Functions in ELT

• Functions in ELT refer to the communicative purposes of language use, such as requesting, apologizing, or suggesting.
• Understanding language functions helps learners communicate effectively and adapt their language to achieve specific goals.
• Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. (2010) define functions in the Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics.

Common Functions

• Informing: giving information, reporting, explaining
• Requesting: making requests, asking for permission, asking for clarification
• Inviting: suggesting, offering suggestions, recommending, proposing ideas
• Expressing: opinions, sharing feelings, describing experiences, expressing wishes, purpose, cause and effect, contrast, concession
• Apologizing: offering apologies, expressing regret, making amends
• Negotiating: Reaching agreements, compromising, persuading

Language Exponents

• Exponents are the language used to express a function and can express different functions depending on the context.
• A single function can be expressed through different exponents depending on the level of formality.
• Formal exponents are serious and careful and used in formal situations.
• Informal exponents are relaxed and used in informal situations.
• Neutral exponents fall between formal and informal and are used in neutral situations.
• Come for lunch, come for lunch with us, would you like to come for lunch with us, why don’t you come for lunch with us, we would be very pleased if you could join us for lunch are all used as exponents of inviting someone to lunch.

Social Functions

• Social functions are used to establish and maintain social relationships.
• Greeting: Initiating or responding to social interactions, for example, "Hello!", "How are you?"
• Farewell: Ending conversations politely, for example, "Goodbye!", "See you later!"
• Complimenting: Praising or expressing admiration, for example, "You look great!", "Nice job!"
• Complaining: Expressing dissatisfaction or grievances, for example, "This is unfair!", "I'm really upset about this."
• Apologizing: Expressing regret or admitting fault, for example, "I'm sorry for being late.", "I apologize for the mistake."
• Requesting: Asking for something or seeking permission, for example, "Can you help me?", "May I borrow your pen?"
• Offering: Giving something to someone, for example, "Would you like some tea?", "Here's a gift for you."
• Thanking: Expressing gratitude, for example, "Thank you!", "I appreciate your help."

Rhetorical Functions

• Rhetorical functions are used to persuade or influence others and can be used in academic spoken or written texts: defining, cause and effect, purpose, addition, and concession.
• Persuading: Convincing someone to do something or believe something, for example, "You should try this restaurant.", "It's important to vote."
• Negotiating: Reaching agreements or compromises, for example, "Let's find a middle ground.", "Can we agree on this solution?"
• Suggesting: Offering advice or recommendations, for example, "You might want to consider this option.", "I suggest you take a break."
• Expressing Opinions: Sharing personal views or beliefs, for example, "In my opinion, this is the best choice.", "I believe we should take action."
• Expressing Feelings: Sharing emotions or attitudes, for example, "I feel strongly about this issue.", "I'm excited about the project."
• Explaining: Providing reasons or justifications, for example, "The reason is...", "This is because..."

Teaching Language Functions

• Presenting the Function in a Dialogue

  • Select real interactions between real speakers, set the scene, and indicate the role relationship between the speakers.
  • Ensure the target function occurs naturally and represents what native speakers use most frequently in that situation.
  • Avoid dialogues that seem like an artificial context for the function.

• Highlighting the Function in the Dialogue

  • Exploit the dialogues and ask students to discover instances of the target function (linguistic exponents) and underline them.
  • Develop a grid that allows a visual display of the language forms related to the social variables of the situation.
  • Transfer the linguistic forms of the target function out of the dialogue to see in isolation and arrange them according to formality level.

• Practice Stage

  • Focus on accurately producing and supplying the appropriate linguistic form of the function.
    • Provide exercises on the linguistic forms of the target function.
    • Use meaningful and realistic exercises and tasks.
    • Make sure the exercises are not simply a mechanical transformation where students can supply the correct linguistic form for the function without considering the meaning of the whole exchange.
    • Use pair and group practice wherever possible.
    • Provide enough practice exchanges so that students can practice efficiently.
    • Encourage the exchange of personal information during communication.

Effective Strategies

• Contextualization: Use real-life situations and scenarios.
• Role-playing: Practice communication in different roles.
• Authentic Materials: Use real-world texts and media.
• Focus on Fluency: Encourage natural and spontaneous language.

Sample Activities

• Information gap tasks: Students have a problem and must communicate to solve it.
• Opinion gap tasks: Students state their personal preferences, attitudes, or feelings.
• Role-play (drama simulation): Students freely act out roles and situations after initial cues, often simulating real-life actions and experiences.
• Games: Production and use of language in the setting of a language game.
• Interviews: Students obtain information from each other.
• Discussion:

Explore functions in English Language Teaching (ELT), focusing on the communicative purposes like requesting, apologizing, and suggesting. Grasping these functions supports effective communication and language adaptation. Functions encompass informing, requesting, inviting, expressing, apologizing, and negotiating.