NAMES:

Cabezas Kerly
Cauja Vanessa
Palacios Maria
Perez Evelyn
Vilema Nancy

SUBJECT:
Methodology I
TOPIC:
Language Functions
SEMESTER:
5th Language A
TEACHER`S NAME:
Mgs. Cesar Narvaez











UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO
FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIN, HUMANAS Y TECNOLOGAS
LANGUAGE SCHOOL
INTRODUCTION
The main goal of language teachers is to provide students with the tools to have an
effective communication.
Teachers might need to consider a communicative approach to teaching the language,
focusing on the functions of language, to properly equip students to complete assigned
tasks.
These language functions need to be explicitly taught to English language learners. If
they don't know about language function, the sentences that we talk to other people
will not complete.
If we teach a wrong function, it means that the students will receive a wrong language
system, too.
Each language has its function, which is used to communicate. Moreover, language
function makes us to communicate correctly. Although people can understand, but it
can change the meaning

Nowadays, there are many ways to teach the students to learn language functions.
Some students think that language functions are boring. Then, they don't want to
learn. However, we should use the better teaching technique for our students.

DEFINITION
The concept of communicative language teaching has grown out of the notion that
solely teaching grammar is not enough to prepare students for using the language
independently. This method of teaching proposes that students need to understand
the meaning and the communicative function of a language in order to learn the
language.
Language functions: refer to the purposes in which we use language to
communicate.We use language for a variety of formal and informal purposes, and
specific grammatical structures and vocabulary are often used with each language
function.Teachers must explicitly the vocabulary and phrases associated with each
language function that are going to teach.
Functions refer to what items of language actually do in a real context, as opposed to
what they might mean literally. These include suggesting, criticising, refusing, agreeing
and disagreeing, enquiring, talking about the past, and giving advice.
Savignon describes a language function as the use to which language is put, the
purpose of an utterance rather than the particular grammatical form an utterance
takes
HOW CAN TEACH FUCTIONS OF LANGUAGE?
We find three interesting steps that we consider important to teach language
functions:
1. Presentation.-In this stage, the teacher presents a language function either in
a dialogue form or by creating context. Teachers can create a discussion with
the students regarding the possible exponents for the language function to be
taught. Some of these activities are; Contextualization, Description of the social
settings of the language use, Motivation and preparation, Identification of the
participants, Setting, Acting emotion.Teacher creates the context and provides
description on where to use such language function or in which situation.
2. Practice._ The students are given opportunity to practice language function
presented. For this purpose, they may be involved in pairs to conduct mini
dialogues. They practice the language function by means of mechanical,
manipulative or communicative drills. In this stage, they mainly memorize as
well as learn how to use different exponents and realize their meaning.
3. Production._ This stage focuses on using the new language function, in free or
real life situation. Students practice using the new structures and in different
context often using their own content or information in order to develop
fluency with the new patterns. Some of the activities of this stage are; mini-
exchange, role plays, oral games, guessing games, interviews etc.
LANGUAGE FUCTIONS EXAMPLES:
Example with a conversation:

WHY IS FUCTIONS LANGUAGE IMPORTANT?
To use the language independently.
Teaching language functions is very helpful to develop other language such
as: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Language function is the way to develop communication among the
learners.
It is more motivating for students to learn to do things in a language rather
than just learn structure.
Encourage the use of students imagination and humor practicing any
structure.
It can increase a lot of pronunciation of students.
CONCLUSIONS
From this research we think that it is very important for teachersin language
function because it is based on communication. Most of the students do not
understand what a function of language is. Sometime, the students don't know
in what situation they are using a context and how they should talk in an
appropriate way.
Students can communicate with people using the knowledge get in the class
and it can be applied in real situations.
Moreover, on reading skill, students can have speed reading. In addition, on
writing skill, we can express our ideas, agree or disagree from the articles both
in the textbook.
Language function is one of the major factors that English students learners
need to learn. The potential communication has been created from the
classroom first and the most success will consequently happen in the real
world.
One word can have a lot of meaning but it depends on the context. For this
reason is so important for students to know about language functions and with
than we can know about what we want to express.



Bibliography
Msc. Monica Torres (2008-2009Basic Methodology for Teaching English-Ecuador).
Savignon, S. J. (1983). Communicative competence: Theory and classroom practice.
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley / Copyright OlenkaBilash May 2009 ~ Last Modified
January 2011.retrived at /on
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http://ielts-yasi.englishlab.net/LANGUAGE_FUNCTION_EXAMPLES_P1.htm
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/standards/elp/files/langfunc.pdf
http://neltachoutari.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/teaching-language-functions-as-a-
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