ENTRY #6 SFL

 Systemic Functional Language (SFL)

What is SFL?

SFL is a linguistic theory where the language is considered primarily functional. The structure or form of language is important only to serve the function. Without function, the structure would be completely pointless. However, everyone needs to understand how language is structured to effectively produce and analyze its function.

Unlike the traditionalists who tend to see grammar as an entity separate from meaning and context of use, the systemic functionalists perceive language as a social semiotic system, in other words, a system in which its meaning and form are always driven by its context and the speaker’s communicative goals.

Context is a pivotal concern because it significantly contributes to the process of meaning-making. One does not speak and write in isolated sentences but in meaningful units called texts which are produced in and influenced by contexts.

In analyzing a text, one should begin with its context and type (register and genre). These aspects relate closely to three contextual variables, namely: field (the topic being talked about), tenor (the relationship of participants), and mode (the channel of communication). These variables help to explain how an individual’s use of language is predominantly dependent upon functions.

Metafunctions

Halliday developed a theory of the fundamental functions of language, in which he analyzed lexicogrammar into three broad metafunctions: ideational, interpersonal, and textual. Each of the three metafunctions is about a different aspect of the world and is concerned with a different mode of the meaning of clauses. The ideational metafunction is about the natural world in the broadest sense, including our own consciousness, and is concerned with clauses as representations. The interpersonal metafunction is about the social world, especially the relationship between speaker and hearer, and is concerned with clauses as exchanges. The textual metafunction is about the verbal world, especially the flow of information in a text, and is concerned with clauses as messages.

Cites:

1. Ignatius Tri Endarto - English Education Department, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318700637

2. http://www.ling.helsinki.fi/kit/2004s/ctl310gen/GW-MScThesis/node16.html#:~:text=Halliday%20developed%20a%20theory%20of,mode%20of%20meaning%20of%20clauses.

Here is a youtube video that I personally found very useful:

Step 2:

SFL de estefi paulozzo

STEP #3

Now I will present some videos for you to watch. Then after watching the videos, I invite you to do the google form you will find below the videos:

STEP #4

Metacognitive analysis:

Another entry was created. This time doing all this work took me more time than I expected. Despite working remotely and studying teaching in the same way, I have found a way to organize myself to do these jobs. Although writing is not something that comes spontaneously to me or something that I do in my spare time, I really enjoy learning about the different aspects of the language so that tomorrow I can be well prepared to teach at a school.

The pandemic in which we are living has us locked up but gave us the possibility of continuing to learn new ways of teaching and learning. In my case, I am both a student and a teacher. And it is quite difficult at times to be able to achieve it but I think that as time goes by this is lessening and we are getting used to this new virtual life. I hope you enjoy my blog posts because I really enjoyed producing them.

According to what I read in the texts and I was able to enjoy the videos, I was able to discover new ways in which language is acquired and used by all users. Although we are acquiring new knowledge during teaching, I did not think that being in the last year of my degree I was going to continue to be surprised with things that I did not know.

I understand that writing is not only necessary but a must when reading or speaking. Even though it is something that we take for granted, there are several rules to be successful when writing. In my opinion, it is very important and compulsory for teachers like us to understand how writing is developed and how we can teach writing. Furthermore, we need to know how to encourage our students to write and read. Nowadays we have much more information and resources so we can get to have several pieces of writing from different webpages so we can work with them in the classroom. As a matter of fact, I must say that as a secondary student I have not learned how to write accurately and how all these rules and functions the language has would actually be such a useful tool when creating a piece of writing.