FROM PROMPT TO POLITE: THE EFFICACY OF GENERATIVE AI IN FOSTERING DIGITAL PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE FOR ENGLISH REQUESTS AMONG PAKISTANI UNDERGRADUATES
Keywords:
CALL, Digital Pragmatics, ESL Learners, Generative AI, Plurilingualism, Pragmatic Competence, TESOLAbstract
Pragmatic competence is crucial for digital communication, yet many Pakistani ESL undergraduates exhibit pragmatic failure in making requests due to traditional pedagogy. This paper investigates the efficacy of a generative AI (GenAI) intervention designed to foster this competence. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design was employed. Quantitative data from a pre and post-test Discourse Completion Task (DCT) were analyzed using paired and independent samples t-tests to measure changes in request strategies between an experimental and control group. Qualitative data from a questionnaire with open-ended and Likert-scale items captured learner perceptions. Results show the AI intervention led to a statistically significant improvement in the ability of the experimental group to modulate directness and use politeness markers. Thematic analysis revealed the AI tool, framed within a plurilingual pedagogy, enhanced confidence, reduced anxiety, and fostered critical metapragmatic awareness. This research offers a model for modernizing English curricula, demonstrating how technology can be used for critical linguistic inquiry and learner empowerment.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Aftab Hussain , Dr. Ubaid Ullah Ubaid, Zakir Ali (Author)
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