FUNCTIONAL APPROACH
Asst. Prof.
Preface
Language enables people to better understand the world
around them, to communicate with others, to establish and maintain relationships,
to influence others, to think, reason and imagine, and to pass on their
culture. People also use language creatively to convey ideas, feelings,
emotions and images. Language is vital to all human beings. Thus, language is
an indispensable tool for all learning and teaching. Language is learned and
used in all aspects of life. It is therefore vital that learners have language skills
to use in their learning, working and recreation as social beings. Language
develops best when learners have opportunities to communicate. Learners become versatile
users of language when they have a wide variety of satisfying experiences which
encourage them to practise and develop their skills.
Meaning of functional approach
A
functional approach focuses on the meanings and usage of language (its functions)
rather than its structures. New learners of any language will need, right from
the outset, a number of basic communicative functions in order to understand and
be understood in school and social situations. Such functions obviously
include:
• Being able to ask for wants and needs;
• Being able to tell about him/her self;
• Being able to ask and reply to questions;
and
• Being able to tell what happened.
The
functional approach aims to help develop such competence in contextual
real-life situations, and to equip the learner, then and there, with the
necessary sentence patterns and vocabulary items. Functional Approach aims at
not only knowing the grammatical rules of language but also knowing when, where
and with whom to use the language in a contextually appropriate way. This
requires more then mere knowledge of the structures, grammar and vocabulary; it
requires skills in how to use English in meaningful situations.
The functional approach to language
teaching aims to equip the learner as quickly as possible with the actual
language he needs for the real-life situations which the learner encounters -
and when, how and where to use that language.
Principles behind Functional Approach
1. Language
is basically for speaking. Language is primary speech. It is to be used.
2.
Language is not a subject of knowledge
or information but a full of skills and actions. LSRW are the main skills.
These skills are expressed by mental and physical actions.
3.
A person uses a language keeping in mind
any objective (function) in his mind in the context of his psychological,
emotional, social role and the cultural interpretations.
4.
Stray words or stray sentences without
context have no meaning because a person who communicates uses a chain of variety
of sentences and creates meaningful message.
5.
Learning a language means learning
different functions. It means using a language for different purpose especially
the skill of speaking and writing.
6.
Leaning a language doesn't mean to lean
the rules of grammar, subject, verb, tenses, pronoun etc but to develop the
ability to use the language in different situations for different purpose.
7.
You cannot say to know a language if you
know many stray words or many stray sentences if you cannot create a chain of
meaningful sentences according the demand of the situation.
8.
There is not strict pattern of sentences
in day to day communication. Many types of structures are mixed. Language
teaching should not follow strict order of simple to complex structure
teaching.
9.
Students use the language to fulfil his
social, cultural and psychological needs.
Characteristics features of Functional approach
1.
The
classroom teaching is done using different communicative activities.
2.
The
text generally consists of reading material with different functions. The theme
of each lesson is taken from environment, professions, science, technology,
friendship, human relations, inspirational personalities, daily life skills,
history, geography, general knowledge to introduce different functions of
language in different contexts. Pre-tasks
in each unit prepare students for new content. Glossary at the end of each unit
gives meanings if needed in Gujarati as well.
3.
Classroom
is student-centred and learning centred.
4.
Student
mistakes are spared. They are motivated to use the language. They commit
mistakes and learn.
5.
Teacher's
role is facilitator or co-participant in the activity. Classroom atmosphere is
democratic.
6.
Students
can use mother tongue.
7.
Grammar
is taught indirectly. Students are motivated to create sentences and speak
without fear of mistakes.
8.
Classroom work is full of pair-work and group-work, comprehension
practice, information gap activities.
Advantages of functional approach
1.
It is a learner-centred approach. Learning is stressed
rather than teaching.
2. Students
mistakes are initially spared thereby they are motivated to speak and use the
language. They will learn the language stress free. Students feel free to use
the language.
3. Classroom will
create a social condition in which students will use the language.
4. Classroom work
is full of pair-work and group-work, comprehension practice, information gap
activities.
5. Pronunciation
practice is also done which improves their correct pronunciation.
6. Supplementary
reading material develops silent reading skill.
7. Learners learn to use the language
naturally as they are participating in an activity or experience.
8. The specific needs of each learner can be
covered through group work. Individual learners can be assisted with their own
special needs.
9. Although structure is to be taught
incidentally and not consciously as grammar, by the end of this programme
learners should be familiar with common grammatical terms like noun, verb,
tenses, adjective, adverb, and preposition. However, note that these are not to be taught formally.
10. Oral exams, reading and writing exams are
also taken.
Disadvantages
of Functional approach
1.
No deep
and correct knowledge of grammar and language is imparted so students remain
mere good speakers of language.
2.
Speaking
and writing is stressed but mistakes are also spared which may result in
incorrect foundation.
3.
Some of
the activities may be very difficult to complete.
4.
Competent
teachers are required to implement this approach.
5.
Group
activities may result in noise, indiscipline and disturbance to whole class and
nearby class.
6.
Not
possible to complete all the activities for all the students. All the students
may not learn the functions perfectly.
7.
Simple
to complex principle of teaching not followed.
