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An introduction to systemic functional grammar
Аубакирова Мадина Рамазановна
КГУ «Кушокинская СОШ»
Карагандинская область
There is a lot of misunderstanding among the ELT community about functional
grammar. I won’t go through these ideas in any detail here; the main thing I want to
do in this post is to show its usefulness for language teachers, no matter what kind of
program you are teaching in, no matter what level your learners are, and no matter
what methodology you subscribe to. So, what is functional grammar?
Defining Functional Grammar
Put simply, Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) is a grammar based on the view
that language is a system for making meaning. Systemic refers to the fact that when
we use language, we make choices from sets of available options. This is contrary to
the traditional view of grammar as sets of rules. Functional assumes that every time
we make a choice from the available options, we are doing so in order to fulfill a
communicative purpose. And Grammar simply refers to the fact that there is an
overall organisation to all of these possible options.
History of SFG in Language Teaching
Now by itself, this brief explanation may not be revealing anything especially new
for teachers who teach both form and function of language. Indeed, those who do
may not know that these terms originated in the work of Michael Halliday, the
founder of SFG, and whose work was pivotal for the early moves to Communicative
Language Teaching. Michael Halliday’s work in linguistics was highly influential
around the time that language teaching was starting to shift its emphasis on mastery
of language structures to mastery of communicative competence. Halliday himself
developed his interest in linguistics and grammar through language teaching, first by
teaching Chinese to English speakers, and later on teaching English and Russian to
Chinese speakers. Indeed, Halliday’s functional grammar and theory of systemic
functional linguistics has been a foundation for communicative language teaching; it
also underpins the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for
languages.
The theory behind SFG
But it’s not all just form and function to express meanings. SFG helps teachers and
their learners work with whole stretches of language in order to develop their
potential to communicate in the target language. This is made possible by the
linguistic theory underpinning SFG, known as Systemic Functional Linguistics
(SFL). Different cultural and social contexts lead speakers and writers to choose
differently from the repertoire of language that they have at their disposal. SFG is an
extremely useful tool to help teachers make sense of how language works in different
social and cultural contexts, and thus be better equipped to help their learners
understand these differences. This can refer to spoken or written texts (as SFG is
based on the notion of text), and can range from everyday casual talk, through to a
formal interview, a short email message, or an academic paper. In a nutshell, SFG
helps us describe how language is used between people, which contrasts with
traditional grammar that prescribes rules for using language.
Text and Context
By using systemic functional grammar (SFG), the teacher has a powerful tool with
which to mediate her/his explanations of language, and thus mediate the learner’s
understandings of how to use the language they are in the process of learning. This
tool is the bridge between context and text – between the sociocultural setting in
which the speaker is conducting her/his activity and the language that is a part of that
activity. The tool is called Register, and gives the teacher the ability to pick away at
the context of language use and identify:
the field: what is going on in the activity
the tenor: who is taking part in the activity
the mode: the part language plays in the activity.
So, each time you present a text to your learners, you can start with establishing the
context, as above, and then proceed to highlight whatever grammar is important in
each of the three areas.
An integrated grammar
Looked at individually, it is possible to, for example, identify the kinds of vocabulary
that is relevant to the field, the kinds of interpersonal language that is appropriate for
the tenor, and the kinds of textual features (say, cohesive devices) that are going to
help the spoken or written text along. The Field might be a group of friends talking
about the Australian Open tennis tournament, and therefore the vocabulary is mostly
related to tennis things, people and actions. The Tenor is close friends who see each
other regularly and thus have a lot of common understandings. The interpersonal
language will be informal, without much language of power or authority, and
possibly banter and joking. The Mode is likely face to face spoken language with
speakers able to give each other immediate feedback.
Taken together, SFG provides a rubric for language teachers to plan their teaching
around (be they spur of the moment explanations, or whole lessons) and for language
learners to sort out in their own minds where, when and how language can be used to
successfully communicate across social and cultural settings.
