A PRAGMATICS-BASED UNIT LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING COMPLAINTS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive, three-part pragmatics unit lesson plan focused on the target speech act of complaints, specifically designed for Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate (B2 level) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Grounded in communicative language teaching and pragmatic competence development, the unit guides students through the nuances of producing direct and indirect complaints, responding to customer dissatisfaction, and formulating formal letters of complaint. By analyzing contextual variables such as social status, social distance, and intensity, the curriculum enables learners to navigate the delicate balance of politeness and directness in target language interactions. The integration of interactive instructional strategies, digital multimedia tools, and comprehensive rubric-based assessments ensures that students develop both oral and written communicative autonomy. Ultimately, this unit serves as a pedagogical framework for cultivating cultural awareness and preventing sociopragmatic failure in real-world scenarios.