FUNCTIONAL-NOTIONAL APPROACH

Summary

Rainis As discusses the functional notional approach to language teaching, highlighting its history starting with David Wilkins' work in the 1970s. This approach focuses on communicative functions and notions, organizing language teaching around these concepts. It emphasizes learner-centered language use, authentic assessment, and five functional categories: personal, interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative. The method aims to teach language as a communicative tool rather than a set of grammar rules.

Takeaways

• 📚 The functional notional approach was pioneered by British linguist David Wilkins in 1972, advocating a shift from traditional grammar and vocabulary to communicative meanings.
• 🌐 Wilkins' work influenced the Council of Europe's communicative language syllabus, focusing on the functions necessary for effective communication.
• 📚 The approach categorizes language based on notions (concepts or ideas) and functions (communicative acts like requests, offers, apologies).
• 🗣️ Notions can be specific (like 'dog') or general (like 'time'), and are influenced by the function, elements in the situation, and the topic.
• 🎯 Functions are communicative acts such as suggesting, promising, apologizing, and inviting, which are expressed through various language forms.
• 🏞️ Situations encompass elements like participants, place, time, and the topic of conversation, affecting language variation.
• 💬 Exponents are utterances that express a function, situation, or topic, and can vary in formality and mode of expression.
• 🔠 The 'code' refers to the shared language of a community, with 'code switching' being the change in language during a speech act.
• 📊 The functional notional approach is assessed through authentic assessment, focusing on students' application of language in real-life contexts.
• 🔑 It emphasizes a learner-centered view, authentic language use, and focuses on the communicative purposes of speech and the functions of language in daily life.
• 🔍 Criticisms include the difficulty in ordering functions, the wide range of grammatical structures needed, and challenges at higher levels of language learning.

Q & A

Who is credited with proposing the functional notional approach to language learning?

British linguist David Wilkins is credited with proposing the functional notional approach to language learning.

In what year did David Wilkins publish the document that initiated the functional notional approach?

David Wilkins published the document that initiated the functional notional approach in 1972.

What was the main idea behind the document published by David Wilkins in 1972?

The main idea was to shift away from traditional grammar and vocabulary and focus on communicative meanings for language learners.

How did the Council of Europe utilize Wilkins' work in language learning?

The Council of Europe used Wilkins' work to draw up a communicative language syllabus specifying the communicative functions learners need for effective communication.

What is the primary focus of the functional notional approach to language teaching?

The primary focus is on organizing a language syllabus based on communicative situations and breaking down the global concept of language into units of analysis.

Define the term 'notion' in the context of the functional notional approach.

A 'notion' is a meaning element that may be expressed through various parts of speech and can be specific or general, often overlapping with the concept of topics.

What is a 'function' in the functional notional approach?

A 'function' is a communicative act, which is the use of language to achieve a purpose, such as making requests, suggesting, promising, apologizing, and inviting.

How does the 'situation' element influence language use in the functional notional approach?

The 'situation' element affects variations of language such as the use of dialects, formality or informality, and the mode of expression, including who is involved, the place, time, and the topic or activity being discussed.

What are 'exponents' in the context of the functional notional approach?

Exponents are language utterances or statements that stem from the function, situation, and topic, forming the language forms speakers use to express messages or indicate social roles and formality.

What is 'code' in the functional notional approach?

'Code' refers to the shared language of a community of speakers, and it can involve code switching, which is a change or switch in code during the speech act.

How is the functional notional approach assessed?

It is best assessed using authentic assessment, where students are evaluated on how they apply the language and show functions in their written and oral outputs.

What are the five functional categories of language mentioned in the script?

The five functional categories of language are personal, interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative.

What is the criticism regarding the order of presentation in the functional notional approach?

One criticism is the difficulty in deciding the order in which different functions should be presented, as well as the wide range of grammatical structures needed for basic functions at different levels of formality.

What are the advantages of the functional notional approach according to the script?

