TOPIC 1.

LANGUAGE AS COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN

LANGUAGE. FACTORS DEFINING A COMMUNICATIVE SITUATION:
ADRESSER, ADDRESSEE, FUNCTINALITY AND CONTEXT.

1. INTRODUCTION (Current curricular regulations. Having a good competence.

Summary)

2. LANGUAGE AS COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

2.1. Definition of communication (Canale. Use of a shared code. Existence
of comprehension and production processes)
2.2. Oral and written language (Stages in the processes of comprehension
and production)
2.3. Characteristics (Differences between written and oral languages.
Differences between spontaneous and planned language)
2.4. Non-verbal communication (Examples. Importance. The joint of verbal
and non-verbal elements. TPR)

3. FACTORS DEFINING A COMMUNICATIVE SITUATION: ADRESSER,

ADDRESSEE, FUNCTINALITY AND CONTEXT
3.1. Components in a communicative situation (Jakobson. Elements.
Process. Phases: codification, emission, reception, decoding)
3.2. Functionality (Jacobsons language functions: emotive, conative, phatic,
referential, poetic, metalingual. Van Eks functions)
3.3. Context (Linguistic and non-linguistic context. Historical and
sociocultural contexts. CD the importance of the context. Use of situational
contexts)

4. TEACHING COMMUNICATION: FROM FUNCTIONAL TO ACTION-

BASED SYLLABY (Debate in the mid-twentieth century. Language function)
4.1. Our approach (CEFR. Action-based approach. Communicative and
facilitating activities)

5. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (Written

language: publishing houses, text processor, e-mails, chats, blogs, forum, social
network. Oral language: Skype)

6. CONCLUSION (Written and oral languages are essential. Teachers must promote.
Communicative comp. not only linguistic comp.)

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY (Madrid & McLaren, Harmer, Richards & Schmidt, RD, D230,
O. 10 August)

1. INTRODUCTION

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 The current curricular regulations for the teaching of foreign languages in Spain,
such as CD 1513/2006 and the Order of August 10th, 2007, prescribe an approach which
focuses on communication and interaction. This means that teachers and their syllabuses
must contribute to develop communicative competence in their students.

Having a good competence in a language means being able to use the language in
terms of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Thus, students should be
able to comprehend oral and written language and produce oral and written messages.

In the present unit, we are going to deal with these aspects which allow
communication such as oral and written language and non-verbal language. Then, we
will see different factors in a communicative situation and finally, our current approach
which focuses in communication.

2. LANGUAGE AS COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN

LANGUAGE

a. Definition of communication

One of the more complete definitions of communication has been formulated by

Canale: as the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two
individuals through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, oral and written/visual
modes and production and comprehension processes.

Thus, in this definition there are three fundamental notions, the exchange of
information, the use of a shared code, the existence of comprehension and production
processes.

The exchange of information implies a will to communicate and an information gap.

Both personal and sociocultural aspects play a fundamental role in this process.

The use of a shared code implies a shared knowledge of reality and of the symbols
used to represent it. It can be verbal or non-verbal.

The existence of comprehension and production processes requires the use of

complex cognitive skills in order to codify and decode the message.

b. Oral and written language

There are three different stages in the processes of comprehension and production.

In oral and written comprehension the phases are perception, analysis and use. In
perception stage the focus is on the sounds or letters in order to get meanings. In
analysis stage the sense of the text is reconstructed with the help of a macro-structure. In
use phase the information is drawn up and new schemes are created.

On the other hand, the stages in oral and written production are more difficult. They
are construction, transformation and performance phases. In construction phase the

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appropriate meaning are selected according to the communicative intention. In
transformation stage these intentions are transformed by applying grammatical rules.
Last phase is performance, where the message is physically expressed.

c. Characteristics

Written and oral languages show clear differences. Madrid and McLaren (2004)
highlight seven characteristics:

Permanence: the written language is permanent and oral language vanishes.

Processing time: in written language the receiver has greater time to process the
information.
Distance: writer and reader are in different context (written language).
Orthography: written language lacks suprasegmental elements.
Complexity: in written language, sentences tend to be more complex.
Vocabulary: written lexical register is richer.
Formality: written texts are more formal.

Sometimes, oral language shares the characteristics of written language as in a

lecture as well as it happens on the other way round, when written language such as
class notes look like oral language. Thus, another way of differentiating languages is
distinguishing between spontaneous and planned language.

