APPLYING FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR IN A CLASSROOM SETTING
As a future English language teacher, I believe that utilizing functional grammar in my teaching will be beneficial for my students.
As we’ve learned, functional grammar is an approach to teaching grammar that focuses on how language is used to perform functions, such as making requests, giving instructions, and expressing opinions. This approach helps students understand how grammar is used in real-life situations, rather than just memorizing rules.
To implement this approach, I plan to use a role-playing activity because using role-playing activities is an effective way to incorporate functional grammar in the classroom.
Role-playing activities involve students taking on specific roles and acting out scenarios that are relevant to their lives. This type of activity is particularly useful for teaching grammar, as it allows students to practice using grammar in context and to develop their language skills in a natural way. And this role-playing activity is a type of student-centered learning activity, and I will serve as a facilitator.
So, to utilize this approach in the classroom setting, I could begin by selecting a specific setting, such as a restaurant or airport. And as the facilitator of this student-centered learning activity, I would prepare to provide students with a list of functional language that is commonly used in restaurant or airport settings, such as expressions for making reservations, asking for directions, and ordering food. And I could also provide students with a grammar lesson on how to use modal verbs, such as "can," "could," "may," and "would," to make requests and ask for permission.
To ensure that every student is involved, I will divide the class into two groups, with each group having a different setting, which is the restaurant and airport setting. Each group can then work together to create a dialogue using some of the provided list of functional language that is commonly used for their scenario, using the grammar and language structures that are relevant to that particular setting.
During the activity, as a facilitator, I will observe the students’ performance, and at the end of the activity, I will provide feedback on their use of grammar and language, and I will debrief with the students and discuss how they used functional language in their conversations.
In this way, it can help students reflect on their language use and identify areas where they need further practice. And of course, I will appreciate them for taking on the challenge to do role playing and encouraging students to use functional language, such as making requests, giving instructions, and expressing opinions, as this will help them develop their language skills in a more natural way.
So, you see, by engaging in this role-playing activity, students not only learn the grammar rules related to making requests and giving directions but also practice using them in a real-life situation. This functional approach to grammar is particularly effective because it focuses on the practical application of grammar rules in real-life situations rather than just memorizing grammar rules in isolation.
And I could say that this functional grammar approach can improve the communicative competence of English language students in several ways.
•First, it provides students with the language skills necessary to communicate effectively in specific settings, such as restaurants and airports.
•Second, it allows students to practice using grammar structures in a meaningful context, which makes them more likely to remember and apply them in real-life situations.
•Finally, by engaging in role-playing activities, students develop their confidence and fluency in speaking, which is a crucial aspect of communicative competence.