GENRE AND ITS APPLICATION IN LANGUAGE

LEARNING
Amrin Saragih
Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni/
Pascasarjana
Universitas Negeri Medan

staged, goal-oriented social processes

Genre is culturally determined.

Culture determines how things get done, i. e. what processes or
activities are allowed to be done.
The processes or activities are oriented to a certain goal.
There are stages of how to do thing i.e people go through the stages to
get to the goal.
The stages are called generic structures or schematic structures.
 IDEOLOGY

GENRE SOCIAL
CONTEXT
SITUATION

LANGUAGE
(Text)

Figure 2 Elements of Social Context and Language

 SOCIAL CONTEXT

LANGUAGE
(Text)

Figure 1 Language and Social Context

 IDEOLOGY
SOCIAL
CONTEXT
GENRE

SITUATION

(Discourse) Semantics LANGUAGE

(Text)
Lexicogrammar

Phonology/
Graphology/
Sign

Figure 3 Stratified Semiotics of Language Use

 Metafunctions
1. Ideational Function (draw, describe)
a. Experiential function (represent)
b. Logical function (relate)
2. Interpersonal Function (exchange)
3. Textual Function (organize)

Grammar: Theory of experience: theory of

how experience is represented, related,
exchanged and organized. (also technically
called Lexicogrammar)
 Interpersonal IDEOLOGY
Function

CULTURE
Textual
SITUATION
Function
Tenor
Ideational
Function
Field (Discourse) Mode
Semantics
Negotiation
Ideation/ Identification
Conjunction
Lexicogrammar
Mood Theme/
Transitivity/ Rheme
phonology
Ergativity
Phonology/ Figure 4 Metafunction
Graphology/ and Realizations across
Sign Stratified Semiotics
 Academic Genres
1. Description
2. Explanation
3. Procedure
4. Exposition
5. Discussion
6. Narrative
7. Spoof/Recount
8. Recount
9. Report
10. Anecdote
11. News Item
12. Reviews
13. Commentary
14.
 Three Criteria for Describing Genres

1. Social Functions
2. Generic Structures
3. Linguistic Realizations

Linguistic Realizations
Lexicogrammar (Process, Participant,
Circumstance)
Discourse Semantics (ideation, negotiation,
identification)
No Type of Social Generic Linguistic Realization
Genre Function Structure
1 Description to describe a Identification - focus on specific Participant
particular Description - use of Attributive and
person, place Identifying Processes
or thing - frequent use of Epithets and
Classifiers in nominal groups
- use of the simple present tense

2 Explanation to explain General - focus on generic, non-human

the Statement Participant
processes [Explanation]n - use mainly of Material and
involved in Relational Processes
the formation - use mainly of temporal and
or workings causal Circumstances and
of natural or Conjunctions
socio-
cultural - use of the simple present tense
phenomena - use of Passive Voice to get
Theme right
3 Procedure to tell stepsGoal - focus on generalized human
someone to do (Materials/Ingre agents
something and dients) - use of the simple present tense,
how to do it.to [Steps] n often Imperative
describe how -use mainly of temporal
something is conjunctions (or numbering to
accomplished indicate sequence)
through a
sequence of - use mainly of Material Process
actions or
4 Exposition to argue for or (Abstract) - focus on generic human and non-
against a Thesis human Participant, except for
social issue [Argument]n speaker or writer referring to self
Conclusion -use of Mental Process to state what
the writer thinks or feels about issu
-use of Material Process to state
what happens
-use of Relational Process to state
what is or should be
-use of the simple present tense
5 Discussion to present Issue [Argument -focus on generic human and
points of view for]n [Argument generic non-human Participant
about an issue against]n -use of Material, Mental and
at least from Conclusion Relational Processes
two sides Issue [Argument -use of Comparative: contrastive
(Protagonist of Differing Views]n and Consequential conjunctions
and Antagonist Conclusion -reasoning expressed as verbs and
Issue: (1) Statement nouns (abstraction) -
(2) Preview
Argument: (1) Point
(2) Elaboration
6 Narrative to tell a story, (Abstract) -focus on specific and usually
that something Orientation individualized Participant
goes wrong [(Evaluation)]n -use of Material Processes
Complication -use of Relational Processes
Resolution (Coda)
-use of temporal conjunction and
temporal Circumstances
-use of past tense
7 Spoof/Reco to retell an Orientation -focus on individual Participant
unt event with a [Event]n Twist -use of Material Processes
humorous twist -temporal and spatial
Circumstances
-use of past tense
8 Recount to retell events entertainingOrientati focus on specific Participant
for the purpose on [Event]n Re- use of Material Processes
of informing or orientation spatial and temporal
Circumstances
use of past tense
focus on temporal sequence
9 Report to describe the General Focus on Generic ParticipantsUse
way things are Classification of Relational Processes to state
with reference Description what is and that which it isUse of
to a range of simple present tenseNo temporal
natural, man- sequence
made and social
phenomena in
our
environment
10 Anecdote to share with (Abstract) use of exclamation, rhetorical
others an Orientation Crisis questions and intensifiers
account of an Reaction (really, very, quite, etc) to point
unusual or (Coda) the significance of the events
amusing use of Material Process to tell
incident what happened
use of temporal conjunctions
11 News Item to inform Newsworthy Event short, telegraphic information
readers, Background about story captured in
listeners or Event]n Source headline
viewers about use of Material Processes
events of the use of projection with Verbal
day which are Processes in the Sources
considered stage
newsworthy or
important focus on Circumstances
12 Review to critique an Orientation -focus on particular Participant
art work or Interpretation -the use of Attitudinal lexis and
event for a Evaluation epithets, qualitative Attributes
public Evaluative and Affective Mental Process
audience Summation -use of elaborating and
extending clause and group
complexes
-use of metaphorical language