The advantages include communicatively useful expressions, a focus on communication, and suitability for beginners, emphasizing the communicative purpose of speech based on meaningful behavior in context.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Functional Notional Approach

The paragraph introduces the functional notional approach to language teaching, highlighting its origin and development. It begins with the historical context set by British linguist David Wilkins in 1972, who proposed a shift from traditional grammar and vocabulary to communicative meanings. Wilkins' 1976 work, 'Notional Syllabuses,' categorized language based on notions and functions, influencing the Council of Europe's communicative language syllabus. The first course books based on functional syllabuses appeared in the late 1970s, focusing on communicative functions and the language needed to express them. The approach emphasizes breaking down language into units based on communicative situations. Key terms like 'notion,' 'function,' 'situation,' and 'exponents' are introduced, explaining their roles in language learning and teaching.

05:00

🌐 Functional Categories and Language Variations

This paragraph delves into the functional categories of language and how language variations occur due to factors like dialects, formality, and context. It discusses the functional notional approach's emphasis on communicative purposes of speech, learner-centered language learning, and authentic language use. The paragraph outlines five functional categories: personal, interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative. Each category is explained with examples of how they are used in communication. The concept of 'code' and 'code switching' is also introduced, illustrating how speakers adapt their language within a community. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the assessment of the functional emotional approach, emphasizing authentic assessment over traditional testing methods.

10:02

🔍 Criticism and Advantages of the Functional Notional Approach

The final paragraph addresses the criticisms and advantages of the functional notional approach to language teaching. It points out the challenges in determining the order of presenting different functions and the complexity of managing a wide range of grammatical structures for various levels of formality. It also mentions the potential frustration for learners accustomed to a more structured, analytical approach. However, the paragraph highlights the approach's strengths, including its focus on communicatively useful expressions, its suitability for beginners, and its emphasis on the communicative purpose of speech. The functional notional approach is praised for its learner-centered view and its ability to help teachers identify and analyze learners' needs to create effective syllabuses.

Keywords

💡Functional Notional Approach

The Functional Notional Approach is a method of language teaching that emphasizes the communicative purposes of speech. It focuses on what people want to do or accomplish through speech, rather than just the grammatical structure. In the video, this approach is discussed as a way to categorize language based on notions and functions, such as expressing emotions or making requests. It is highlighted as a shift from traditional grammar-based teaching to a more communicative and context-based method.

💡Communicative Language Syllabus

A Communicative Language Syllabus is a curriculum design that specifies the communicative functions a learner needs to communicate effectively at a given level of competence. It is mentioned in the video as a result of the work by David Wilkins, which was used by the Council of Europe to draw up a syllabus that focuses on the practical use of language in real-life situations.

💡Notions

Notions are meaning elements that can be expressed through various parts of speech and represent concepts or ideas. They can be specific, like 'dog' or 'house', or general, like 'time' or 'emotion'. In the video, notions are discussed as a key component of the Functional Notional Approach, where they are used to categorize language in terms of the communicative meanings that learners need to express themselves effectively.

💡Functions

Functions in this context refer to the communicative acts that language performs, such as making requests, apologies, or suggestions. The video explains that functions are an integral part of the Functional Notional Approach, where language is categorized based on the purposes it serves in communication.

💡Situations

Situations are the contexts in which language is used, including the people involved, the place, the time, and the topic of discussion. The video discusses how situations can affect language use, such as the formality or informality of speech, and how they are considered when organizing a language syllabus under the Functional Notional Approach.

💡Exponents

Exponents are the language utterances or statements that stem from the function, the situation, and the topic. They are the specific forms that a speaker uses to express a message or indicate social roles and formality. In the video, exponents are given as examples to show the variety of ways one can express a function in language, such as different ways to request someone to open a window.

💡Code

Code in the context of the video refers to the shared language of a community of speakers. It is the common language that people use to communicate with each other. The video mentions code switching, which is a change or switch in code during a speech act, as an example of how language can vary within a community.

💡Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment is a method of evaluating students based on how they apply the language in real-life contexts. It is mentioned in the video as the best way to assess the Functional Notional Approach, focusing on the students' ability to use language functions in their written and oral outputs.

💡Functional Grammar

Functional Grammar is a type of grammar that focuses on the patterns of language and how they are used for various communicative functions. It is based on the relationship between language structure and the functions that language performs. The video explains that functional grammar is not about rules but about how language is used in daily life, with a focus on semantics and pragmatics.

