Pragmatic competence is a crucial yet under-researched topic in the field of instructed second-language acquisition (SLA). Studies have shown that second language (L2) learners have difficulties with the acquisition of speech acts, which are not much taught in regular classes. This quasi-experimental research explored the impact of virtual reality (VR) mediated explicit instruction on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ acquisition of refusals. Fifty-two intermediate-level Turkish EFL learners enrolled in a foundation university were randomly assigned to experimental (N=27) or control groups (N=25). The experimental group received six hours of VR-based pragmatics training, engaging with social scenarios presented through Thinglink, a non-immersive VR platform, where they practiced refusal strategies within interactive virtual environments, whereas the control group had traditional classroom instruction with coursebook tasks, dealing with pragmatic tasks implicitly. The intervention was structured according to Beebe et al.’ (1990) classification for L2 refusals. Discourse completion tasks (DCTs) were given as pre-, post, and delayed post-tests to find out differences between the groups regarding refusal performance using descriptive statistics. Interaction analysis conducted immediately after each DCT administration (pre-, immediate post-, and delayed post-tests). It involved two complementary analyses: First, quantitative scoring of authentic refusal tasks was carried out using an adapted rubric from Ishihara’s (2010) pragmatic competence rubric. Refusal strategies in the authentic performance-based tasks were assessed by two English language teaching (ELT) practitioners through a five-level rubric, ensuring inter-rater reliability (Cohen’s Kappa <.80). Then, a qualitative analysis was applied to the same set of responses using Beebe et al. (1990) classification to give insight into learners’ pragmatic decision-making and language use in authentic refusal tasks. This process enabled an in-depth exploration of the specific refusal strategies employed by the learners. In addition, retrospective interviews were separately analyzed through thematic analysis to explore learners’ perceptions of pragmatic development and employed to code learners’ responses to open-ended questions and categorize into recurring themes related to learners’ perceptions, confidence, and instructional challenges. The findings showed that VR-mediated training focused on task-based language teaching (TBLT) improved learners’ pragmatic competence, notably in refusal strategies, by encouraging more diverse and contextually appropriate responses. The experimental group exhibited more adaptation, long-term retention, and real-life communication confidence than the control group, which improved little. This study aims to address gaps in research on pragmatics instruction across diverse cultural contexts and the role of technology in language learning, proposing a fresh approach to pragmatic competence using non-immersive VR and TBLT.

Keywords: Pragmatics, Speech Acts of Refusals, Technology-Mediated Task-Based Language Learning, Language Learning Technology, Mixed-Method Study.