TEACHING SPEECH ACTS OF REQUESTS IN THE ESL CLASSROOM

Abstract

The ability to perform speech acts appropriately is an essential component of communicative competence in a second language. Among various speech acts, requests play a crucial role in everyday communication because they allow speakers to ask for help, information, or services. However, many ESL learners struggle to formulate requests that are both grammatically correct and pragmatically appropriate. This article discusses methodological approaches to teaching request speech acts in the ESL classroom. The study reviews theoretical perspectives on pragmatics and speech act theory and proposes practical classroom strategies for developing learners’ pragmatic competence. The paper highlights the importance of contextualized instruction, role-play activities, and awareness-raising tasks in improving students’ ability to make polite and contextually suitable requests