Genre-Based Pedagogy:Applying SFL to the ClassroomCynthia Lundgren, Theresa Bunker, Steven Wicht,

Carrie Sorenson and Angela Froemming11:10 – 12:00

3:40 – 4:30

Welcome!

• What is SFL?• What is Genre-based pedagogy?• Why does it matter?

Systemic Functional Linguistics• A theory of language development by Halliday• Language as a resource for making meaning that

reflects different purposes and contexts• Grounded in the belief that language provides

access to society and is a tool for social justice unlocking linguistic privilege

• Asks: (1) What is the PURPOSE of the communication? (2) What is the intended OUTCOME? (3) Is the discourse SPOKEN or WRITTEN? And (4) What is the CONTEXT?

Genre-based pedagogy: An application of SFL to the classroom

• Genre theory is about subject specificity to help students…

• recognize how information is organized in various subject areas as well as the culturally specific expectations

• make meaning from text and with text• demonstrate the expectations of rigorous

content standards

How can we focus language instruction to be the most effective?

Reading Genres

• How can we introduce genres in elementary school?

• How can we help students identify genres?

• What is the value of knowing the genre of a text?

Linguistic Genre

Is this article an informational report or an argument. How do you know?

www.kidshealth.org”

Informational Report ☐ Sentence that introduces

topic.

☐ Facts and information about the topic.

Language Objective

● I can determine the author’s purpose of a text--to argue, explain, inform or tell a story.

● I can tell why I think a text is an informational report or an argument.

● I can identify the language features of an informational report.

● I can identify the language features of an argument.

Related 4th grade Reading Standards

● Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

● Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

● Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

● Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

“This year in our classroom, we've placed a much higher emphasis on identifying text structure before, during and after reading. It has made a big difference in student comprehension, and specifically, in determining main idea.

For instance, in a seemingly informational text about wolves, the first chapter tells about how wolves have been commonly misunderstood and, if healthy, are not dangerous to humans. The author claims that being educated about wolves can help humans protect them. Identifying the text structure as an argument helped students identify main idea. The second chapter is an informational chapter about how wolves live in packs. Recognizing there was no claim, simply facts about wolf families, helped students understand the text. Students were more capable of accurately determining the main idea of these sections of text when they identified the text structure first.”

-- Rebecca Theisen, 4th Grade Teacher

Valley View Elementary, Bloomington MN

Genre Building Blocks

• How can we help students with emerging English skills access genres?

• What strategies can students use to make meaning?

• How can a standard curriculum facilitate this language development?

Do-ers and Actions

• Do-ers are the subjects of action verbs.– They “do” some action in the sentence.

Anab is going to school.

• Actions are action verbs.– They describe what happens. Anab is going to school.Or: Anab is going to school.

Context for Learning

• Success For All curriculum.– Middle school, Level 1 (lowest level).

• Informational Text about animals.

• Focus on sentences with Do-ers and Actions.

• Graphic organizers for writing support.

Lexical Cohesion: Using multiple words to refer to the same thing

Pronoun Referencing:

Referring to a noun

with a pronoun.

Pronoun Referencing with 2nd Graders

Lexical Cohesion with 2nd Graders

Math Word Problems through an SFL Lens

Making sense of the meaning of math problems:

How Old is the Sheppard?

Three-step Approach: 1. Who or What is the problem about?

2. What information am I given? What is happening? How is it happening?

3. What am I being asked to solve?

sample word problem:

Ellen has 4 professional soccer player autographs. She gets 1 more for every game she attends. Write an equation for the relationship between the number of games she has attended (x) and the number of autographs she has (y).

• Who or What is this problem about?

• What information am I given? What is happening? How is it happening?

• What am I asked to do?

Ellen has 4 professional soccer player autographs. She gets 1 more for every game she attends. Write an equation for the relationship between the number of games she has attended (x) and the number of autographs she has (y).

What is the language of a math story problem?

• Who or What is this problem about? Ellen, soccer player autographs

• What information am I given? What is happening? How is it happening?Ellen has 4 and gets another one every time she goes to a game.

• What am I asked to do? write an equation and find the relationship between two things (x and y)

Who/ What is the problem about?

What is happening?How is it happening?

What am I asked to do?

- Ellen- soccer player autographs

- Ellen has 4- She gets 1 at every game she attends

- write an equation- find the relationship between # games and # autographs

Ellen has 4 professional soccer player autographs. She gets 1 more for every game she attends. Write an equation for the relationship between the number of games she has attended (x) and the number of autographs she has (y).

How is the problem organized?Ellen has 4 professional soccer player autographs. She gets 1 more

for every game she attends. Write an equation for the relationship between the number of games she has attended (x) and the number of autographs she has (y).

• Adverbials/Adjectivals: for every, each, constant rate, between• Comparative language: (Linear relationships) comparing the

relationship between _______ and ________

• Understanding these functions will help guide the student toward a strategy to solve the problem. (do I draw a table? graph? write an equation?)

In Summary... Helping students find ways to solve word problems

1. Who or What is

the problem

about?

2. What is

happening? How?

(Details!)

3. What is the

problem to solve?

Language Functions to explicitly teach:

● Clarifying adverbials/adjectivals- every, constant

● Comparative language structure- explaining relationships- between ___ and ___

Sample Word Problems: Linear Functions and Inverse Variation (Grade 8)

Math Learning Target:I can represent linear/arithmetic functions with tables, verbal descriptions, symbols,

equations (including the form f(x)= mx + b) and graphs; translate from one representation to another. (8.2.1.1, 8.2.1.4, 8.2.2.2, 8.2.2.4)

I can use linear equations to represent situations involving constant rate of change, including proportional and non-proportional relationships. (8.2.4.1)

Language Learning Targets:I can describe the relationship between two entities using graphs, symbols, tables. (reading, writing)

I can identify participants in a situation using use terms “for every,” each, constant rate, relationship between ______ and ______. (speaking, reading)

Text: Connected Mathematics (CMP2, Grade 8) Thinking with Mathematical Models

The big idea: Students explore relationships between variables that form linear and inverse patterns.