“It is reasonable to assume that communicative language teaching … should be based implicitly or ... more “It is reasonable to assume that communicative language teaching … should be based implicitly or explicitly on some model of communicative competence.” (Celce-Murcia et.al, 1995) This paper will adopt an approach to adult language education based on using a systemic functional approach to language. Systemic functional linguistics would appear to be aligned with a definition of communicative competence emphasizing the interdependence of the different aspects of communicative competence (Celce-Murcia et al., 1995). The approach described here starts with a ‘granularization’ of language using phrases as the unit of analysis, followed by focusing on wording within the phrases highlighting the features of a text that help achieve the ‘meaning potential’. A significant part of the paper will be dedicated to demonstrating a process used with students involving moving from the phrases (strategic, sociocultural, actional competence), to the grammar (linguistic competence) within them. It is argued that this will not only raise students’ awareness of useful chunks of language, but could also develop a deeper understanding of the language as a system.
The premise that curriculum should to some extent reflect the knowledge practices of the field of... more The premise that curriculum should to some extent reflect the knowledge practices of the field of production raises the question of how realistic that is for those students studying in a second language. With the added weight of learning in a second language, this paper investigates the extent to which second language student texts reflect the knowledge practices within the field of educational technology. Using a systemic functional analysis of content reading materials and student texts, together with a qualitative analysis of students’ perceptions regarding an educational technology course, this paper demonstrates these expectations are unrealistic, without a sustained and consistent focus on language endemic in the field of practice. This paper further suggests approaching language in content from a systemic functional perspective can be best achieved by using phrases as a starting point for focusing on language.
This paper aims to deal with the question of researching knowledge within a learning-by-doing act... more This paper aims to deal with the question of researching knowledge within a learning-by-doing activity with students on an education program. It does this by making use of the semantic field of legitimation code theory to investigate student talk following an observed teaching practice lesson. The aim of the paper is to establish to what extent student talk reflects semantic gravity and semantic density with a view to establishing the extent to which cumulative learning has occurred on the program. It finds that while evidence does exist of emerging forms of cumulative learning, this is limited and characteristic of segmented learning associated with horizontal knowledge structures. It also finds that levels of semantic features varied significantly between participants. It concludes by suggesting that understanding the emergence of cumulative learning may be enhanced by further research focusing more on language in the teaching of content, an emphasis on vertical progression of content through the program, as well as assessment of teaching practice which accounts for epistemic as well as social relations.
This paper describes an investigation into an approach to feedback on writing involving students ... more This paper describes an investigation into an approach to feedback on writing involving students first in noticing features of the target language which differ to their inter-language, and then trying to use these features in their writing. It further describes an alternative way of viewing the value of feedback on writing, and the role a systemic functional view of language can play in how feedback is carried out. This investigation focuses on the possibilities and constraints of this approach to feedback, and concludes that noticing how more proficient users word their meanings and adjusting their own output is dependent on students’ existing inter-language and the type of language to be reformulated, specifically in terms of certain types of grammatical metaphor.
Relationships between words and meaning are central to effective language use. Noticing these rel... more Relationships between words and meaning are central to effective language use. Noticing these relationships is essential for students to become successful language learners, in terms of acquiring language and becoming active participants in a social group. This article considers how to achieve this using a pedagogical corpus with Microsoft OneNote.
Content-based Language Teaching (CBLT) offers students a rich language learning environment, sinc... more Content-based Language Teaching (CBLT) offers students a rich language learning environment, since language is embedded in context. This article focuses on the use of wikis in CBLT aimed at increasing access to both language and content, as well as allowing for a more student centered classroom experience.
“It is reasonable to assume that communicative language teaching … should be based implicitly or ... more “It is reasonable to assume that communicative language teaching … should be based implicitly or explicitly on some model of communicative competence.” (Celce-Murcia et.al, 1995) This paper will adopt an approach to adult language education based on using a systemic functional approach to language. Systemic functional linguistics would appear to be aligned with a definition of communicative competence emphasizing the interdependence of the different aspects of communicative competence (Celce-Murcia et al., 1995). The approach described here starts with a ‘granularization’ of language using phrases as the unit of analysis, followed by focusing on wording within the phrases highlighting the features of a text that help achieve the ‘meaning potential’. A significant part of the paper will be dedicated to demonstrating a process used with students involving moving from the phrases (strategic, sociocultural, actional competence), to the grammar (linguistic competence) within them. It is argued that this will not only raise students’ awareness of useful chunks of language, but could also develop a deeper understanding of the language as a system.
