Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-16-2025
Abstract
This theory paper examines the PACE instructional framework (Presentation, Attention, Co-construction, Extension) as a principled approach to grammar instruction in communicative Spanish language classrooms. Drawing on sociocognitive second language acquisition (Atkinson, 2011), focus-on-form research (Ellis, 2014; Nassaji & Fotos, 2011), and communicative language teaching (Richards & Rogers, 2014), the paper situates PACE within contemporary SLA theory as a meaning-first, learner-centered pedagogical framework. The analysis emphasizes how PACE supports the development of form–meaning connections through authentic input, collaborative dialogue (Donato, 1994), and communicative extension, while also addressing cognitive load, accessibility, and learner agency. The paper argues that PACE functions not as a prescriptive method but as a flexible instructional framework that allows Spanish instructors to make informed, context-sensitive pedagogical decisions grounded in research and reflective practice.
Recommended Citation
Kapustka, Brian, "Applying the PACE Framework to Emotional Language Instruction in a Community College Spanish Classroom" (2025). Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 12.
https://dc.cod.edu/languages_fac_staff/12