An introduction to systemic functional grammar
Аубакирова Мадина Рамазановна
КГУ «Кушокинская СОШ»
Карагандинская область
There is a lot of misunderstanding among the ELT community about functional
grammar. I won’t go through these ideas in any detail here; the main thing I want to
do in this post is to show its usefulness for language teachers, no matter what kind of
program you are teaching in, no matter what level your learners are, and no matter
what methodology you subscribe to. So, what is functional grammar?
Defining Functional Grammar
Put simply, Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) is a grammar based on the view
that language is a system for making meaning. Systemic refers to the fact that when
we use language, we make choices from sets of available options. This is contrary to
the traditional view of grammar as sets of rules. Functional assumes that every time
we make a choice from the available options, we are doing so in order to fulfill a
communicative purpose. And Grammar simply refers to the fact that there is an
overall organisation to all of these possible options.
History of SFG in Language Teaching
Now by itself, this brief explanation may not be revealing anything especially new
for teachers who teach both form and function of language. Indeed, those who do
may not know that these terms originated in the work of Michael Halliday, the
founder of SFG, and whose work was pivotal for the early moves to Communicative
Language Teaching. Michael Halliday’s work in linguistics was highly influential
around the time that language teaching was starting to shift its emphasis on mastery
of language structures to mastery of communicative competence. Halliday himself
developed his interest in linguistics and grammar through language teaching, first by
teaching Chinese to English speakers, and later on teaching English and Russian to
Chinese speakers. Indeed, Halliday’s functional grammar and theory of systemic
functional linguistics has been a foundation for communicative language teaching; it
also underpins the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for
languages.
The theory behind SFG
But it’s not all just form and function to express meanings. SFG helps teachers and
their learners work with whole stretches of language in order to develop their
potential to communicate in the target language. This is made possible by the
linguistic theory underpinning SFG, known as Systemic Functional Linguistics
(SFL). Different cultural and social contexts lead speakers and writers to choose
differently from the repertoire of language that they have at their disposal. SFG is an
extremely useful tool to help teachers make sense of how language works in different
social and cultural contexts, and thus be better equipped to help their learners
understand these differences. This can refer to spoken or written texts (as SFG is
based on the notion of text), and can range from everyday casual talk, through to a
formal interview, a short email message, or an academic paper. In a nutshell, SFG
helps us describe how language is used between people, which contrasts with
traditional grammar that prescribes rules for using language.
Text and Context
By using systemic functional grammar (SFG), the teacher has a powerful tool with
which to mediate her/his explanations of language, and thus mediate the learner’s
understandings of how to use the language they are in the process of learning. This
tool is the bridge between context and text – between the sociocultural setting in
which the speaker is conducting her/his activity and the language that is a part of that
activity. The tool is called Register, and gives the teacher the ability to pick away at
the context of language use and identify:
the field: what is going on in the activity
the tenor: who is taking part in the activity
the mode: the part language plays in the activity.
So, each time you present a text to your learners, you can start with establishing the
context, as above, and then proceed to highlight whatever grammar is important in
each of the three areas.
An integrated grammar
Looked at individually, it is possible to, for example, identify the kinds of vocabulary
that is relevant to the field, the kinds of interpersonal language that is appropriate for
the tenor, and the kinds of textual features (say, cohesive devices) that are going to
help the spoken or written text along. The Field might be a group of friends talking
about the Australian Open tennis tournament, and therefore the vocabulary is mostly
related to tennis things, people and actions. The Tenor is close friends who see each
other regularly and thus have a lot of common understandings. The interpersonal
language will be informal, without much language of power or authority, and
possibly banter and joking. The Mode is likely face to face spoken language with
speakers able to give each other immediate feedback.
Taken together, SFG provides a rubric for language teachers to plan their teaching
around (be they spur of the moment explanations, or whole lessons) and for language
learners to sort out in their own minds where, when and how language can be used to
successfully communicate across social and cultural settings.
