PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE FACULTAD DE LETRAS PROGRAMA DE MAGISTER EN LINGSTICA APLICADA A ILE

English For Specific Purposes

Jenny S
1. Importance on teaching genres

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1. It can help learners to interpret and create different texts. In the case for example of the Australian genre work by some linguists such as Halliday, Ruquaya Hasan and Jim Martin genre is defined as systemic functional in which genre is described in terms of the choices a speaker or writer makes from the language system in particular contexts of use, based on functional rather than grammatical terms. Genres also provide the possibility of responding to communicative events. Making them explicit can give learners the knowledge and skill to communicate successfully in specific communicative contexts. It also provides learners access to powerful forms of language. A genre-based approach to language program development has the advantage that it is neither too small as in the structural or functional model nor too long as in the skill-based syllabus. It emphasises communicative purposes and provides demonstration for typical patterns of textual and linguistic organization (Swales 1986). It enables curriculum organizers to group texts in terms of their purpose, organization, and audience. Besides it provides students with the linguistic components and structure organization they need for their specific field of study (Dudley-Evans 1989). Systemic genre analysts for example argue that a genre-based approach takes into account language at the level of the whole text as well as social and cultural features for the context in which it is used. Some aspects regarding the teaching of genres should be considered as for example that the teachers should present contextualized texts and make it clear that genres exist in and for particular discourse communities (Johns 1997). Furthermore teachers should not give learners strict templates in which texts should be fit into (Swales 1990), but rather encourage them to make their choices in the production of texts to use them for their own particular purpose (Bazerman 1988). On the other side, however, genre-based programs should not forget aspects of language as structures, functions and vocabulary (Callaghan,

Knapp, and Noble 1993) as these features are as important as for example macro-skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or microskills (reading for gist, working meaning out of context, etc). These aspects should be part of the social and cultural contexts of the production and interpretation of particular genres, thus not only including patterns of organization and linguistic features. One of the main objectives of a genre-based program in the classroom is the acquisition of what Vijay Bhatia (2000) refers as Generic Competence which is the participation and inclusion of habitual genres to achieve a specific communicative purpose. It includes both the linguistic competence and the communicative competence to create contextually appropriate texts for a particular genre (generic competence). Another advantage is the genres principles is that it takes learners beyond the language and form of a genre and gives them the possibility of understanding communicative activities within a discipline. Also, learners get access to texts, discourses and genres and gain the possibility to participate more successfully in spoken and written interactions in a second language. Genre-based instruction is seen differently from other approaches to language teaching because it incorporates aspects of language and discourse structure but gives less importance to aspects of situation, such as role, purpose, content, and communicative expertise required to successfully perform the genre. A strength of the genre-based syllabus is that is able to incorporate the best aspects of other approaches, such as vocabulary and grammatical structures, associated with structural syllabus types; functions and notions that derive from functional-notional approaches; a focus on situation, social activities, and topic, derived from situation and contentbased syllabus and some aspects of task-based and procedural approaches to language teaching and learning.

2. Basic stages of designing a genre-based course Burns and Joyce (1997) describe the basic stages of designing a genre-based course. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Identify the overall context of language use Develop goals or aims Note the sequence of language events within the particular context. List the genres arising from these sequence.

Outline the sociocultural knowledge that students need in the particular communicative context. 6. Record or gather samples of the genres on which the course will focus. 7. Develop units of work related to these genres and develop the learning objectives to be achieved.
5. 3. Genres to teach to develop writing and speaking Writing Basic writing requirements of an English-medium academic learning environment. -

Summaries, reactions to readings Annotated bibliographies Reports Case Studies Documented Essays Research Projects Applications Memos

Speaking:
-

Seminar presentations Tutorial discussions | Interviews Interactions Ordering Conversations

4. Genres to teach to develop listening Casual Conversations Seminar Presentations Interviews Radio broadcast Movies Songs Debates Interactions

5. Design a course following table n2 Step 1. Identify the overall context Discussion and Examples University: lesson focus is preparing the students for business written texts.

