Coursework Task 1 Critical Response. Grammar and Function Savignon (198 !

! descri"es a language #unction as $t%e use to w%ic% language is put& t%e purpose o# an utterance rat%er t%an t%e particular grammatical #orm an utterance takes'. (anguage #unctions re#er to t%e purposes in w%ic% we use language to communicate. (anguage #unctions can "e de#ined as t%e goals t%e language learner needs to ac%ieve in order to communicate. Savignon& S. ). Communicative competence* T%eor+ and classroom practice (198 ! T%ere are a deductive approac% (rule,driven! starts wit% t%e presentation o# a rule and is #ollowed "+ e-amples in w%ic% t%e rule is applied. .n /nductive approac% (rule,discover+! starts wit% some e-amples #rom w%ic% a rule is in#erred. For me deductive approac% gets straig%t to t%e point and can t%ere#ore "e time, saving. 0an+ rules can "e more 1uickl+ e-plained t%an elicited& t%ere"+ allowing more time #or practice and application. Starting t%e lesson wit% a grammar e-planation ma+ "e #rustrating #or some students& especiall+ +ounger ones. T%e+ ma+ not %ave su##icient meta language or ma+ not "e a"le to understand t%e concepts involved. /t respects t%e intelligence and maturit+ o# man+ students and acknowledges t%e role o# cognitive processes in language ac1uisition. Grammar e-planation encourages a teac%er,#ronted& transmission st+le classroom. /t con#irms man+ students2 e-pectations a"out classroom learning& particularl+ #or t%ose wit% an anal+tical learning st+le. 3-planation is seldom as memora"le as ot%er #orms o# presentation& suc% as demonstration. /t allows #or teac%ers to deal wit% language points as t%e+ come up rat%er t%an %aving to anticipate t%em and prepare #or t%em in advance. Suc% an approac% encourages t%e "elie# t%at learning a language is simple a case o# knowing t%e rules. / strongl+ "elieve t%at learner discover #or t%emselves are more likel+ to #it t%eir e-isting mental structures& making t%em more meaning#ul& memora"le and servicea"le. Time and energ+ spent working out rules ma+ mislead students into "elieving t%at rules are t%e o"4ective o# language learning. T%e mental e##ort involved ensures greater cognitive dept%& again ensuring greater memora"ilit+. Students ma+ %+pot%esi5e t%e wrong rule& or t%eir version o# t%e rule ma+ "e eit%er too "road or to narrow. Students are more activel+ involved in t%e learning process and are t%ere#ore likel+ to "e more attentive and motivated. /t can place %eav+ demands on teac%ers in planning a lesson.

6orking t%ings out #or t%emselves prepares students #or greater sel# reliance and autonom+. .n inductive approac% #rustrates students w%o& "ecause o# personal learning st+le or past learning e-perience& would pre#er simpl+ to "e told t%e rule. . 7eductive teac%ing involves drawing t%e learner2s attention speci#icall+ to one or more #eatures o# t%e linguistic s+stem. T%is can "e ac%ieved "+ descri"ing rules or principles and t%e getting students to appl+ t%is in practice in t%e #orm o# grammar. Finall+ / %ad made a conclusion t%at grammar learning in an 3S( classroom is somet%ing ver+ important. / will keep on wit% m+ wa+ o# teac%ing grammar directl+. For me w%en t%e students mastered t%e grammar rules t%e+ will not make mistakes in written work. .nd / do %ope no matter w%at approac%es / use to teac% & m+ learners will %ave "ene#its and learn somet%ing.