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Gloria Gabbianelli

University of Urbino, Italy

 

Abstract

In the view of much functionally oriented language education research, the goal of teaching and learning is for learners to become competent in using the appropriate forms of language for making meaning in particular contexts. Due to its systematic focus on the meaning-making mechanisms of language, systemic functional linguistics (SFL) has been recognized as having useful applications in educational settings. However, SFL-trained teachers need to be able to access teaching materials appropriate for the application of a functional approach in their teaching contexts. This study examines these issues in the context of the teaching of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL). It analyzes four CFL textbooks for beginners to explore the extent to which the presentation of grammatical knowledge and the types of activities used in the textbooks can raise learners’ awareness of the meaning-making function of language. For this purpose, the linguistic framework of SFL is used to analyze how grammatical instruction and apparatus are presented in these textbooks. The findings from this analysis show that the types of activities in the four textbooks examined are not always sufficiently contextualized to enable students to understand the key relationship between forms and meanings in each case: three out of the four textbooks do not provide sufficient opportunities for students to become aware of the systemic nature of the language and to discover how language users make systematic choices in specific contexts. This study shows the efficacy of the SFL model in textbook analysis: an SFL-based framework can be helpful for teachers in selecting textbooks as well as in providing suggestions for authors to redesign textbooks, by encouraging textbook writers to present language as a meaning-making resource.

 

Keywords

Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL), Chinese grammar instruction, foreign language textbooks, systemic functional linguistics (SFL), textbooks analysis

 

汉语作为外语教材的系统功能语言学分析

Gloria Gabbianelli（高莉雅）

乌尔比诺大学，意大利

 

摘要

功能导向的语言教育研究认为，语言教学与学习的目标应是使语言学习者在一定情境中能够使用恰当的语言形式。系统功能语言学重视研究语言的表意机制，在语言教育中广为应用。然而系统功能语言学背景的教师也需要为其教学目的择用适当的教材。本研究以系统功能语言学为理论框架，考察四部汉语作为外语的入门教材，分析教材中语法知识的呈现和教学活动的设计是否有助于学习者表达意义。研究结果表明，四部教材的教学活动设计并不总能帮助学生理解一定情境下语言形式与意义的关系。其中三部教材未能充分展示语言的系统特征，未能揭示语言使用者如何做出符合语境的语言系统选择。本研究同时展现系统功能语言学模式在教材分析领域的效用，系统功能语言学有助于语言教师选择教材，也有助于教学编写者设计教材，将语言有效呈现为表意资源。

 

关键词

汉语作为外语，汉语语法教学，外语教材，系统功能语言学，教材分析