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Date Posted: 11:03:32 07/16/03 Wed
Author: Myla (Mylene Fonseca)
Subject: task 11

Communicative Approach On line Class
Learner: Mylene Fonseca Garcia
Task Eleven


Explain what a genre-based approach is.


There is no way of thinking about genre-based approach detached from its sociocultural context. That is, this approach is based on identifying various genres present in authentic texts. So, learners are exposed to these different genres, or types of text, and they are encouraged to produce similar genre’s texts.
This approach deals with language functionally. In other words, it “show[s] how specific genres serve specific social purposes, and how genres can be identified by examining the structural organization of a text, as well as the linguistic features in it” (CRITCHLEY). Therefore, it promotes the structural organization learning of language and its branches, such as development of vocabulary, acquisition of grammatical rules and the like. Although it should be also considered “that a genre approach is not a matter of applying formulaic prescriptions of how a text should be structured” (GALLAGHER) -instead, it is by putting emphasis on how a text creates meaning within a context and how this knowledge can be passed to learners that the goal of a genre-based approach is achieved.
By identifying a genre which reflects language in use, learners deal with its organizational patterns. They face some discourse analysis terms as coherence and cohesion, internal features, reflecting about both text’s micro and macro constituents. The former refers to text’s internal components while the latter encompasses a broader view. It deals with text functionally, showing its presence within a communicative purpose. The classification of texts in genres is a macro component, for instance. Besides, Critchley mentions that the genre-based approach “reflects language as a social phenomenon”, so it gathers authentic texts analyzing them as they occur in language, from both an internally and externally viewpoints.
Nevertheless, its critics say that this approach could be restrictive and prescriptive, as it forces teachers to choose the adequate material that could retain/emphasize some subjects more than others. Moreover, its critics affirm that the text’s relevance could be judged. But, experienced teachers could rightly determine what kind of text should be valued and why. In addition, they could make these texts accessible to students enabling them to understand the purpose of each genre. By doing so, the learners deal with language varieties “with shifts of various kinds” (GALLAGHER), while they could acquire a skill most native speakers easily deal with.
To conclude, a genre-based approach focuses on using language functionally. It is not isolated from a context. Learners are exposed to it; identify the patterns of each studied genre; learn how a genre is meaningful in a context and they try to practice this new knowledge by making their own versions of different genre’s texts.

REFERENCES:

http://www.encounters.jp/mike/professional/publications/bevseminar.html
http://langue.hyper.chubu.ac.jp/jalt/pub/tlt/00/jul/gallagher.html (visited in 07-02-03)

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