13 to explain the General Statement -generic, non-human

processes [Explanation]n Participant
involved in the -the use of Material and
formation Relational Processes
(evaluation) of -the use of temporal and
a socio- causal Circumstances
cultural
phenomenon -the use past tense
as though a
natural
phenomenon
 MATERIAL
run, work, write, walk

Existential Behavioural
there be sleep, smile, die, bow
there go
there come

RELATIONAL
be, become, look, sound
MENTAL
like, feel, know, realize

Verbal
say, tell, ask, advise

Figure 5 Process Spectrum as Realization of Genre

 Circumstance as Linguistic Realization
Types Subcategory Probe Example

1. Extent temporal for how for three

(duration) long? hours
every two
weeks
how far? for six
miles
spatial
(distance,
length)
 Circumstance (cont)
2. Location temporal when? yesterday
Last week
spatial where? here
in the room
3. Manner -- how? quickly
very much
4. Cause -- why? because of
the rain
for better
result
 Circumstance (cont)
5. in what in the event
Contingency circumstan of rain
ces? in the
absence of
proof
6. Role what as? as a
concerned
parent
as an
acting
manager
 Circumstance (cont)
7. Matter what about this
about? about
economics
8.
Accompani together with(out)
ment with? friends
instead of
the man
9. Angle says who? according
to weather
forecast
 Features of Participants
1. generic or specific
2. human or nonhuman
3. presenting or presuming
4. comparison or -comparison
 Clause
1. Johan bought a car (material experience).
2. Johan likes cars (mental experience).
3. Johan lives a happy life (behavioural experience).
4. Johan told a story to us (verbal experience)
5. Johan played a doctor (in the drama) (relational experience).
6. There are two cars in the garage (existential experience)
 Use of Language in Genre
People use language in genre not in single separated
clauses. This is even intensified and amplified by the
paradigm of GLOBALIZATION

People naturally develop skills (listening, speaking,

reading and writing) in genre.

In speaking one should take into account

- Field : (what) is one talking about?
- Tenor: (who) is one talking about it to?
- Mode : (how) is one talking about it?
- Genre: (purpose) what purpose is one talking
about it for?
 Three Areas of Language Learning

- Learning to express meaning in language

(learning use)
- Learning about language (learning usage)
- Learning through language (learning reality)
 2
Modelling and
deconstructing
the text
1
Building the context
3
Joint construction
of the text
5
Linking related 4
texts Independent
construction of
the text

Figure 6 Stages of the Teaching/Learning Cycle

Teachers Intervention
1.Building the
Context

2. Modelling and
Deconstion
of the Text

3. Joint
Constrution
of the Text

4. Independent
Construction
of the Text

5. Linking
Texts

Learners Role
 Purposes at the Stages
At the building the context stage the students
1. are firstly introduced to the social context of an
authentic model of the genre/text-type being
studied,
2. explore the general cultural context in which the
genre/text-type is used and the social purposes
the genre/text-types achieves and
3. explore the immediate context of situation by
investigating the register of a model text which
has been selected on the basis of the course
objectives and learner needs.
 At the modelling and deconstructing the text
stage, the students
1. investigate the structural patterns and language
features (linguistic realizations) of the model
text/genre and
2. compare the model with other examples of the
text-type.
 At the joint construction of the text stage
1. students begin to contribute to the construction of
whole examples of the text-type and
2. the teacher gradually reduces the contribution to
text construction, as the students move closer to
being able to control the text-type independently.
 At the independent construction of the text
stage
1. students work independently with the text and
2. student performances are used for achievement
assesment.