💡Criticisms of Functional Notional Approach

The criticisms mentioned in the video include the difficulty in deciding the order of presenting different functions, the wide range of grammatical structures needed for basic functions, and the question of what to do at higher levels. These points highlight some of the challenges faced when implementing the Functional Notional Approach in language teaching.

💡Advantages of Functional Notional Approach

The advantages of the Functional Notional Approach discussed in the video include its focus on communicatively useful expressions, its suitability for beginners, and its emphasis on communication. It is presented as an approach that helps teachers identify and meet the needs of learners by focusing on the functions and notions that are relevant to their real-life communication.

Highlights

Introduction to the functional notional approach in language teaching, emphasizing communicative meanings over traditional grammar and vocabulary.

Historical background of the functional notional approach, starting with David Wilkins' 1972 document proposing a shift in language description.

Wilkins' 1976 work 'Notional Syllabuses' categorizes language based on notions and functions for effective communication.

The influence of Wilkins' work on the Council of Europe's communicative language syllabus.

Emergence of course books based on functional syllabuses in the late 1970s, organized by communicative functions.

Definition of 'notion' as meaning elements expressed through various parts of speech, ranging from specific to general concepts.

Explanation of how specific notions depend on function, elements in the situation, and the topic of discussion.

Function defined as a communicative act, such as making requests, promises, or apologies.

Situation's impact on language variation, including formality and mode of expression.

Exponents as language utterances that stem from functions, situations, and topics, with examples of varying politeness levels.

Code switching as a change in language code during speech, with examples.

Assessment in the functional notional approach, focusing on authentic assessment of language application.

Characteristics of the functional notional approach, including a learner-centered view and authentic language use.

Functional categories of language, including personal, interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative.

Functional grammar as a pattern of language use based on communicative functions, emphasizing language as a resource.

Criticism of the functional notional approach, such as the difficulty in ordering functions and the need for a wide range of grammatical structures.

Advantages of the functional notional approach, like its focus on communicative usefulness and suitability for beginners.

Conclusion of the discussion, summarizing the functional notional approach's emphasis on communicative purposes and learner needs.

