Core Courses

MAAL6030 Understanding Language through Grammar

COURSE TEACHER:
Dr. Ken Lau
Email: lauken@hku.hk 

OVERVIEW
This course adopts a functional view of grammar to understand language as a stratified system. 

AIMS
This course aims to acquaint course participants with a general understanding of how grammar as part of a language system encompasses discourse and meaning. Participants will understand the importance of functional analysis of various text types and recognize the limitation of the traditional grammar. 

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students should be able to: 

1. identify and describe the language use and function in some common genres; 
2. apply relevant grammatical categories to critically analyse and interpret language data; and 
3. diagnose problems of language learners 

ASSESSMENTS
Participants will be expected to apply functional grammar to conduct a comparative analysis of two spoken or written texts. The texts can be produced by learners, professionals, native or non-native speakers of English.  Details of the assignment will be provided when the module begins.  

KEY REFERENCES
Butt, D., Fahey, R., Feez, S., Spinks, S., & Yallop, C. (2000). Using functional grammar: An explorer’s  guide. Sydney: NCELTR.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2004). An introduction to functional grammar (3rd  ed.). London: Arnold.
Jones, R. H. & Lock, G. (2011). Functional grammar in the ESL classroom: Noticing, exploring and practicing. Palgrave MacMillan.
Kress G. & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design. London: Routledge.
Lau, K. (2012). Learning to become a professional in a textually-mediated world: A text-oriented study of placement practices. Bern: Peter Lang.
Lock, G. (2005). Functional English grammar: An introduction for second language teachers (7th edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Thompson, G. (2013). Introducing functional grammar (3rd edition). London: Arnold. [Recommended text]
 

OTHER USEFUL REFERENCES
Check out: http://www.isfla.org/cgi-bin/SFLBooks.cgi 
 

SCHEDULE