Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education

Systemic functional linguistic (SFL) theory has never acknowledged a clearcut distinction between theoretical and applied interests. Instead, the theory has tended to develop often in response to applied needs and questions, while in turn the theoretical gains that are made have tended to provoke f...

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Main Author: Frances Christie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina 2004-01-01
Series:Ilha do Desterro
Online Access:https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/desterro/article/view/7390
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author Frances Christie
author_facet Frances Christie
author_sort Frances Christie
collection DOAJ
description Systemic functional linguistic (SFL) theory has never acknowledged a clearcut distinction between theoretical and applied interests. Instead, the theory has tended to develop often in response to applied needs and questions, while in turn the theoretical gains that are made have tended to provoke further questions from applied contexts. The emergence of language in education theory, one of the primary applied interests in SFL theory, reveals how successful has been the dialogue between theoretical questions and applied questions. Two important themes in SFL theory, having significance for the emergence of language in education theory in Australia since the 1960s, have involved models of register and register variation on the one hand, and models of the functional grammar on the other hand. Register theory and the related theory of genre associated with the ‘Sydney School’ of SFL linguists, have developed considerably, helping to provide models of language for teaching and learning. The descriptions of the grammar, in terms of the metafunctions and in terms of systematic accounts of differences between speech and writing, have significantly enhanced theories of pedagogy and of language in education more generally. Much more work remains to be done in developing accounts of the grammar for teaching to the different age groups across the years of schooling.
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spelling doaj-art-95f8d61a87d64befb1f109f427ebe1172025-08-20T03:43:58ZengUniversidade Federal de Santa CatarinaIlha do Desterro0101-48462175-80262004-01-0146Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in educationFrances Christie0University of Melbourne / University of SydneySystemic functional linguistic (SFL) theory has never acknowledged a clearcut distinction between theoretical and applied interests. Instead, the theory has tended to develop often in response to applied needs and questions, while in turn the theoretical gains that are made have tended to provoke further questions from applied contexts. The emergence of language in education theory, one of the primary applied interests in SFL theory, reveals how successful has been the dialogue between theoretical questions and applied questions. Two important themes in SFL theory, having significance for the emergence of language in education theory in Australia since the 1960s, have involved models of register and register variation on the one hand, and models of the functional grammar on the other hand. Register theory and the related theory of genre associated with the ‘Sydney School’ of SFL linguists, have developed considerably, helping to provide models of language for teaching and learning. The descriptions of the grammar, in terms of the metafunctions and in terms of systematic accounts of differences between speech and writing, have significantly enhanced theories of pedagogy and of language in education more generally. Much more work remains to be done in developing accounts of the grammar for teaching to the different age groups across the years of schooling.https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/desterro/article/view/7390
spellingShingle Frances Christie
Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
Ilha do Desterro
title Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
title_full Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
title_fullStr Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
title_full_unstemmed Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
title_short Systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
title_sort systemic functional linguistics and a theory of language in education
url https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/desterro/article/view/7390
work_keys_str_mv AT franceschristie systemicfunctionallinguisticsandatheoryoflanguageineducation