Transcripts

good day everyone my name is rainis as

the second filipino first presenter

under the functional notional approach

let's start the discussion by

reminiscing its history

in 1972 the british linguist david

wilkins published a document that

proposed a radical shift away from using

the traditional concepts of grammar

vocabulary to describe language to an

analysis of the communicative meanings

that learners would need in order to

express themselves and to understand

effectively

this initial document was followed by

his 1976 work notional syllabuses which

showed how language could be categorized

on the basis of notions such as quantity

vocation and time and functions such as

making requests

making offers and apologizing

wilkins work was used by the council of

europe in drawing up a communicative

language syllabus which specified the

communicative functions a learner would

need in order to communicate effectively

at a given level of competence

at the end of the 1970s

the first course books to be based on

functional syllabuses began to appear

typically they would be organized on the

basis of individual functions and the

exponents needed to express these

functions

this method of language teaching is

categorized along with others under the

rubric of a communicative approach the

method stresses a means of organizing a

language syllabus

the emphasis is on breaking down the

global concept of language into units of

analysis in terms of communicative

situations in which they are used

let us proceed to the specific terms the

first on the list is notion

notion are meaning elements that may be

expressed through nouns pronouns

verbs prepositions conjunctions

adjectives or adverbs

a notion is a concept or idea it may be

quite specific in which case it is

virtually the same as vocabulary like

for example dog

house or it may be very general like

time

size emotion or movement in which it

often overlaps with the concept of

topics

example in ocean the notion of time and

the notion of place

i would like to invite your son to come

to my club for lunch and saturday

specific notions depend on three major

factors the function the elements in the

situation and the topic which is being

discussed

also this may include past tenses

phrases like a month ago

last week and utterances using temporal

clauses beginning with when

before

after and so on

example 4 when

when you leave please close the door

after

after i had said those words he went out

next function functionism kind of

communicative act

it is the use of language to achieve a

purpose

example should be suggesting

promising apologizing greeting and

inviting phrases may include like in

suggesting

i suggest you should stop engaging

yourself with him before it's too late

in inviting

would you like to take a walk with me

near the shore

next situation

situation may affect variations of

language such as the use of dialects the

formality or informality of the language

and the mode of expression situation

includes the following elements a the

persons taking part in the speeched act

b the place where the conversation

occurs

c the time the speech act is taking

place

nd the topic or activity that is being

discussed

next exponents

exponents are the language utterances or

statements that stem from the function

the situation and the topic

their language forms the speaker uses to

express a message or indicate social

roles formality and formality

possible exponents in one example

please open the window

open the window please

would you open the window

would you mind opening the window

i wonder if you would mind opening the

window

also variations of language result from

dialects informality

formality

mode and wishes

next

code

code is the shared language of a

community of speakers like us we are

sharing the same language which is

messiah

or does anybody hear speaks different

language aside from our vernacular

that's when the code switching goes in

code switching is a change or switch in

code during the speech tag

examples may include

i am here now or like

here in alango

the functional emotional approach is

best assessed using authentic assessment

wherein students are assessed and how

they apply the language

how they illicit or show functions in

their written and oral outputs

characteristics of functional emotional

approach

the functional notional approach to

language learning places major emphasis

on the communicative purposes of speech

or in speaking skill that is what people

want to do or accomplish through speech

first focusing on doing something

through a language

next learner-centered view of language

learning

third involving authentic language use

testing focused on the ability to use

language to react and operate on the

environment or authentic assessment

at this moment

let us dive in to the functional

categories of language which is five

headings

first is personal

personal is clarifying or arranging

one's ideas it may be expressing one's

thoughts or feelings

love

pleasure surprise satisfaction

disappointment pain

anger frustration and so on or the

everyday feeling of hunger

thirst

sleepiness and

warmth

second is

interpersonal

interpersonal enable us to establish and

maintain desirable social and working

relationships

like greetings and live teachings

introducing people to others

identifying oneself to others

expressing joy at another success

expressing concern for others people's

welfare

extending and accepting invitation

refusing invitations politely or making

alternative arrangements

making appointments for meetings

third is

directive

directive attempt to influence the

action of others accepting or refusing

directions like making suggestions in

which the speaker is included

persuading someone to change his point

of view

requesting and granting permission

asking for help and responding to a plea

for help

forbidding someone to do something

giving and responding to instructions

and even warning someone

fourth is referential

referential is talking or reporting

about things

actions events or people in the

environment in the past or in the future

talking about language

like identifying items or people in the

classroom school home

or in the community

asking for a description of someone or

something

defining something or a language item or

asking for a definition

or even comparing or contrasting things

and lastly imaginative

imaginative discussions involving

elements of creativity and artistic

expressions like discussing a poem a

story a piece of music a play a painting

a film

a tv program or etc or even creating

rhymes poetry stories or plays

functional grammar a grammar which puts

together the pattern of the language and

the things you can do with them is

called a functional grammar

it is based on the relation between the

structure by language and the various

function that the language performs

functional grammar is all about language

use

it's about communicative grammar that

learners can use in the typical

situation that they find themselves as

they go about their daily lives moreover

it's an approach in which grammar is not

seen as a set of rules

but rather a communicative resource

the main objective of a functional

grammar is to explain language in terms

of what people do with it how they use

the language to live

it tries to do that by adopting more of

a semantic and pragmatic orientation

inside the grammar it does not see

pragmatics and semantics as extra levels

of organization but sees them as

integral to the organization of the

grammar

criticism of functional notional

approach is first order

criticism of functional approaches

include the difficulty in deciding the

order in which different functions

should be presented another problem lies

in the wide range of grammatical

structures needed to manipulate basic

functions at different levels of

formality

second no structures syllabus

there is also the apparently random

nature of the language use

which may frustrate learners used to the

more analytical and building block

approach that our grammatical syllabus

can offer another apparent weakness is

the question of what to do at higher

levels

the advantages of functional notional

approach is first communicatively useful

expressions

second focus and communication

third suitable to beginners

a functional approach emphasizes

communicative purpose of speech based on

the following premises

first communication is meaningful

behavior in context that requires

language use rather than contrived

sentence building

second language is constructed around

language functions and notions

third in teaching language the

functional notional approach to language

helps the teacher to identify the needs

of the learners and analyze the needs in

order to draw the syllabus

and that's all for today's discussion

thank you for listening have a nice day