This week we've learnt "Genre" and Genre-based approaches in language learning classroom.
As Kay and Dudley- Evans (1997) point out that Swales and Martin gave two different definitions of genre. According to Martin, a genre is "a staged, goal-oriented, purposeful activity in which speakers engage as members of our culture"; while for Swales, "a genre comprises a class of communicative purposes". (p.308) For both Swales and Martin, different communicative purposes decide the structures and the contents of different genres.
In terms of Genre-based teaching approach, it aims to evoke learner's awareness of the structure and purpose, as well as the significant linguistic features of the texts of different genres. The learners, therefore, could replicate such features in their own production.
Teacher's role in such genre-based program is to facilitate and guide students' learning process, as well as organise the instructional materials, according to Paltridge (2001). It is worth to notice that the model text presented need to be as natural and authentic as possible, and the following tasks should be considered related to the language example presented.
As Paltridge (2001) states, genre includes both written and spoken language. That means a genre-based approach could be used in both written and spoken language learning classroom. However, I think such genre-based approach is likely more effective in a higher level written language learning classroom as the learners in a low level may not have the abilities of self-analysing the structure and linguistic features of the model text. On the other hand, such genre-based approach seems workable in all levels of spoken language learning classrooms though it may "lead to lack of creativity and demotivation in the learners", as Kay and Dudley-Evans (1998, p.311) argued.
Reference:
Kay, H. & Dudley-Evans, T. (1984). What teachers think. ELT Journal October, 1998. V.52/4
(p.308-314) Oxford University Press.
Paltridge, B.(2001). Genre and the language learning classroom . Ann Arbor: Michigan
University Press.
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The thing is that all communication takes place in real context - primarily involving both written and spoken genres - so is it in fact possible to avoid genre in the language learning classroom?
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree with your opinion that ‘the learners in a low level may not have the abilities of self-analyzing the structure and linguistic features of the model text’. In the field of second-language teaching, I think if learners have a high level of ‘abilities of self-analyzing the structure and linguistic features of the model text’ in their first language, they can do such things in their first language without the higher level of their proficiency of their second language.
ReplyDeleteKimiko