance
o Conversation 4
Ask student: What was the
problem with conversation
four?
 3

Let student respond.

Explain Maxim of Quantity

10 minutes Activity: Identify Violations of Grices Maxims Film Clip:

Tell student you will play four brief film clips Big Bang
featuring maxim violations. Theory
Play film clips (Appendix B)
After each violation example, briefly pause
clip and ask student to describe how maxim
was violated.
o First clip features quantity violation
o Second features quality violation
o Third features relevance violation
o Fourth features manner violation

Wrap Up: Assign Homework

Assign homework:
o Student attends weekly English
language conversation club. Ask
student to identify at least one maxim
violation of a maxim and to report this
at next weeks tutoring session.

Assessment: Informal assessment during activity.

 4

Appendix A

Warm Up: The Cryptic Rules of Conversation (Teacher Worksheet)

You will engage in four brief conversations with a partner. Both of your instructions differ
slightly. It is important that you do not look at each others instructions beforehand.

Follow the directions below as best as you can, regardless of what your partner is doing. Once
the conversation ends, write down what you noticed about the chat.

1. Your partner (Student) will initiate conversation. They will ask about your Chuseok
holiday plans. Your answer must be whispered and unintelligible.
2. You (Teacher) will initiate conversation. Ask your partner for the following directions:
How do I get from Korea National University of Education to Lotte Department Store?
3. Your partner (Student) will initiate conversation. They will ask what color your socks
are. You will respond by telling the color and describing for a full minute why this color
is such an excellent color for socks.
4. You (Teacher) will initiate conversation. They will ask you about your favorite movie.
You will ignore this topic completely and talk instead about your favorite ice cream
flavor.

("Teachit - English teaching resources")

 5

Appendix A contd

Warm Up: The Secret Rules of Conversation (Student Worksheet)

Front

You will engage in four brief conversations with a partner. Both of your instructions differ
slightly. It is important that you do not look at each others instructions beforehand.

Follow the directions below as best as you can, regardless of what your partner is doing.
Once the conversation ends, write down what you noticed about the chat.

1. You (Student) will initiate conversation. Ask your teacher about his plans for Chuseok
holiday.

2. Your partner (Teacher) will initiate conversation. Even if you know directions from Poly
Hagwon to Lotte Department Store, give incorrect directions.

3. You (Student) will initiate conversation. Ask your teacher what color his socks are.

4. Your partner (Teacher) will initiate conversation. Ask your tutor what his favorite movie is.
Ask about the movies characters and setting.

("Teachit - English teaching resources")

 6

Appendix A contd

Warm Up: The Secret Rules of Conversation (Student Worksheet)

Back

1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

("Teachit - English teaching resources")

 7

Appendix B

Big Bang Theory Film Clip

("YouTube")
 8

Works Cited

(n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2016, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEM8gZCWQ2w

Teachit - English teaching resources. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2016, from

https://www.teachit.co.uk/attachments/24458/grice-s-maxims-role-plays.pdf