2. Develop an aim 3. Note the language event sequence within the context

To develop the reading and writing language skills required for the understanding and production of written texts. It could include Understanding a job advertisment Preparing a resume Understanding messages Understanding instructions Reading letters Writing messages Writing instructions Writing letters Writing presentations and reports Job advertisements Resumes Messages Instructions Reports Essays Letters The type of Enterprise Enterprise procedures Types of texts used

4. List the texts arising from the sequence

5. Outline the sociocultural knowledge students need 6. Record or gather samples of texts

7. Develop units of
work related to the texts and develop learning objectives to be achieved

Written texts Gather examples of resumes, reports, letters, etc. Reading texts - Find letters, reports, resumes, manuals, resumes Classroom tasks to develop Reading: Reading for specific information Reading for general information Reading and inferring Reading and comparing Reading and summarizing Guided practice Independant performance Writing: Explicit Input Pre-writing Planning and organizing Drafting Revising Editing Independence performance Feedback

Source: From Burns and Joyce 1997, 79.

6. What abilities can be developed when teaching genres? - to read and extract information from a range of genres needed - to write and speak a range of genres and text types that meet the demands and expectations required. - to recognize required genres and text types and to create appropriate responses to questions.

7.What aspects of the genre and situation in which it occurs are considered - The social and cultural context of the genre - The purpose of the genre - The content of the genre - the writer or speaker of the genre - the intended audience for the particular genre - the relationships between participants in the genre - the setting of the genre (e.g., in a newspaper, in a classroom, at home) - the structure of the genre - the tone of the genre (e.g. formal vs. Informal, serious vs. Amusing) - discourse community expectations - shared understandings between participants - assumed background knowledge - key vocabulary items - typical patterns of grammar - the relationships the genre has with other genres, including its place in any event sequence it might be part of. 8. Explain figure 3: the systematic teaching learning cycle This is a systemic teaching-learning cycle and the main objective is to give support to the learners to develop its independency on the use of language in context. It is based on the principle of scaffolding (Bruner 1975; Wood, Bruner, and Ross 1976; Cazden 1988) which is the support given to learners as they develop in their linguistic competence. It moves from the building knowledge of a field where they bring out previous knowledge of content, experiences, some vocabulary and grammatical patterns. It is supported by the teachers provision of a model target text and the discussion with the learner, then creating a joint construction (by the teacher and the learners) of a further model text. Finally, the learners acquire independency in the construction of a new text that includes the schematic structure, linguistic features and knowledge of the field shared in previous practice. All this process is interactive so it considers students previous knowledge which is shared with the teachers support. At each stage learners concentrate on the cultural and social context of the text, the structure of the text, the content of the text and the linguistic features. 9.Schematic structures that can occur in certain types of conversation Narrative 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. (Abstract) (Orientation) Complication Evaluation Resolution (Coda)

Anecdote 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. (Abstract) (Orientation) Remarkable event Reaction (Coda)

Recount 1. 2. 3. 4. (Abstract) Orientation Record of events (Coda)

Opinion 1. 2. 3. 4. Opinion Reaction (Evidence) (Resolution)

10. Answer the task and discussion questions

Task and Discussion Questions Group the genres in the following list (from Cook 1989, 95) ubti categories, such as spoken versus written, degree of formality, purpose of the text, audience of the text. You will see that some genres have things in common but still remain instances of different genres. GENRE
RECIPE

1. What is a genre?

SKILL
READING/WRITING

DEGREE OF FORMALITY
INFORMAL

PURPOSE OF THE TEXT

INSTRUCTIONS

AUDIENCE
CHEF, COOKS, TRAVELLERS OFFICE WORKERS, SECRETARIES, SALES ATTENDANTS, MANAGERS YOUNG PEOPLE GENERAL

LETTER

READING/WRITING

FORMAL/INFORM AL

INFORMATION, REQUEST, APPLICATION, COMPLAINT, ETC INTERACTION UNDERSTANDING CONTENT

CHAT SONG

READING/WRITING LISTENING

INFORMAL INFORMAL

SQUABBLE JOKE ADVERTISEMENT

SPEAKING LISTENING/SPEAKING READING

INFORMAL INFORMAL FORMAL/INFORM AL FORMAL

ARGUMENT ENTERTAIN INFORM

GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL

SEMINAR

LISTENING

INFORM

PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, STUDENTS GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL OFFICE WORKERS, STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY GENERAL GENERAL