An introduction to systemic functional grammar
Аубакирова Мадина Рамазановна
КГУ «Кушокинская СОШ»
Карагандинская область
There is a lot of misunderstanding among the ELT community about functional
grammar. I won’t go through these ideas in any detail here; the main thing I want to
do in this post is to show its usefulness for language teachers, no matter what kind of
program you are teaching in, no matter what level your learners are, and no matter
what methodology you subscribe to. So, what is functional grammar?
Defining Functional Grammar
Put simply, Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) is a grammar based on the view
that language is a system for making meaning. Systemic refers to the fact that when
we use language, we make choices from sets of available options. This is contrary to
the traditional view of grammar as sets of rules. Functional assumes that every time
we make a choice from the available options, we are doing so in order to fulfill a
communicative purpose. And Grammar simply refers to the fact that there is an
overall organisation to all of these possible options.
History of SFG in Language Teaching
Now by itself, this brief explanation may not be revealing anything especially new
for teachers who teach both form and function of language. Indeed, those who do
may not know that these terms originated in the work of Michael Halliday, the
founder of SFG, and whose work was pivotal for the early moves to Communicative
Language Teaching. Michael Halliday’s work in linguistics was highly influential
around the time that language teaching was starting to shift its emphasis on mastery
of language structures to mastery of communicative competence. Halliday himself
developed his interest in linguistics and grammar through language teaching, first by
teaching Chinese to English speakers, and later on teaching English and Russian to
Chinese speakers. Indeed, Halliday’s functional grammar and theory of systemic
functional linguistics has been a foundation for communicative language teaching; it
also underpins the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for
languages.
The theory behind SFG
But it’s not all just form and function to express meanings. SFG helps teachers and
their learners work with whole stretches of language in order to develop their
potential to communicate in the target language. This is made possible by the
linguistic theory underpinning SFG, known as Systemic Functional Linguistics
(SFL). Different cultural and social contexts lead speakers and writers to choose
differently from the repertoire of language that they have at their disposal. SFG is an
extremely useful tool to help teachers make sense of how language works in different
social and cultural contexts, and thus be better equipped to help their learners
understand these differences. This can refer to spoken or written texts (as SFG is
based on the notion of text), and can range from everyday casual talk, through to a
formal interview, a short email message, or an academic paper. In a nutshell, SFG
helps us describe how language is used between people, which contrasts with
traditional grammar that prescribes rules for using language.
Text and Context
By using systemic functional grammar (SFG), the teacher has a powerful tool with
which to mediate her/his explanations of language, and thus mediate the learner’s
understandings of how to use the language they are in the process of learning. This
tool is the bridge between context and text – between the sociocultural setting in
which the speaker is conducting her/his activity and the language that is a part of that
activity. The tool is called Register, and gives the teacher the ability to pick away at
the context of language use and identify:
the field: what is going on in the activity
the tenor: who is taking part in the activity
the mode: the part language plays in the activity.
So, each time you present a text to your learners, you can start with establishing the
context, as above, and then proceed to highlight whatever grammar is important in
each of the three areas.
An integrated grammar
Looked at individually, it is possible to, for example, identify the kinds of vocabulary
that is relevant to the field, the kinds of interpersonal language that is appropriate for
the tenor, and the kinds of textual features (say, cohesive devices) that are going to
help the spoken or written text along. The Field might be a group of friends talking
about the Australian Open tennis tournament, and therefore the vocabulary is mostly
related to tennis things, people and actions. The Tenor is close friends who see each
other regularly and thus have a lot of common understandings. The interpersonal
language will be informal, without much language of power or authority, and
possibly banter and joking. The Mode is likely face to face spoken language with
speakers able to give each other immediate feedback.
Taken together, SFG provides a rubric for language teachers to plan their teaching
around (be they spur of the moment explanations, or whole lessons) and for language
learners to sort out in their own minds where, when and how language can be used to
successfully communicate across social and cultural settings.
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