This paper helps to address the need for improvement related to the teaching of pragmatic abilities in the ELT classroom. Some of the issues surrounding direct pragmatic instruction are discussed with regard to teachers' and learners' roles and expectations. The paper is part of an ongoing research project that practically applies key components of Grice's maxims and the use of speech acts for consciousness raising and instruction. The authors promote a pragmatic continuum that encourages learners to assess and reflect on their pragmatic abilities. Examples are given to demonstrate its utility for instructors at a variety of levels to enhance learners' spoken pragmatic ability.