From Theory to Practice

This book introduces Theory-Guided Communicative Instruction (TGCI), a new approach within the competence-based framework of Communicative Language Teaching. TGCI systematically integrates core concepts from linguistic pragmatics and discourse analysis into foreign language pedagogy, aiming to bridge the long-standing gap between communication theory and classroom practice. The project addresses key questions concerning how learners can be guided to consciously analyze communicative situations, manage turn-taking, interact with AI, and strategically deploy linguistic resources to achieve communicative goals. Methodologically, the monograph combines theoretical modeling with classroom-based empirical studies, including text analysis, prosodic annotation, mock debates, and reflective practitioner inquiry. Across seven case studies in university settings, TGCI was implemented as a structured pedagogical intervention encouraging EFL and ESP learners to treat language as a system rather than a set of isolated skills. The novelty of the suggested approach lies in repositioning linguistic theory as an operational classroom tool, fostering cognitively engaged, strategically competent communicators capable of adapting to diverse interpersonal, intercultural, and digitally mediated contexts.