Pragmatics and TESOL: Lesson Plan on Making Requests for FDWs

This assignment presents a detailed lesson plan designed for teaching Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) the pragmatics of making apologies in English. The lesson focuses on equipping FDWs with the necessary language skills and cultural awareness to navigate everyday situations in their working households. The plan encompasses various activities, including video analysis, role-playing exercises, and written tasks, to facilitate learning and understanding of appropriate apology strategies. It emphasizes the importance of politeness, facial gestures, and suitable vocabulary to maintain positive intercultural communication. The rationale behind the lesson plan is grounded in speech act theory, particularly the work of Austin and Hymes, and explores how apologies function within human communication, aiming to restore equilibrium and maintain good relations between interlocutors. The lesson plan also incorporates theories of attribution and politeness to guide the students in understanding the importance of acknowledging responsibility and expressing regret. The lesson plan includes pre-activity, main activity, and post-activity phases, offering a comprehensive approach to language learning and cultural understanding, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the FDWs' ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with their employers. The assignment thoroughly addresses the theories of apology acts and offers a practical guide for educators.