Some of the characteristics that differentiate them are the following:

- In spontaneous language simple sentences are used
- In spontaneous language connectors and structures are easier
- In planned repetitions are avoided
- In spontaneous language participants use self-corrections, doubts and repetitions

d. Non-verbal communication

Communication not only takes place in oral or written forms but also through non-
verbal procedures. We can name among others body language, facial expressions, mime,
traffic lights, the sign language used by deaf people or musical signs.

This type of communication is very important, especially when the linguistic

competence of participants is low. This is why teachers favour students knowledge of
non-linguistic communication and of the different meanings that signs can have in
different cultures.

In fact, the joint introduction of verbal and non-verbal elements is a natural

phenomenon in communication. From a didactic point of view, the information we get
from the speakers gestures, position or look among others, are so important that when it
does not agree with the content of the message, it can create serious doubts about its
interpretation. On the other hand, the use of non-verbal elements grants the listeners
comprehension of the message and in the same way, students can use these non-
linguistic procedures for expressing themselves.

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 In this sense, we should emphasise the importance of certain foreign language
teaching methods that are based on a physical response to verbal actions, such as the
Total Physical Response method which was developed by James Asher.

3. FACTORS DEFINING A COMMUNICATIVE SITUATION: ADRESSER,

ADDRESSEE, FUNCTINALITY AND CONTEXT

a. Components in a communicative situation

Roman Jakobson proposed a theory of communication. In this theory different

elements form intervenes:
- Addresser is the person who originates the message
- Addressee is the person to whom the message is addressed
- Channel is the medium through which the message travels
- Message is the content and particular grammar and lexis
- Code is the language or dialect which is used
- Context is the social or physical circumstances of communication

The way in which communication takes place in the Jakobsons model can be
explained in the following way: addresser sends a message to the addressee. To be
operative, the message requires a context which must be understandable to the
addressee. A common code to the addresser and addressee is also required and of
course, a physical channel of communication.

In all simple communication acts there are four clearly defined phases:

1. Codification. It is carried out by the addresser, turning the initial idea into a group of
linguistic signs.

2. Emission. It is the phase in which the message is transmitted through the channel. It
can be oral or written.

3. Reception, when the message is received.

4. Decoding. The addressee interprets the message by decoding it.

b. Functionality

Jakobsons description of communication process allowed him to define six

language functions which are the following:

Emotive: communicating the emotions of the addresser such as the colloquial

interjection Yuck!
Conative: looking for modifying the addressees behaviour as with the
command Come here! for example
Phatic: making sure that the channel is working as when we say Hello? when
talking by phone
Referential: carrying information, for example The Earth is round
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 Poetic: in which the essence of the message is the form, not the meaning. An
example is the invented word smurf
Metalingual: focusing attention on the code itself such as asking What is the
meaning of krill?

Jakobsons classification is not the only one. In the research The Threshold Level
for Modern Language Learning in Schools, Jan Van Ek also mentions six basic
functions defined for the purpose of teaching foreign languages:
- Imparting and seeking real information
- Expressing and finding out intellectual attitudes
- Expressing and finding out emotional attitudes
- Expressing and finding out moral attitudes
- Getting things done
- Socialising

Children in Primary Education need not know which function is being used in each
moment but they will start to be aware of the different ways of communicating
themselves according to each context.

c. Context

All the elements which appear in a communicative situation are present within a
context. The context has two sub-divisions: the linguistic and non-linguistic context.

The linguistic context is made up by all those linguistic forms that surround a
specific linguistic form. For example, in the following dialogue: How are your
parents?/ They are fine, thank you, we know that the word they refers to the
speakers parents.

Within the non-linguistic context, we can distinguish the historical context and the
sociocultural context. To ensure the effective communication between the addresser and
the addressee, they must share certain data such as personal, of the place and
sociocultural data.

The importance of creating a context is also present in Crown Decree 1513/2006 in

the introductory paragraphs:

Concrete situations in the foreign language classroom usually constitute the only
circumstances in which our students can actually communicate and, as a consequence,
learn to communicate too

For this reason, it is a good idea to use situational contexts for the foreign languages
teaching, especially at early stages. These contexts may be familiar for the children such
as the school, home, the supermarket, the park, and so on.

4. TEACHING COMMUNICATION: FROM FUNCTIONAL TO ACTION-

BASED SYLLABY
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 The debate in the mid-twentieth century on the best methodology for teaching
communication in the foreign language led to the definition of language functions first
and later to the definition of communicative competence, which is our main aim
currently.