At the linking to related texts stage, students

investigate how what they have learnt in this
teaching/learning cycle can be related to
1. other texts in the same or similar contexts and
2. future or past cycles of teacing and learning.
 Stages of Scientific Approach set in the 2013
English Curriculum
(1) observing,
(2) questioning,
(3) associating,
(4) experiemnting and
(5) networking in the scientific approach are
 Corresponding Cycles of Stages in Genre-Based and
Scientific Approach
Scientific Approach Genre-Based Approach
observing building the context
questioning modelling and deconstructing
the text
associating joint constrion of the text
experimenting independent construction of
the text
networking linking related texts
 Smoking is inhaling smokes from burning cigarettes.
Smoking causes disadvantages to health, welfare and
environment.
Firstly, smoking is hazardous to health. Because of breathing
in poisonous smoke a smoker often has respiratory diseases
such as tuberculosis or lung cancer. Not only does smoking
cause risk to the smoker himself/herself but it is harmful to
other people around (the passive smokers) as well. For
example, the passive smoker such as the fetus in the womb of
pregnant women can have the same amount of nicotine as its
smoking mothers blood. Secondly, smoking causes
economical disadvantage. The smokers are always sicky so
they have low-productivity activity. Therefore, they are
disadvantageous to economy. It is estimated that more than
87% smokers work less efficiently than non-smokers do.
Thirdly, smoking litters the surroundings. Cigarette butts are
everywhere with a huge amount of poisonous smoke is sent
into the atmosphere. Jones (1998: 12) has observed that
millions hectares of forest are felled for cigarette paper and
filter. In conclusion, smoking is disadvantageous to people,
economy and environment. (It is suggested that smoking
should be banned).
(AB) I have an unforgettable story on smoking.
(OR)
This happened when I was 9 years old. I liked heroes in cowboy films
where the heroes fired shoots while they were smoking. One day, my
friend Ali and I went to our special place under the bamboo tress near
the bank of a river in a remote place in Asahan. Ali took a packet of
cigarettes, which he snatched from his fathers drawers and I stole half a
packet from my father pocket.
(EV) There we enjoyed the cigarettes.
(COM)
After almost two hours smoking I felt headache. I saw Alis face turning
pale and Ali told me that he saw the earth moving. In no time Ali
collapsed and got fainted.
(RES)
I ran back home quickly and told our parents and the news spread all
over the village. All of a sudden all members of the village came to our
favorite place at the bank of a river and at no time Ali and I were taken to
the community medical centre. When we recovered our parents got
very angry and as a lesson my uncle smacked me on the face and Ali
was hit by his elder bother.
(CO)
It was an awful experience
 Narrative
I have an unforgettable story on smoking. This happened when I was 9
years old. I liked heroes in cowboy films where the heroes fired shoots
while they were smoking. One day, my friend Ali and I went to our
special place under the bamboo tress near the bank of a river in a
remote place in Asahan. Ali took a packet of cigarettes, which he
snatched from his fathers drawers and I stole half a packet from my
father pocket. There we enjoyed the cigarettes. After almost two hours
smoking I felt headache. I saw Alis face turning pale and Ali told me
that he saw the earth moving. In no time Ali collapsed and got fainted. I
ran back home quickly and told our parents and the news spread all
over the village. All of a sudden all members of the village came to our
favorite place at the bank of a river and at no time Ali and I were taken to
the community medical centre. When we recovered our parents got
very angry and as a lesson my uncle smacked me on the face and Ali
was hit by his elder bother. It was an awful experience
 Narrative Embedded in Exposition
Smoking is inhaling smokes from burning cigarettes. Smoking causes disadvantages to
health, welfare and environment. Firstly, smoking is hazardous to health. Because of
breathing in poisonous smoke a smoker often has respiratory diseases such as
tuberculosis or lung cancer. Not only does smoking cause risk to the smoker
himself/herself but it is harmful to other people around (the passive smokers) as well. For
example, the passive smoker such as the fetus in the womb of pregnant women can have
the same amount of nicotine as its smoking mothers blood. To illustrate that smoking is
hazardous, he is a story. I have an unforgettable story on smoking. This happened when I
was 9 years old. I liked heroes in cowboy films where the heroes fired shoots while they
were smoking. One day, my friend Ali and I went to our special place under the bamboo
tress near the bank of a river in a remote place in Asahan. Ali took a packet of cigarettes,
which he snatched from his fathers drawers and I stole half a packet from my father
pocket. There we enjoyed the cigarettes. After almost two hours smoking I felt
headache. I saw Alis face turning pale and Ali told me that he saw the earth moving. In
no time Ali collapsed and got fainted. I ran back home quickly and told our parents and
the news spread all over the village. All of a sudden all members of the village came to
our favorite place at the bank of a river and at no time Ali and I were taken to the
community medical centre. When we recovered our parents got very angry and as a
lesson my uncle smacked me on the face and Ali was hit by his elder bother. It was an
awful experience. Secondly, smoking causes economical disadvantage. The smokers are
always sicky so they have low-productivity activity. Therefore, they are disadvantageous
to economy. It is estimated that more than 87% smokers work less efficiently than non-
smokers do. Thirdly, smoking litters the surroundings. Cigarette butts are everywhere
with a huge amount of poisonous smoke is sent into the atmosphere. Jones (1998: 12)
has observed that millions hectares of forest are felled for cigarette paper and filter. In
conclusion, smoking is disadvantageous to people, economy and environment. (It is
suggested that smoking should be banned).