The premise that curriculum should to some extent reflect the knowledge practices of the field of... more The premise that curriculum should to some extent reflect the knowledge practices of the field of production raises the question of how realistic that is for those students studying in a second language. With the added weight of learning in a second language, this paper investigates the extent to which second language student texts reflect the knowledge practices within the field of educational technology. Using a systemic functional analysis of content reading materials and student texts, together with a qualitative analysis of students’ perceptions regarding an educational technology course, this paper demonstrates these expectations are unrealistic, without a sustained and consistent focus on language endemic in the field of practice. This paper further suggests approaching language in content from a systemic functional perspective can be best achieved by using phrases as a starting point for focusing on language.
This paper aims to deal with the question of researching knowledge within a learning-by-doing act... more This paper aims to deal with the question of researching knowledge within a learning-by-doing activity with students on an education program. It does this by making use of the semantic field of legitimation code theory to investigate student talk following an observed teaching practice lesson. The aim of the paper is to establish to what extent student talk reflects semantic gravity and semantic density with a view to establishing the extent to which cumulative learning has occurred on the program. It finds that while evidence does exist of emerging forms of cumulative learning, this is limited and characteristic of segmented learning associated with horizontal knowledge structures. It also finds that levels of semantic features varied significantly between participants. It concludes by suggesting that understanding the emergence of cumulative learning may be enhanced by further research focusing more on language in the teaching of content, an emphasis on vertical progression of content through the program, as well as assessment of teaching practice which accounts for epistemic as well as social relations.
This paper describes an investigation into an approach to feedback on writing involving students ... more This paper describes an investigation into an approach to feedback on writing involving students first in noticing features of the target language which differ to their inter-language, and then trying to use these features in their writing. It further describes an alternative way of viewing the value of feedback on writing, and the role a systemic functional view of language can play in how feedback is carried out. This investigation focuses on the possibilities and constraints of this approach to feedback, and concludes that noticing how more proficient users word their meanings and adjusting their own output is dependent on students’ existing inter-language and the type of language to be reformulated, specifically in terms of certain types of grammatical metaphor.
Relationships between words and meaning are central to effective language use. Noticing these rel... more Relationships between words and meaning are central to effective language use. Noticing these relationships is essential for students to become successful language learners, in terms of acquiring language and becoming active participants in a social group. This article considers how to achieve this using a pedagogical corpus with Microsoft OneNote.
Content-based Language Teaching (CBLT) offers students a rich language learning environment, sinc... more Content-based Language Teaching (CBLT) offers students a rich language learning environment, since language is embedded in context. This article focuses on the use of wikis in CBLT aimed at increasing access to both language and content, as well as allowing for a more student centered classroom experience.
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Papers by Grant Hartley
This paper will adopt an approach to adult language education based on using a systemic functional approach to language. Systemic functional linguistics would appear to be aligned with a definition of communicative competence emphasizing the interdependence of the different aspects of communicative competence (Celce-Murcia et al., 1995). The approach described here starts with a ‘granularization’ of language using phrases as the unit of analysis, followed by focusing on wording within the phrases highlighting the features of a text that help achieve the ‘meaning potential’. A significant part of the paper will be dedicated to demonstrating a process used with students involving moving from the phrases (strategic, sociocultural, actional competence), to the grammar (linguistic competence) within them. It is argued that this will not only raise students’ awareness of useful chunks of language, but could also develop a deeper understanding of the language as a system.
This paper will adopt an approach to adult language education based on using a systemic functional approach to language. Systemic functional linguistics would appear to be aligned with a definition of communicative competence emphasizing the interdependence of the different aspects of communicative competence (Celce-Murcia et al., 1995). The approach described here starts with a ‘granularization’ of language using phrases as the unit of analysis, followed by focusing on wording within the phrases highlighting the features of a text that help achieve the ‘meaning potential’. A significant part of the paper will be dedicated to demonstrating a process used with students involving moving from the phrases (strategic, sociocultural, actional competence), to the grammar (linguistic competence) within them. It is argued that this will not only raise students’ awareness of useful chunks of language, but could also develop a deeper understanding of the language as a system.