
The most popular episode of 2024 was the one where I talked about moving from grammar to language functions. I begin this last episode of 2024 with some podcast stats from 2024 and then you have the replay of episode #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.
2024 World Language Classroom Podcast Stats :
- top 10% of all podcast downloads
- 52 episodes
- Most popular cities with listeners: Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Sydney
- Most popular countries with listeners: United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom
- Most downloaded episode: #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.
- Total 2024 downloads: 65,000
- Total minutes of audio published: 1,200
Replay of episode #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.
What have you heard about language functions? I see this as the idea of using the target language to communicate or convey a message rather than only being able to describe the grammatical structures, patterns and vocabulary. In this episode we are going to take a look at this shift in focus, and sometimes mindset, from a primary focus on grammatical forms to language functions with examples and practical strategies.
Topics In This Episode:
- 3 aspects of communicative language teaching:
- 1. goal is on communicating and doing something with the language
- 2. student-centered
- 3. focused on understanding the message being conveyed by students despite inaccuracy in language form.
- language functions
- focus is on communicating, student-centered, understanding the message being conveyed by students despite inaccuracy in language form
- practical strategies and examples to support our focus on language functions
- Novice Levels: Making Language Practical
- Intermediate Levels: Expanding Communication
- Embrace the Shift
- not an either/or when it comes to grammar
- it’s essential that we embrace this paradigm shift from a focus on grammar and accuracy to a broader emphasis on language functions and authentic communication.
- ensures that language learning is not just a theoretical exercise, but one that builds proficiency and communicative competence.
- Blog post on Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function
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