The concept of language function is relevant because it confers meaning to purely

linguistic elements like syntax, lexis or phonetics. The functions are the use that we
make of these elements to communicate meaning: to give or ask information, to greet, to
describe a person, etc. The syllabi which were centred on teaching language for
different functions were called functional syllabi.

With time, linguistics understood that there are other elements in communication in
a foreign language which cannot be ignored, mainly related to the communicative
competence. The current syllabi in education are based on it.

a. Our approach

The approach to follow can be found in the common European Framework of

References for Languages (CEFR hereafter) and it is mentioned in the introduction of
the Foreign Language Area in Crown Decree 1513/2006. It is called an action-based
approach and it aims at the development of communicative competence through the
performance of tasks and activities.

According to the CEFR, these tasks include language activities which are those
tasks where language has to be used and students communicate in it. They can be
divided into real-life tasks and communicative pedagogical tasks, both focusing in
meaning. In order to prepare the student to be able to carry out these communicative
tasks, teachers can use non-communicative tasks called facilitating tasks by David
Nunan.

5. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Information and Communication technologies can help us to develop the students

communicative competence.

Most publishing houses offer graded reading series as well as specific web sites to
complement these texts with reading and writing exercises. Moreover, our students find
computers very motivating and they can use the text processor or write emails. On the
other hand, they can practise their written skills in a great number of sites such as in
chats, blogs, forum or even social networks such as Facebook.

But not only the written skills can be practised using the new technologies. The
main example of that is the program Skype. With this platform, students can
communicate with other people as in a real oral conversation. They can talk to other
person or people at real time and as well as they are watching each other. So it includes
both linguistic and non-linguistic communication.

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6. CONCLUSION

Having said that, we can affirm that written and oral languages are essential in
order to acquire a total Communicative Competence in the foreign language, in our case
English. Language skills have to be developed in the Primary grades and teachers have
to promote them in the classroom, creating a place for interaction in every English
lesson.

However, we must remember that the main objective is to achieve communicative

competence, not only the linguistic competence. If we want students to be able to
communicate we will have to teach them the verbal and non-verbal tools and offer them
a reason why. This way, language learning has a real meaning.

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Madrid, D. and McLaren, N. 2004. TELF in Primary Education. Universidad de

Granada.

Harmer, Jeremy.2007. The Practice of English Language Teaching. Longman.

Richards, J. & Schmidt, R. 1983. Language and communication. New York. Longman.

Real Decreto 1513/2006, de 7 de diciembre (BOE 8 de diciembre de 2006) por el que se

establecen las enseanzas mnimas de la Educacin Primaria.

Decreto 230/2007, de 31 de julio, (BOJA de 8 de agosto de 2007) por el que se

establece la ordenacin y las enseanzas correspondientes a la educacin primaria en
Andaluca.

Orden de 10 de agosto de 2007, (BOJA de 30 de agosto de 2007), por la que se

desarrolla el currculo correspondiente a la Educacin Primaria en Andaluca.

The legislative documents are cited in Spanish, as we can find their bibliography references.

DIDACTIC TRANSPOSITION TOPIC 1

FINAL TASK

Students write a letter to a classmate explaining which his/her summer plans are

ACTIVITIES EXERCISES TIMING RESOURCES COGNITIVE SCENARI- METHODOL

OS OGY
PROCESSES

Distinguish 1a.Display a One The IWB. Analytical. The Inductive

which the model with (information
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main parts different parts session. Notebooks. Practical. classroom. processing,
of a letter of a letter on cooperation)
are. the AN IWB..

1b.
Distinguish
the different
parts of a
letter

1c. Ordering
various parts
of a letter
presented as
separate
pieces

2. Write 2a. Identify Two Textbooks. Analytical. The Communicat

the parts which the Notebooks. Reflective. classroom. ive.
that are missing parts sessions. Tablets. Practical.
missing in are. The IWB.. The Group work.
a sample Internet.
letter. 2b. Complete
the missing
parts.

3. Carry 3a. Say ideas

out a about the
brainstormi content of the
ng on the letter
chart
information 3b. Select
and make information
an outline. 3c. Draw an
outline on the
board

4.Write a 4a. Write a Three Notebooks. Analytical. The Communicat

letter to a draft letter. Reflective. classroom. ive.
friend. sessions. Practical Individual
4b. Revise the and
draft with a Creative. pairwork.
partner for
errors.

4c. Write the

definite
model.

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