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Grammatical
vs. Notional Functional Approaches vs. Communicative
Grammatical
Approach
1.Teaching
approach and curriculum based on teaching grammatical structures
according to complexity, frequency of occurrence, situational
need, etc.
2.Assumption:
Language finite set of rules that can be combined in various
ways to make meaning. Rules can be learned one by one,
each mastered and incorporated into language repertoire.
3.Assumption:
Language transfer will occur automatically. Once
formal structures have been learned will be able to use in
communication outside classroom.
4.Still
widely used (sometimes masked)
5.Introduces
one or two structures at a time, practice to mastery, move
onto next item
6.Example
of progression of lessons in Grammatical Approach
Problems/Issues
with Grammatical Approach
- Difficult
to isolate and teach one discrete item at a time
if you want to provide context for language learning.
(Context-Introductions-Focus on Simple present with "be"):
A. Hello, my
name is ____.
B. My name is
______. I'm a student at AU. How about you?"
A."Yes,
I'm a student too."
-
SLA research—learning
does not occur in simple additive fashion.
Different
communicative purposes for even very simple structures. This is a book. (contradicting: No,
it may look like a video, but in fact this is a book) (surprise: This is a book?)
-
No
one-to-one relationship between form and function
Same communicative function, different
structures.
What
are different ways to make a request for a drink
of water?
(May I have
a drink of water, please? Could
I get a drink of water please? Gee, I'm really
thirsty.
- Learners
do not progress uniformly in acquisition of grammar
Certain
structures need to be used immediately (Wh- questions)
even though more complex structures |
Notional-Functional
Syllabus
Communicative
Language Functions: How is this approach different from the
Grammatical Approach?
Problems/Issues
with Notional-functional syllabus
Syllabus
not method
Did
not necessarily lead to communicative competence—language
seen as inventory of units
Not
reflective of how language is learned
How
to determine order of functions
(Which is more complex, apologizing
or requesting?)
(Which is more useful, or needed earlier?) |
Communicative
Language Teaching (CLT)
Notional-Functional
Syllabus led to Communicative Language Teaching
Communicative
Language Teaching
- Focus on
students’ desire to communicate.
- Use of language
to achieve an objective.
- Emphasis
on meaning over form (attention centered on content of what
is being said, written, etc.)
- Various
language components learned together (more than just one
grammatical structure and most likely more than one function)
- More learner
centered/less teacher intervention (no correction or insisting
on repetition)
- Use of real-life
communicative tasks
- Attention
to student learning style
- Attention
to learning strategy development
Discuss:
What are some examples of non-communicative activities?
There
is a continuum of non- to communicative activities
Not
all activities will be communicative
Non-Communicative activities:
Matching
Dictation
Repeating
Fill in blanks
Worksheets
Book work
Communicative Activities
Role play - pretend you're auditioning for a VJ position
Half of class has ties - use formal language to talk to them
Research Chicano characters and make up a song or a book about them
Interviews: give 2 Ss paper with prompts - What do you have in your backpack?
Self-descriptions: Oral
Games: asking questions, apply info to game
Interview another student
Communicate about pictures
Pen pals: write to someone
Battleship game: describe people draw boat on paper
What
are some examples of times when classroom activities fall
between the two extremes?
1.Introducing new
language or vocabulary (falls toward non-communicative end)
2.Practice of
new language, vocabulary, functions (in between—may have communicative
purpose but may lack language variety, and materials may determine
what students do or say)
3.Strive for
some communicative activities in all classes.
Discussion:
Assigned
Reading –
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American University School of Education, Teaching
and Health EDU-540 
