COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE, COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH AND

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONSM1622- Bilingual Programmes, Policy and Practice – Prof. Isadora Norman

WHAT IS COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE?

“Communicative competence may be defined as the ability to function in a truly communicative setting – that is, in a dynamic exchange in with linguistic competence must adapt itself to the total informational input, both linguistic and paralinguistic, of one or more interlocutors”

(Savignon, 1972)

Communicative Competence

Communicative Competence

Strategic Competence

Discourse Competence

Sociolinguistic Comptence

Gramatical Competence

Canale and Swain, 1980)

COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Grammatical Competence Linguistic code: grammar, spelling, pronunciation

Discourse Competence Coherence and cohesion

Strategic Competence Linguistic flexibility and negotiation of meaning

Sociolinguistic Competence Appropriate to context and function

LANGUAGE COMPETENCE (BACHMAN)

Language Competence

Organizational

Competence

Grammatical Competence

Textual Comptence

Pragmatic competence

Illocutionary Competence

Sociolinguistic

competence

LANGUAGE COMPETENCE (BACHMAN)

Grammatical Competence Linguistic code: grammar, spelling, pronunciation

Textual Competence Coherence and cohesion

Illocutionary Competence Language functions

Sociolinguistic competence Adaptation to context: register, paralinguistic features, cultural

differences

ACTIVITY ONE: WHICH COMPETENCE IS INVOLVED?

Vicky, who is American, went to a party with her new Spanish friends. She was very upset when two of the boys at the party kissed her on the cheeks – she had never seen them before in her life!

Miguel was trying to reserve a hotel in France. He had a French-Spanish dictionary and carefully said the words in his best French: “ Je voudrais un chambre pour deux personnes.”

ACTIVITY ONE: WHICH COMPETENCE IS INVOLVED?

Steve’s mother has sent him a recipe for his favourite dish, but she forgot to put the amounts for the ingredients, and the instructions are all jumbled up.

Gunter is an Erasmus student who is giving a presentation in Spanish. Suddenly his mind has gone blank and he can’t remember the word for “president” in Spanish. Instead he says “el lider de un país.”

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

Communication is key

Create opportunities for practicing the four basic skills: Reading and Writing Speaking and Listening

Reflection on learning: Learning how to learn Functions

Sociolinguistic Competence: Cultural topics Pragmatics Paralinguistic Features

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

Language Functions: A specific reason to use language to meet a specific need or desire Using language for a communicative purpose Function and Intention

Task-based learning: Accomplishing a task that requires a number of coordinated linguistic

functions Encourages real communication

EXAMPLES OF LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

Identify

Describe

Request

Imagine

Offer to do something

Give advice

Encourage

Persuade

SAMPLE TASK: GOING TO A RESTAURANT WITH A FRIEND

Function – Invite friend

Function – Request a reservation

Function – State preferences in reservation

Function – Ask for directions

Function – Greet friend

Function – Order food

Function – State preferences when ordering

Function – Compliment/complain/thank

Function – Request bill

Function – Say goodbye to friend

ACTIVITY TWO: COMMUNICATIVE SITUATIONS

Going to the doctor for a health problem

Buying fruit at the supermarket

Buying a train ticket

Talking to a friend who has a problem

Discussing a new film

Going clothes shopping