NOVEL CONSULTATION ANECDOTE REPORT

READING READING/SPEAKING LISTENING/SPEAKING READING/WRITING

FORMAL FORMAL INFORMAL FORMAL

ENTERTAIN DISCUSS NARRATE INFORM

MANIFESTO NOTICE

READING READING/WRITING

FORMAL FORMAL/INFORM AL FORMAL/INFORM AL FORMAL/INFORM AL INFORMAL

INFORM INFORM

SIGN

READING

INFORM

GENERAL

LABEL

READING

INFORM

GENERAL

MESSAGE TOAST BIOGRAPHY ESSAY POEM NOTE ARGUMENT SERMON JINGLE

READING/WRITING

INFORM

GENERAL

READING/WRITING READING/WRITING READING/WRITING READING/WRITING LISTENING LISTENING LISTENING

FORMAL FORMAL FORMAL INFORMAL INFORMAL FORMAL INFORMAL

NARRATE NARRATE/INFORM ENTERTAIN INFORM DISCUSS/AGREE INFORM INFORM

GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL RELIGOUS TV SPECTATORS, RADIO UNIVERSITY, PROFFESSIONALS, CITIZENS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, PROFFESIONALS CLIENTS

SPEECH

LISTENING

FORMAL

INFORM

LECTURE

LISTENING

FORMAL

INFORM

MENU

READING

INFORMAL

INFORM

STORY

READING/WRITING

FORMAL/INFORM AL

ENTERTAIN

CHILDREN, YOUNGSTERS, ADULTS FACTORIES, CUSTOMERS. GENERAL NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE/READERS. SHOPS, BANKS. PATIENTS

MANUAL

READING

FORMAL

INSTRUCTIONS

ROW ARTICLE

LISTENING/SPEAKING READING/WRITING

INFORMAL FORMAL/INFORM AL FORMAL FORMAL

AGREE/DISAGREE INFORM

CHECK PRESCRIPTION

WRITING READING

INFORM INFORM, INSTRUCTIONS INFORM INFORM INFORM INFORM INTERACTION/AGREE MENT AND DISAGREEMENT

WARRANT WILL TELEGRAM TICKET CONVERSATION

READING READING READING/WRITING READING LISTENING/SPEAKING

FORMAL FORMAL FORMAL FORMAL FORMAL/INFORM AL

CUSTOMERS RELATIVES GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL

NEWSPAPER

READING

FORMAL/INFORM AL

INFORM

GENERAL

2. Choose one of the genres from the above list and consider it according to the following categories:
Genre : LECTURE

1. Topic of the text: 2. Speaker/Author of the text: Consultant 3. Audience of the text: 4. Relationship between participants: 5. Purpose of the text: 6. Setting: 7. Structure of the text 8. Tone of the text 9. Patterns of gramar markers, past tenses, present tenses.

Global Warming Professor at the University, Institute, Students Teacher-Learner Inform Auditorium Introduction, body and conclusion Formal Passive voice, connectors, discourse

10. Key vocabulary items health 11. Community Expectations 12. Shared understanding environment 13. Assumed background knowledge environment.

Environment, pollution, nature, Reflect, get informed Basic knowledge of Geography, Basic vocabulary on

3. Definition of Genre. Summarize the main points from the section of this chapter on definitions of Genre. Which parts of the definitions do you think are most useful for a language learning classroom, why?
The Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (Richard, Platt, and Platt 1992) describes genre as a particular class of events that are considered by a discourse community to be the same type. On the other hand John Swales focus on communicative events with some shared set of communicative purposes. Jim Martin (1984) describes genre as a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity in which speakers engage as members of our culture (25). Martin (1992) argues that similarities and differences between textual structures provide a means for assigning a text to a particular genre category. Some critique to this view is stated regarding textual structures as being a defining feature of particular genres, pointing out that as more descriptions of genres become available, such a view becomes problematic. Carolyn Miller (1984) proposes her own definition focuses on the action a genre is used to accomplish in a particular, recurring situation. Classroom: communicative events for communicative purposes, because is interaction; a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity, because it should be through scaffolding activities with a defined purpose.

4. Find several instances of a genre that seem to you to be prototypical of the particular genre. Then find one that is not. How do you think you might deal with this phenomenon in a language learning classroom?

Prototypical : Menu = Dishes and prices Speech : Introduction, Body, Conclusions (reflective language) could be also given in Lectures and Sermons.